Geographical Position, East Azarbayjan The province is located in the northwest of Iran and covers an area of approximately 47,830 sq. km. According to the latest divisions of the country in 1996 the various townships of this province are: Ahar, Bostan Abad, Bonab, Tabriz, Jolfa, Sarab, Shabestar, Kalibar, Maraqeh, Marand, Malekan, Mianeh, Haris, and Hashtrood. The historical city of Tabriz is the reputed city of this province culturally and politically, even in the economic and commercial fields. The said province has common borders with the Republics of Azarbayjan, Armenia and Nakhjavan. A fine network of road and traffic connect East Azarbayjan to various parts of the country and also to the neighboring countries.
In the year 1996 this province had a population of about 3.3 million of which approximately 60.3% lived in urban areas, 39.7% inhabited in the rural areas and a minor percentage were accounted for the non-residents. The city of Tabriz being regarded as one of the most densely populated, having a population of about 1.2 million or more.
East Azarbayjan can be accounted for being interesting in the fields of topography and so to speak the relief of the land. The highest peak of the Sahand Mountain is 3,722 m. in altitude lies to the south of Tabriz. Whereas low lying areas can be said to be around Garmadooz (Ahar). Summits and heights of this province are in three sectors in the north namely, the Qara Daq Mountains, the Sahand and Bozqoosh Mountains and the Qaflan Kooh Mountains. Climate, East Azarbayjan Generally, the East Azarbayjan province enjoys a cold and dry climate, being mainly a mountainous region. But the gentle vapours of the Caspian Sea have some influence on the climate of the low-lying areas. Temperatures run up to 8.9° C in Tabriz, till 20° C in Maraqeh and in winters drops to -1° C . The ideal seasons to visit this province are in spring and summer months. History and Culture, East Azarbayjan East Azarbayjan holds its own as being one of the archaic territories in the country. During the reign of Alexander the Macedonian in Iran that is 331 BC, one of the warriors, known as Attorpat revolted in this area then a territory of the Medes. There by naming it Attorpatkan. Since then this vicinity has been known as Azarabadegan, Azarbadgan and Azarbayjan.
Islamic researchers proclaims that the birth of the Zoroaster Messenger was in this area, in the vicinity of Lake Orumieh (Chichest), Konzak city. Needless to say, this province was subject to political and economical upheavals bringing about lasting evidences of interest to outsiders. The most outstanding features from the cultural point of view being the language and folklore. The former is'Azari Turkish'. Apart from this the province boast of numerous learned scholars, Gnostics, 7 poets namely Mowlana Baba Mazeed, Khajeh Abdol Raheem Aj Abadi, Sheikh Hassan Bolqari, Abdolqader Nakhjavani to name a few and the contemporary poet Ostad Mohammad Hossein Shahriyar.
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