Urmia (Persian: ارومیه; pronounced [oɾumiˈje] ⓘ)[a] is the largest city in West Azerbaijan Province of Iran.

[6] The city lies at an altitude of 1,330 metres (4,360 ft) above sea level along the Shahar River on the Urmia Plain.

An important town by the 9th century, the city has had a diverse population which has at times included Muslims (Shias and Sunnis), Christians (Catholics, Protestants, Nestorians, and Orthodox), Jews, Baháʼís and Sufis.

Excavations of the ancient ruins near Urmia led to the discovery of utensils that date to the 20th century BC.

In ancient times, the west bank of Urmia Lake was part of Gilzan, and in the 9th century BC an independent government ruled there, which later joined the Urartu or Manna empire; in the 8th century BC, the area was a vassal of the Asuzh government until it joined the Median Empire.

Assyrians who did survive the invasion of Baghdad by Timur fled through northern Iraq up into the Hakkari Mountains to the west of Lake Urmia and the area remained as their homeland until the 19th century.

When in 1622, during the reign of Safavid king Abbas I (r. 1588–1629) Qasem Sultan Afshar was appointed governor of Mosul,[27][28] he was forced to leave his office shortly afterwards due to the outbreak of a plague.

Due to the presence of a substantial Christian minority at the end of the 19th century, Urmia was also chosen as the site of the first Christian missionaries from the United States in Iran in 1835 led by Justin Perkins (1805–1869) with Asahel Grant (1807–1844); and followed by Fidelia Fiske (1816–1864), Joseph Gallup Cochran (1817–1871), and Joseph Plumb Cochran (1855–1905).

[32] During World War I, the city changed hands several times between the Russians and the Ottoman troops and their Kurdish allies in the following two years.

[35] Many Christians fled during the Russian withdrawal from Azerbaijan at the beginning of January 1915,[36] and 20,000 to 25,000 refugees were left stranded in Urmia.

[38] Between February and May (when the Ottoman forces pulled out), there was a campaign of mass execution, looting, kidnapping, and extortion against Christians in Urmia.

[37] More than 100 men were arrested at the Lazarist compound, and dozens (including Mar Dinkha, bishop of Tergawer) were executed on 23 and 24 February.

[citation needed] After Russia's withdrawal as a result of the 1917 Russian Revolution,[40][41] about 5,000 Assyrian[42] and Armenian militia policed the area, but they frequently abused their power and killed Muslims without provocation.

The better-organized Christians, led by Agha Petros, brutally crushed the uprising; hundreds (possibly thousands) were killed.

[43] On 16 March, Mar Shimun and many of his bodyguards were killed by the Kurdish chieftain Simko Shikak, probably at the instigation of Persian officials fearing Assyrian separatism, after they met to discuss an alliance.

[52] In late 19th century, George Curzon reported a population of 30 to 40 thousand people, chiefly Afshars, Nestorians, Jews, and Armenians,[53] while other sources also referred to an additional Persian community.

[56] In the fourteenth edition of Encyclopædia Britannica from 1929, the town's population was roughly estimated to be 45 thousand before the war, mainly being Turkish with Armenian and Nestorian minorities.

According to the Federal Research Division of Library of Congress, ethnic Azeris form around 40% of the population of Urmia region.

[64][65] When 17th-century explorer Evliya Çelebi visited the region, the city's Muslim population was mostly Sunni and not yet converted to Shia Islam.

Being on the downwind and rain shadow side of the Zagros Mountains, its winters are relatively drier and less snowy than Hakkari's (to the west) in southeastern Turkey due to the foehn effect.

Azerbaijanis hold festivals and ceremonies such as Nowruz and Eid al-Adha like other Iranian ethnic groups with small differences.

Today, Urmia has become an important centre of education, with several state and private universities and institutes, including those listed below.

[78] Among others, the city's print media include: Most of Urmia's residents travel by car through the system of roads and highways.