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West AzarbaijanIntroduction West Azarbaijan (آذربایجان غربی in Persian) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It should not be confused with the west part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The province of West Azarbaijan covers an area of 39,487 sq. km. Its townships include: Urumieh, Oshnavieh, Bukan, Piran Shahr, Takab, Chaldran, Khoy, Sardasht, Salmas, Shahindej, Maku, Mahabad, Miandoab and Naqadeh. In the year 2000, this province had a population of about 2.686 million of which approximately 52% resided in urban areas, 47% in rural areas, and the rest accounted for being non-residents. The capital city of the province is the city of Urumieh with a population of approximately 435,000. Geography This province has a mountainous terrain in which the high Zagros Mountains span over an area from the north west to the south east. The water obtained from the melting snow flow through the various valleys in the vicinity; ultimately flowing into Lake Orumieh, the great fault of Khoy and the Khoy valley and the valley of the Kloy (Zaab) River. These are the most low-lying areas of the province. Climatically the province is influenced by humid air currents of the Atlantic Ocean and in the winter months the Mediterranean air currents have an effect here, bringing down the temperature. Generally the climate is variable; rising to 34 C in hot summer months and dropping to -16 C in the winter season, such that the cities of Orumieh and Maku have dry summers and cold winters, Mahabad has dry, long summers and extremely cold winters, whereas Naqadeh and Miandoab experience semi-humid climate with mild summers and cold winters. Religion Most follow Shiite Islam; however, there are numerous Christian minorities such as the Assyrians which have historically lived on the west shore of Urmia lake as well as Armenians which are scattered throughout the province. Notably the city of Maku in northern West Azarbaijan was the only city in Iran (before World War II) where Christians comprised the majority. Therefore from the religious aspect, the 'Shiite-sect' mostly are the inhabitants of Orumieh and the northern cities, whereas the Sunni sect are prevalent in the southern areas of the province. Other minorities such as the Assyrians and Armenians abide by their churches and each one of these, including the Azeri and Kurds have their own traditions and culture. St. Thaddeus Cathedral is located on the outskirts of Chaldoran, near the village of Qara-Kelissa. Besides being a religious site having a particular significance among Iranian Christians, particularly Armenians, this large church (monastery) is also a rare and valuable monument in architectural and artistic terms. St. Thaddeus, also known as Jude Thaddeus or Jude Labbeus, was one of the apostles of Jesus Christ who traveled to Armenia, where he was later killed and upon whose grave the locals erected a small chapel in AD 30l. The cathedral is known as Qara-kelissa (Black church in Turkish) to the locals, owing to the appearance of its western section. 31 Churches in all are registered by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization in the province. Ethnicity Most residents of the province are ethnic Azeris who have lived for centuries in the region known as Azarbaijan which stretches from the Republic of Azerbaijan in the former Soviet Union to the province of Zanjan in Iran. There is also a large Kurdish minority living mostly in the southern and western part of the province. West Azerbaijan today In the city of Urumieh many residents have a high standard of living in comparison with the Third world. There are plenty of parks, coffee shops, cinemas, and internet cafes throughout the city. There are hundreds of small vilages in the province as well, most of which have running water and electricity as well as television, satellite, and telephone lines. Thus not surprisingly, it is here, in the mountains of west Azerbaijan where humanity's first traces of wine were discovered at Tappeh Hajji Firuz. And not surprisingly again, West Azarbaijan province is one of the most important provinces for Iran's agriculture. The province also enjoys a wealth of historical attractions, 169 sites registered by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. The province has the following major institutes of higher education: External links
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