East Azerbaijan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran . It is located in Iranian Azerbaijan , bordering with Armenia , Republic of Azerbaijan , Ardabil Province , West Azerbaijan Province , and Zanjan Province . The capital of East Azerbaijan is Tabriz . East Azerbaijan Province is in Regions 3 of Iran , with its secretariat located in its capital city , Tabriz .
Geography
The province covers an area of approximately 47,830 km² , it has a population of around four million people . The historical city of Tabriz is the most important city of this province , culturally , politically , and commercially . The province has common borders with the current Republics of Azerbaijan , Armenia and Nakhchivan . A fine network of roads and railways connect East Azerbaijan to other parts of Iran and also to neighboring countries .
The highest peak of East Azerbaijan is Sahand Mountain at 3,722 m of elevation , lying south of Tabriz , whereas the lower lying areas are around Garmadooz (Ahar) . The heights of the province may be classified into three sectors , namely : the Qara Daq Mountains , the Sahand and Bozqoosh Mountains , and the Qaflan Kooh Mountains .
Generally speaking , East Azerbaijan enjoys a cool , dry climate , being in the main a mountainous region . But the gentle breezes off the Caspian Sea have some influence on the climate of the low-lying areas . Temperatures run up to 8.9 °C in Tabriz , and 20 °C in Maraqeh , in the winter dropping to -10-15 °C at least (depending on how cold the overall year is) . The ideal seasons to visit this province are in the spring and summer months .
History
East Azerbaijan is one of the most archaic territories in Iran . During the reign of Alexander of Macedon in Iran (331 BCE) , a warrior known as Attorpat led a revolt in this area , then a territory of the Medes , and thereafter it was called Attorpatkan . Since then this vicinity has been known as Azarabadegan , Azarbadgan and Azarbayjan .
Islamic researchers proclaim that the birth of the prophet Zoroaster was in this area , in the vicinity of Lake Orumieh (Chichesht) , Konzak City . Needless to say , this province was subject to numerous political and economical upheavals , attracting the interest of foreigners . The Russians in particular have tried to exert a lasting influence in the region over the past 300 years , occupying the area on numerous occasions . The constitutionalist movement of Iran began here in the late 19th century .
Ethnic tensions in Azerbaijan can visibly trace their origins back to the colonialist policies of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union . In a cable sent on July 6 , 1945 by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , the local Soviet commander in Russian (northern) held Azerbaijan was instructed as such :
“Begin preparatory work to form a national autonomous Azerbaijan district with broad powers within the Iranian state and simultaneously develop separatist movements in the provinces of Gilan , Mazandaran , Gorgan , and Khorasan”
In 1945 the Soviet Union helped set up the Azerbaijan People's Government in what is now East Azerbaijan .
Administrative divisions
At the 1986 census there were twelve counties in East Azerbaijan Province . By the 1996 census two additional counties had been formed , Jolfa from part of Marand , and Malekan from part of Bonab . Between 1996 and 2002 , five new counties were formed : Ajabshir , Azarshahr , Charoimaq , Osku , and Varzaqan . In 2010 Kalibar was split in half with the northern part becoming Khoda Afarin , while the southern part kept the name Kalibar .
Culture
The most outstanding features from a cultural point of view are the language , Azari / Azerice , and folklore of this region . According to Dehkhoda Dictionary , the language of Azerbaijan is originally "a branch of the Iranian languages known as Azari . However the modern Azeri language is a Turkic language very closely related to the language of Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkey . Apart from this , the province also boasts numerous learned scholars , Gnostics , several national poets such as Mowlana Baba Mazeed , Khajeh Abdol Raheem Aj Abadi , Sheikh Hassan Bolqari , and Abdolqader Nakhjavani , to name a few , and the contemporary poet Ostad Mohammad Hossein Shahriyar . The current leader of Iran , Ali Khamenei , also originally comes from this region .
Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization has registered 936 sites of historical significance in the province . Some are contemporary , and some are from the antiquity of ancient Persia . "Zahak Citadel" , for example , is the name of an ancient ruin in East Azerbaijan , which according to various experts , was inhabited from the second millennium BC until the Timurid era . First excavated in the 1800s by British archeologists , Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization has been studying the structure in 6 phases .
East Azerbaijan hails from a rich compendium of Azeri traditions . Many local dances and folk songs continue to survive among the various peoples of the province . As a longstanding province of Iran , Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in Persian literature by Iran's greatest authors and poets .
East Azerbaijan today
East Azerbaijan province is an industrial centre of Iran . East Azerbaijan province has over 5000 manufacturing units . The value of product from these units in 1997 was US$374 million . Total investments were valued at US$2.7 billion in 1997 .
Some of the major industries in East Azerbaijan are glass industries , paper manufacturing , steel , copper and nepheline syenite , oil refinery , petrochemical processing facilities , chemical products , pharmaceutical processing , foundries , vehicle and auto-parts industries , industrial machines , agricultural machine , food industries , leather and shoe industries .
East Azerbaijan has an excellent position in the handicraft industry of Iran , which has a large share in the exports of the province . Tabriz carpets are widely known around the world and in international markets for their vibrant designs and colors . At present there are about 66,000 carpet production units in the province , employing some 200,000 people . The annual production of these carpets is roughly 792,000 m² , which comprises more than 70% of Iran's carpet exports . 35% of all Iranian carpets are produced in East Azerbaijan .
East Azerbaijan province is also one of the richest regions of Iran in natural minerals , with 180 mines in 1997 , of which 121 units are currently in operation , and the rest are being planned .
UNESCO has two Biosphere reserves in East Azerbaijan province . One in Lake Urmia and the other at Arasbaran .
Babak Fort
Saint Stepanos Monastery
Constitution House of Tabriz
The Blue Mosque
Arg of Tabriz
Majarshin
Bazaar of Tabriz
The Bazaar of Tabriz is a historical market situated in the city center of Tabriz , Iran . It is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the world . and is one of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage Sites .
El Gölü
El Gölü , also known as Shah Gölü is the name of a large park in Tabriz , Iran . It has an square artificial lake surrounded by side walk in four sides . There is also a building in the middle of the lake , with traditional architecture of Iranian Azerbaijan . In South of the lake there is a hill covered by trees . Two beautiful stairways connecting the side walks to the top of the hill . At top of the hill there is a building with modern architecture (Hotel Pars building) . There is also a small luna park next to the park .
Kandovan
Kandovan (also spelled Candovan) is a touristic village near Osku and Tabriz, Iran. Its fame is due to its special houses which are carved inside rocks. This houses date back to about 3000 years ago and are still being inhabited. Kandovan also has a scenic beauty. It's a popular resort and there are hotels and restaurants there to serve tourists. Its mineral water is also popular by visitors and is believed to be a cure for kidney disease
Maqbaratoshoara
On the east side of sayyed Hamzeh's grave and Ghaem Magham's grave, there is a grave yard is the place of too many poets, mystics, scientists and well-known people of Tabriz graves and has a special importance
Some people who are buried in this grave yard are recognized. To know their names, on should refer to some books that contain enough descriptions of this complex like "Azarbayjan archeological signs" by Mr.Abdwl Ali Karang
From 35years ago, attempts on the repairment of the grave yard area has been started. Some works has been done like construction of a new symbolic building on this site the white marble construction in the photos
Shahryar is the last poet who has been commerced in te Maqbarato-Shoara
Saat Tower
Saat Tower or Tabriz City Hall is the head office of the municipal government of Tabriz, the capital of East Azarbaijan Province, Iran. It was created in 1895 by Arfa'ol Molk. After World War II it was used by the Azerbaijan Democrat Party as a Government Office
After Iranian troops taking power back the building is used as Tabriz municipal central office