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	:''This article is about the region in Iran; for other uses, see ].''		:''This article is about the region in Iran; for other uses, see ].''
	'''Azerbaijan''' or '''Azarbaijan''', also '''Iranian ~~Azerbaijan~~''', '''Iranian Azerbaijan''', or '''Persian Azarbaijan''' (]: آذربایجان ایران; ''Āzārbāijān-e Irān''; ]: آذربایجان), is a ] in northwestern ] and south of ] and the ]. The region is sometimes called ''Southern ~~Azerbaijan~~'' or ''South Azerbaijan'' (~~Azerbaijani~~ language: گوني آذربایجان, ''Güney Azərbaycan'') <ref>~~Encyclopedia~~ Iranica: "Azerbaijan", viii "Azerbaijan Turkish", Doerfer, G. page 246, ()</ref><ref>Brown, Cameron S. 2002 (Dec.). "Observations from Azerbaijan." '']'': v. 6, no. 4, ()</ref>; however, some Iranian sources view these as being incorrect and politically motivated.<ref>Dr. Enayatollah Reza, "Arran: the real name of the Republic ~~Azerbaijan~~", The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS), ()</ref><ref>Dr. Kaveh Farrokh, "Pan-Turanism takes aim at ~~Azerbaijan~~: A Geopolitical Agenda", ()</ref>. The reason is that historically the republic of Azerbaijan has not been called Azerbaijan, but rather Albania and the name ''South Azerbaijan'' is a product of the last century. <ref></ref>		'''Azerbaijan''' or '''Azarbaijan''', also '''Iranian Azarbaijan''', '''Iranian Azerbaijan''', or '''Persian Azarbaijan''' (]: آذربایجان ایران; ''Āzārbāijān-e Irān''; ]: آذربایجان), is a ] in northwestern ] and south of ] and the ]. The region is sometimes called ''Southern Azarbaijan'' or ''South Azerbaijan'' (Azarbaijani language: گوني آذربایجان, ''Güney Azərbaycan'') <ref>Encyclopaedia Iranica: "Azerbaijan", viii "Azerbaijan Turkish", Doerfer, G. page 246, ()</ref><ref>Brown, Cameron S. 2002 (Dec.). "Observations from Azerbaijan." '']'': v. 6, no. 4, ()</ref>; however, some Iranian sources view these as being incorrect and politically motivated.<ref>Dr. Enayatollah Reza, "Arran: the real name of the Republic Azarbaijan", The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS), ()</ref><ref>Dr. Kaveh Farrokh, "Pan-Turanism takes aim at Azarbaijan: A Geopolitical Agenda", ()</ref>. The reason is that historically the republic of Azerbaijan has not been called Azerbaijan, but rather Albania and the name ''South Azerbaijan'' is a product of the last century. <ref></ref>

	==Geography==		==Geography==
	~~Azerbaijan~~ has an area of 176,512{{Fact\|date=February 2007}} square kilometers and a population of about 10 million{{Fact\|date=February 2007}} (estimates vary). ] make up the majority of the population in the Iranian region of ~~Azerbaijan~~. ~~Azerbaijan~~ is famous for its great natural beauty. There are 17 rivers and two lakes in the region. Cotton, nuts, textiles, tea, machinery and electrical ~~equipments~~ are main industries. The northern, ] region, which includes ], is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.		Azarbaijan has an area of 176,512{{Fact\|date=February 2007}} square kilometers and a population of about 10 million{{Fact\|date=February 2007}} (estimates vary). ] make up the majority of the population in the Iranian region of Azarbaijan. Azarbaijan is famous for its great natural beauty. There are 17 rivers and two lakes in the region. Cotton, nuts, textiles, tea, machinery and electrical equpiments are main industries. The northern, ] region, which includes ], is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.

	==Agriculture==		==Agriculture==
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	==Industrial and Handicrafts==		==Industrial and Handicrafts==
	Industries include machine tools, ~~vehicle~~ factories, oil refinery, petrochemical complex, food processing, cement, textiles, electric equipment, and sugar milling. Oil and gas pipelines run through the region. Wool, carpets, and ~~metal-ware~~ are also produced produced.		Industries include machine tools, vehchile factories, oil refinery, petrochemical complex, food processing, cement, textiles, electric equipment, and sugar milling. Oil and gas pipelines run through the region. Wool, carpets, and metalware are also produced produced.

	==People==		==People==
	{{see also\|Azeris in Iran\|Iranian theory regarding the origin of the Azerbaijanis}}		{{see also\|Azeris in Iran\|Iranian theory regarding the origin of the Azerbaijanis}}
	Azerbaijan, the main Turkic-speaking area and one of the richest and most densely populated regions of Iran, presents a picture of ethnic distinctiveness and homogeneity that is perhaps misleading. Not only are there various linguistic, religious, and tribal minority groups, and Azerbaijanis themselves have settled widely outside the region.<ref> Online ~~Encyclopedia~~ Iranian, page 243 = accessed January 09, 2007</ref>		Azerbaijan, the main Turkic-speaking area and one of the richest and most densely populated regions of Iran, presents a picture of ethnic distinctiveness and homogeneity that is perhaps misleading. Not only are there various linguistic, religious, and tribal minority groups, and Azerbaijanis themselves have settled widely outside the region.<ref> Online Encyclopaedia Iranian, page 243 = accessed January 09, 2007</ref>

	The majority of the people of ~~Azerbaijan~~ are ] people who are the ] descendants of ethnic ]. They are followers of ] Islam. There are also ], ], ], ]s, ], and ].		The majority of the people of Azarbaijan are ] people who are the ] descendants of ethnic ]. They are followers of ] Islam. There are also ], ], ], ]s, ], and ].

	A recent study of the genetic landscape of Iran was completed by a team of ] geneticists led by Dr. Maziar Ashrafian Bonab (an Iranian Azarbaijani).<ref name="Dr. Bonab page"> — ''Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge'' (retrieved ] ])</ref> Bonab remarked that his group had done extensive ] testing on different language groups, including ] and non Indo-European speakers, in Iran.<ref name="Iran Cambridge Genetic Study"> — ''ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency)'', 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved ] ])</ref> The study found that the Azerbaijanis of Iran do not have a similar ] and other genetic markers found in Anatolian and European Turks. However, the genetic Fst and other genetic traits like ] and ] of Iranian Azeris were identical to ] of Iran.		A recent study of the genetic landscape of Iran was completed by a team of ] geneticists led by Dr. Maziar Ashrafian Bonab (an Iranian Azarbaijani).<ref name="Dr. Bonab page"> — ''Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge'' (retrieved ] ])</ref> Bonab remarked that his group had done extensive ] testing on different language groups, including ] and non Indo-European speakers, in Iran.<ref name="Iran Cambridge Genetic Study"> — ''ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency)'', 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved ] ])</ref> The study found that the Azerbaijanis of Iran do not have a similar ] and other genetic markers found in Anatolian and European Turks. However, the genetic Fst and other genetic traits like ] and ] of Iranian Azeris were identical to ] of Iran.
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	==Provinces and Cities==		==Provinces and Cities==

	Iranian ~~Azerbaijan~~ is divided into the provinces of ] (1996 pop. 3,325,540), ] (1996 pop. 2,496,320), ]. (1996 pop. 1,168,011), and ]. The chief cities include ] (the capital of East ~~Azerbaijan~~), ] (the capital of West Azerbaijan), ] (the capital of Ardabil), ]~~(Maragha)~~, ], ], and ] (Khvoy). The region is bounded in the north by ] and the Republic of Azarbaijan in the historical Iranian territory of ] and in the West by Lake Urmia and Kurdish-inhabited Areas of Iran.		Iranian Azarbaijan is divided into the provinces of ] (1996 pop. 3,325,540), ] (1996 pop. 2,496,320), ]. (1996 pop. 1,168,011), and ]. The chief cities include ] (the capital of East Azarbaijan), ] (the capital of West Azerbaijan), ] (the capital of Ardabil), ], ], ], and ] (Khvoy). The region is bounded in the north by ] and the Republic of Azarbaijan in the historical Iranian territory of ] and in the West by Lake Urmia and Kurdish-inhabited Areas of Iran.

	==History==		==History==
Line 34:		Line 34:
	], the ], briefly held the region in the 7th century, just before the ]; Arab invaders converted most of its people to Islam and made it part of the ]. After coming to confrontations with the local Kurdish populations who had already established their own dynasties and emirates in vast areas of Azarbaijan, the Persianized ] dominated the region in the 11th and 12th centuries, and the ] under ] established (]) their capital at ]. After being conquered by ] in the 14th century, ] became an important provincial capital of the ]. It was out of Ardabil (Ancient Artavilla) that the ] dynasty arose (''c.'' 1500) to renew the state of Persia. There was fierce fighting between the ] and Persia for Azerbaijan. After brief Ottoman control, ], regained control of the region in 1603.		], the ], briefly held the region in the 7th century, just before the ]; Arab invaders converted most of its people to Islam and made it part of the ]. After coming to confrontations with the local Kurdish populations who had already established their own dynasties and emirates in vast areas of Azarbaijan, the Persianized ] dominated the region in the 11th and 12th centuries, and the ] under ] established (]) their capital at ]. After being conquered by ] in the 14th century, ] became an important provincial capital of the ]. It was out of Ardabil (Ancient Artavilla) that the ] dynasty arose (''c.'' 1500) to renew the state of Persia. There was fierce fighting between the ] and Persia for Azerbaijan. After brief Ottoman control, ], regained control of the region in 1603.

	The Iranian provinces of Caucasus, which today constitute the ] and ] were ceded to Russia by treaties of ] and ]. The Soviet forces occupied Iranian ~~Azerbaijan~~ in ] and created a very short-lived autonomous, Soviet-supported state in May ], which was dissolved after reunification of Iranian Azerbaijan with Iran in November of the same year. <ref> Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive 2.0 Collection : 1945-46 Iranian Crisis </ref>.		The Iranian provinces of Caucasus, which today constitute the ] and ] were ceded to Russia by treaties of ] and ]. The Soviet forces occupied Iranian Azarbaijan in ] and created a very short-lived autonomous, Soviet-supported state in May ], which was dissolved after reunification of Iranian Azerbaijan with Iran in November of the same year. <ref> Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive 2.0 Collection : 1945-46 Iranian Crisis </ref>.

	Azerbaijani provinces have played a major in the cultural and economic life of Iran in both the Pahlavi era as well as the Islamic revolution.		Azerbaijani provinces have played a major in the cultural and economic life of Iran in both the Pahlavi era as well as the Islamic revolution.

	==Culture==		==Culture==
	] are culturally very close to the rest of the Iranians though their language is Turkic. The people of Azerbaijan have similar DNA to other Iranian peoples<ref name="Dr. Bonab page"> — ''Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge'' (retrieved ] ])</ref><ref> — ''ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency)'', 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved ] ])</ref> as well as their religion which is ] Islam. This may be the most important characteristic of the Azeris setting them apart from other Turkic speakers (who are mostly ]). ] celebrate ] for the turn of the new Iranian year, the arrival of spring. Azerbaijan has a ~~distinct~~ ] in Iran. Many local dances and folk music continue to survive among the various peoples of the provinces. Although ] language is not an official language it is widely used, mostly in an oral tradition, among the ]. Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both ] and ]. Renowned poets in ] are ], ] (who was known with the pen-name ]), ], and ]. Fuzuli and Nasimi were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. ] was the dominant language of the ruling dynasties of the Turkic rulers of the area such as the ] and later it was used in the ] courts for a short time, until Persian was adopted, however, Turkic was used especially among the ] warriors{{Fact\|date=February 2007}}. As a longstanding province of Iran (]), Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in ] by ]. Examples:		] are culturally very close to the rest of the Iranians though their language is Turkic. The people of Azerbaijan have similar DNA to other Iranian peoples<ref name="Dr. Bonab page"> — ''Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge'' (retrieved ] ])</ref><ref> — ''ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency)'', 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved ] ])</ref> as well as their religion which is ] Islam. This may be the most important characteristic of the Azeris setting them apart from other Turkic speakers (who are mostly ]). ] celebrate ] for the turn of the new Iranian year, the arrival of spring. Azerbaijan has a dinstinct ] in Iran. Many local dances and folk music continue to survive among the various peoples of the provinces. Although ] language is not an official language it is widely used, mostly in an oral tradition, among the ]. Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both ] and ]. Renowned poets in ] are ], ] (who was known with the pen-name ]), ], and ]. Fuzuli and Nasimi were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. ] was the dominant language of the ruling dynasties of the Turkic rulers of the area such as the ] and later it was used in the ] courts for a short time, until Persian was adopted, however, Turkic was used especially among the ] warriors{{Fact\|date=February 2007}}. As a longstanding province of Iran (]), Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in ] by ]. Examples:

	گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان<br>		گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان<br>
	زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان<br>		زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان<br>
	All the nobles and greats of Iran,<br>		All the nobles and greats of Iran,<br>
	Choose from ~~Azerbaijan~~, ], and ].<br>		Choose from Azarbaijan, ], and ].<br>
	--'']''		--'']''

Line 50:		Line 50:
	بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان<br>		بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان<br>
	From there the wise and the free,<br>		From there the wise and the free,<br>
	set off to ~~Azerbaijan~~<br>		set off to Azarbaijan<br>
	--'']''		--'']''

Line 56:		Line 56:
	ببودند شاهان و آزادگان<br>		ببودند شاهان و آزادگان<br>
	For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,<br>		For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,<br>
	Would choose in ~~Azerbaijan~~ to be<br>		Would choose in Azarbaijan to be<br>
	--'']''		--'']''

Revision as of 23:28, 28 February 2007

This article is about the region in Iran; for other uses, see Azerbaijan (disambiguation).

Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan, also Iranian Azarbaijan, Iranian Azerbaijan, or Persian Azarbaijan (Persian: آذربایجان ایران; Āzārbāijān-e Irān; Azarbaijani language: آذربایجان), is a region in northwestern Iran and south of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The region is sometimes called Southern Azarbaijan or South Azerbaijan (Azarbaijani language: گوني آذربایجان, Güney Azərbaycan) ; however, some Iranian sources view these as being incorrect and politically motivated.. The reason is that historically the republic of Azerbaijan has not been called Azerbaijan, but rather Albania and the name South Azerbaijan is a product of the last century.

Geography

Azarbaijan has an area of 176,512 square kilometers and a population of about 10 million (estimates vary). Azeris make up the majority of the population in the Iranian region of Azarbaijan. Azarbaijan is famous for its great natural beauty. There are 17 rivers and two lakes in the region. Cotton, nuts, textiles, tea, machinery and electrical equpiments are main industries. The northern, alpine region, which includes Lake Urmia, is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.

Agriculture

Grains, fruits, cotton, rice, nuts, and tobacco are the staple crops of the region.

Industrial and Handicrafts

Industries include machine tools, vehchile factories, oil refinery, petrochemical complex, food processing, cement, textiles, electric equipment, and sugar milling. Oil and gas pipelines run through the region. Wool, carpets, and metalware are also produced produced.

People

Azerbaijan, the main Turkic-speaking area and one of the richest and most densely populated regions of Iran, presents a picture of ethnic distinctiveness and homogeneity that is perhaps misleading. Not only are there various linguistic, religious, and tribal minority groups, and Azerbaijanis themselves have settled widely outside the region.

The majority of the people of Azarbaijan are Azaris people who are the Turkified descendants of ethnic Iranians. They are followers of Shi'a Islam. There are also Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Jews, Georgians, and Persians.

A recent study of the genetic landscape of Iran was completed by a team of Cambridge geneticists led by Dr. Maziar Ashrafian Bonab (an Iranian Azarbaijani). Bonab remarked that his group had done extensive DNA testing on different language groups, including Indo-European and non Indo-European speakers, in Iran. The study found that the Azerbaijanis of Iran do not have a similar FSt and other genetic markers found in Anatolian and European Turks. However, the genetic Fst and other genetic traits like MRca and mtDNA of Iranian Azeris were identical to Persians of Iran.

Provinces and Cities

Iranian Azarbaijan is divided into the provinces of East Azarbaijan (1996 pop. 3,325,540), West Azarbaijan (1996 pop. 2,496,320), Ardabil. (1996 pop. 1,168,011), and Zanjan. The chief cities include Tabriz (the capital of East Azarbaijan), Urmia (the capital of West Azerbaijan), Ardabil (the capital of Ardabil), Maragheh, Marand, Zanjan, and Khoy (Khvoy). The region is bounded in the north by Armenia and the Republic of Azarbaijan in the historical Iranian territory of Arran and in the West by Lake Urmia and Kurdish-inhabited Areas of Iran.

History

The oldest kingdom known in Iranian Azerbaijan is that of the Mannea who ruled a region southeast of Lake Urmia centered around modern Saqqez. The Manneans were confederation of Iranian and non-Iranian groups. According to Professor Zadok

it is unlikely that there was any ethnolinguistic unity in Mannea. Like other peoples of the Iranian plateau, the Manneans were subjected to an ever increasing Iranian (i.e., Indo-European) penetration.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the medes were an:

Indo-European people, related to the Persians, who entered northeastern Iran probably as early as the 17th century BC and settled in the plateau land that came to be known as Media

. .

By the 8th century BC, Azerbaijan as well as Hamadan, Tehran and Esfahan had been settled by Medes. Azerbaijan later formed the province of Media Minor in the Persian Empire.

After Alexander the Great conquered Persia, he appointed (328 BC) as governor the Median or Persian general Atropates, who eventually established an independent dynasty. Later, the region, which came to be called Atropatene or Media Atropatene, was much disputed. In the 2nd century BC, it was liberated from Seleucid domination by Mithradates I of Arsacid dynasty, and c. AD 226 it became part of the Sassanid Empire of Ardashir I.

Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor, briefly held the region in the 7th century, just before the Islamic Conquest of Iran; Arab invaders converted most of its people to Islam and made it part of the caliphate. After coming to confrontations with the local Kurdish populations who had already established their own dynasties and emirates in vast areas of Azarbaijan, the Persianized Seljuk Turks dominated the region in the 11th and 12th centuries, and the Mongols under Hulagu Khan established (13th century) their capital at Maragheh. After being conquered by Timur in the 14th century, Tabriz became an important provincial capital of the Timurid empire. It was out of Ardabil (Ancient Artavilla) that the Safavid dynasty arose (c. 1500) to renew the state of Persia. There was fierce fighting between the Ottoman Empire and Persia for Azerbaijan. After brief Ottoman control, Shah Abbas the Great, regained control of the region in 1603.

The Iranian provinces of Caucasus, which today constitute the State of Azarbaijan and Armenia were ceded to Russia by treaties of 1813 and 1828. The Soviet forces occupied Iranian Azarbaijan in 1941 and created a very short-lived autonomous, Soviet-supported state in May 1946, which was dissolved after reunification of Iranian Azerbaijan with Iran in November of the same year. .

Azerbaijani provinces have played a major in the cultural and economic life of Iran in both the Pahlavi era as well as the Islamic revolution.

Culture

Azeris are culturally very close to the rest of the Iranians though their language is Turkic. The people of Azerbaijan have similar DNA to other Iranian peoples as well as their religion which is Shia Islam. This may be the most important characteristic of the Azeris setting them apart from other Turkic speakers (who are mostly Sunni Muslims). Azeris celebrate Nouruz for the turn of the new Iranian year, the arrival of spring. Azerbaijan has a dinstinct music in Iran. Many local dances and folk music continue to survive among the various peoples of the provinces. Although Azerbaijani language is not an official language it is widely used, mostly in an oral tradition, among the Azeris in Iran. Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both Persian and Azerbaijani. Renowned poets in Azerbaijani language are Nasimi, Shah Ismail I (who was known with the pen-name Khatai), Fuzuli, and Mohammad Hossein Shahriar. Fuzuli and Nasimi were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani was the dominant language of the ruling dynasties of the Turkic rulers of the area such as the Ak Koyunlu and later it was used in the Safavid courts for a short time, until Persian was adopted, however, Turkic was used especially among the Kizilbash warriors. As a longstanding province of Iran (Persia), Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in Persian literature by Iran's greatest authors and poets. Examples:

گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان
زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان
All the nobles and greats of Iran,
Choose from Azarbaijan, Ray, and Gorgan.
--Vis o Ramin

از آنجا بتدبیر آزادگان
بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان
From there the wise and the free,
set off to Azarbaijan
--Nizami

بیک ماه در آذرآبادگان
ببودند شاهان و آزادگان
For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,
Would choose in Azarbaijan to be
--Ferdowsi

References

Encyclopaedia Iranica: "Azerbaijan", viii "Azerbaijan Turkish", Doerfer, G. page 246, (LINK)
Brown, Cameron S. 2002 (Dec.). "Observations from Azerbaijan." Middle East Review of International Affairs: v. 6, no. 4, (LINK)
Dr. Enayatollah Reza, "Arran: the real name of the Republic Azarbaijan", The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS), (LINK)
Dr. Kaveh Farrokh, "Pan-Turanism takes aim at Azarbaijan: A Geopolitical Agenda", (LINK)
Misplaced Pages - History of the name Azerbaijan
Online Encyclopaedia Iranian, page 243 = accessed January 09, 2007
^ "Maziar Ashrafian Bonab" — Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge (retrieved 9 June 2006)
"Cambridge Genetic Study of Iran" — ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency), 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved 9 June 2006)
MANNEA by R. Zadok in Encyclopedia Iranica
"Mede." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 Feb. 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9051719>.
Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive 2.0 Collection : 1945-46 Iranian Crisis
"Cambridge Genetic Study of Iran" — ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency), 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved 9 June 2006)