Mahabad

For the administrative division of West Azerbaijan province, see Mahabad County. For other places with the same name, see Mahabad.

Mahabad Persian: مهاباد Sorani Kurdish: مەهاباد
City
Mahabad
Coordinates: 36°46′04″N 45°44′02″E[1]
Country	Iran
Province	West Azerbaijan
County	Mahabad
District	Central
Population  (2016)[2]
• Total	168,393
Time zone	UTC+3:30 (IRST)
Area code	044
Website	www.mohabad-ag.ir
[3]

Mahabad (Persian: مهاباد)^[a] is a city in the Central District of Mahabad County, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.^[5]

At the 2006 census, its population was 133,324 in 31,000 households.^[6] The following census in 2011 counted 147,268 people in 38,393 households.^[7] The latest census in 2016 showed a population of 168,393 people in 47,974 households.^[2]

The city lies south of Lake Urmia in a narrow valley 1,300 metres above sea level.^[8][9]

Name

Mahabad first became the name of the city after World War I, during the reign of the Pahlavi shah (king) Reza Shah (r. 1925–1941). Before that, it was known as Savojbolagh, a Persian corruption of the Turkic word soghuk bulak (meaning "cold spring"). The Kurdish version was Sablagh.^[10][11]

History

Coin of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1797-1834), minted in Savojbolagh (Mahabad), dated 1814/5. Civic copper issue

Panoramic view of Mahabad in January 1959

Savojbolagh is first attested in the 16th century, during the Safavid era.^[10] Mukri Kurds participated in several wars between Safavid dynasty and Ottoman Empire, and gained more predominance. In 17th century AD, Savojbolagh became the seat of Mukri principality (known as Mukriyān in Sorani Kurdish and Mokriyān in Persian). Many believe Budaq Sultan Mukri, who built Savojbolagh's congregational mosque is the founder of the current town.

Republic of Mahabad

Main article: Republic of Mahabad

Mahabad was the capital of the short-lived Republic of Mahabad, which was declared independent on January 1, 1946, under the leadership of Kurdish nationalist Qazi Muhammad.

The republic received strong support from the Soviet Union, which occupied Iran during the same era. It included the majority Kurdish-speaking towns of Bukan, Piranshahr, Sardasht and Oshnavieh.^[12]

After an agreement brokered by the United States, the Soviets agreed to leave Iran, and sovereignty was restored to the Shah in 1947. The Shah ordered an invasion of the Republic of Mahabad shortly afterwards, the leaders of the republic including Qazi Muhammad were arrested and executed.^[13][14][15] Qazi Muhammad was hanged on 31 March 1947. At the behest of Archibald Roosevelt Jr., who argued that Qazi had been forced to work with the Soviets out of expediency, U.S. ambassador to Iran George V. Allen urged the Shah not to execute Qazi or his brother, only to be reassured: "Are you afraid I'm going to have them shot? If so, you can rest your mind. I am not." Roosevelt later recounted that the order to have the Qazis killed was likely issued "as soon as our ambassador had closed the door behind him," adding with regard to the Shah: "I never was one of his admirers."^[16]

Islamic Republic of Iran

On 7 May 2015, the people of the city rioted following the unexplained death on 4 May 2015 of Farinaz Khosravani, a hotel chambermaid. Khosravani fell to her death from a fourth-floor window of the Tara hotel, the hotel where she worked. Anger mounted following reports that Khosravani died attempting to escape an official who was threatening to rape her. The rioters reportedly set fire to the hotel where Khosravani worked.^[17]

Language and religion

Most of Mahabad is populated by Kurds who follow the Sunni branch of Islam. Besides Kurdish, many speak Persian and Azeri Turkic as well.^[18] Neo-Aramaic-speaking Jews originally used to inhabit the city as well.^[10]

Climate

Climate data for Mahabad (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	15.3 (59.5)	18.4 (65.1)	26.4 (79.5)	30.8 (87.4)	34.6 (94.3)	40.4 (104.7)	42.6 (108.7)	41.4 (106.5)	38.8 (101.8)	32.4 (90.3)	24.8 (76.6)	21.8 (71.2)	42.6 (108.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	4.4 (39.9)	7.2 (45.0)	12.7 (54.9)	18.5 (65.3)	24.1 (75.4)	30.3 (86.5)	33.5 (92.3)	33.7 (92.7)	29.5 (85.1)	22.2 (72.0)	13.0 (55.4)	6.8 (44.2)	19.7 (67.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.1 (32.2)	2.2 (36.0)	7.1 (44.8)	12.4 (54.3)	17.4 (63.3)	23.0 (73.4)	26.2 (79.2)	25.9 (78.6)	21.5 (70.7)	15.0 (59.0)	7.4 (45.3)	2.3 (36.1)	13.4 (56.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−3.8 (25.2)	−2.1 (28.2)	2.1 (35.8)	6.5 (43.7)	10.2 (50.4)	14.3 (57.7)	17.9 (64.2)	17.4 (63.3)	13.2 (55.8)	8.4 (47.1)	2.8 (37.0)	−1.5 (29.3)	7.1 (44.8)
Record low °C (°F)	−19.4 (−2.9)	−19.4 (−2.9)	−10.4 (13.3)	−4.6 (23.7)	2.4 (36.3)	7.8 (46.0)	5.4 (41.7)	9.2 (48.6)	4.4 (39.9)	−0.6 (30.9)	−11.4 (11.5)	−18.8 (−1.8)	−19.4 (−2.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	45.1 (1.78)	43.2 (1.70)	57.0 (2.24)	57.7 (2.27)	32.3 (1.27)	4.4 (0.17)	2.3 (0.09)	0.9 (0.04)	2.4 (0.09)	27.5 (1.08)	49.9 (1.96)	41.0 (1.61)	363.7 (14.32)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	6.4	6.3	7.6	7.3	5.3	0.9	0.5	0.3	0.5	3.8	5.5	5.5	49.9
Average relative humidity (%)	71.0	65.0	58.0	53.0	49.0	36.0	34.0	32.0	34.0	48.0	63.0	69.0	51.0
Average dew point °C (°F)	−5.7 (21.7)	−4.9 (23.2)	−2.7 (27.1)	0.5 (32.9)	2.9 (37.2)	3.2 (37.8)	4.9 (40.8)	4.1 (39.4)	1.6 (34.9)	0.8 (33.4)	−1.4 (29.5)	−4.2 (24.4)	−0.1 (31.8)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	140.0	163.0	202.0	227.0	288.0	355.0	367.0	346.0	299.0	237.0	173.0	140.0	2,937
Source: NOAA[19]

Notes

1. Sorani Kurdish: مەهاباد; romanized in Kurdish as Mehabad; also known as Mihābād and Muhābād;^[4] and formerly Savojbolagh (Persian: ساوجبلاغ)

References

1. OpenStreetMap contributors (18 February 2024). "Mahabad, Mahabad County" (Map). OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
2. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 04. Archived from the original (Excel) on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
3. Statistical. "Center of Iran > Home". www.amar.org.ir. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
4. Mahabad can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3073397" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
5. Habibi, Hassan (7 July 1369). "Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the country divisions of West Azerbaijan province, centered in the city of Urmia". Lamtakam (in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Council of Ministers. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
6. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 04. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
7. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011)". Syracuse University (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 04. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
8. S. J. Laizer, Martyrs, Traitors, and Patriots: Kurdistan after the Gulf War, Zed Books, 1996, ISBN 978-1-85649-396-3, p. 56.
9. Marion Farouk-Sluglett, Peter Sluglett, Iraq Since 1958: From Revolution to Dictatorship, .B.Tauris, 2001, ISBN 978-1-86064-622-5, p. 28.
10. Minorsky & Bosworth 1997, p. 92.
11. Hassanpour 1989, p. 511.
12. McDowall, David (2004). A modern history of the Kurds. I.B. Tauris. pp. 244–245. ISBN 1-85043-416-6. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
13. McDowall, David, A Modern History of the Kurds, I. B. Tauris, 1996 (Current revision at May 14, 2004). ISBN 1-86064-185-7.
14. [1] Archived September 7, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
15. [2] Archived April 25, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
16. Wilford, Hugh (2013). America's Great Game: The CIA's Secret Arabists and the Making of the Modern Middle East. Basic Books. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-465-01965-6.
17. "Riot Erupts in Iran's Kurdish Capital Over Woman's Death". The New York Times. 7 May 2015.
18. Eagleton & Neumann 1986, p. 213.
19. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Mahabad". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 1 January 2024.

Sources

• Eagleton, W. & Neumann, R. (1986). "Mahābād". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Lewis, B. & Pellat, Ch. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume V: Khe–Mahi. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 213–214. ISBN 978-90-04-07819-2.
• Hassanpour, Amir (1989). "Būkān". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume IV/5: Brick–Burial II. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 511. ISBN 978-0-71009-128-4.
• Minorsky, Vladmir & Bosworth, C.E. (1997). "Sāwd̲j̲-Bulāḳ". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. & Lecomte, G. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume IX: San–Sze. Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 92. ISBN 978-90-04-10422-8.

External links

• Hemin Mukriani (iranica)
• Short Biography and works of Zabihi
• Article of the Monde Diplo on Mahabad (in French)