Masif Selahaddin (Arabic: مصيف صلاح الدين) is a town located in the

Erbil Governorate Erbil Governorate (; ) is a governorate of Iraq in the Kurdistan Region. It is the capital and economic hub of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordere ...

of the

Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region (KRI) is a semi-autonomous Federal regions of Iraq, federal region of the Iraq, Republic of Iraq. It comprises four Kurds, Kurdish-majority governorates of Arabs, Arab-majority Iraq: Erbil Governorate, Sulaymaniyah Governorate ...

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

Etymology (Name Origin)

The name is derived from the Kurdish Ayyubid Sultan, Saladin, and Masif is Arabic for Summer Resort. The native people of the town usually call it (Masif), the demonym for it is (Masifi)

Geography

Masif Selahaddin is situated approximately 36 kilometers northeast of

Erbil Erbil (, ; , ), also called Hawler (, ), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The city is the capital of the Erbil Governorate. Human settlement at Erbil may be dated back to the 5th millennium BC. At the h ...

City. The town is visible on any given day from Erbil, especially during the evenings and nighttime hours, Erbil is also visible from the town, notably it is one of the few natural spots where Erbil is visible, where people can park their cars on the hills and have picnics, as most of the topography in the south and west is flat and mostly agricultural these areas doesn't offer a good view. it is the only well known vantage point where the city is clearly visible, it is a 30-45 minute drive from the city center, depending on the starting point and traffic conditions. The elevation of the area is 1107 m (3632 ft). The area is surrounded by Selahaddin Mountain in the southeastern part, the Safin anticline in the northeast, and the Sartka anticline in the southwestern part.

History

Masif Selahaddin, like much of the

, has a long history intertwined with the broader history of

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...

and the

. Due to its location in the mountainous region, it has likely served as a refuge and strategic point throughout various periods. * Ancient History: The wider

has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of settlements dating back thousands of years. The area was part of various ancient empires, including the Assyrian,

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

and other empires. * Medieval Period: During the

Medieval ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the region saw the rise and fall of various local dynasties and was influenced by

Islamic empires This article includes a list of successive Islamic states and Muslim dynasties beginning with the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (570–632 CE) and the early Muslim conquests that spread Islam outside of the Arabian Peninsula, and continuin ...

. * Ottoman Era: The area was part of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

for lots of centuries. * 20th Century: The 20th century brought significant changes, including the formation of modern

and the

. Masif Selahaddin, due to its location, has seen the effects of the Iraqi-Kurdish conflict and the subsequent development of the

. * Modern Era: In recent decades, Masif Selahaddin, like other towns in the

, has seen development, particularly in tourism, due to its natural beauty.Rudaw News. Pirmam sees rise in tourism during Eid holiday.

Political Significance and PDK Presence

Masif Selahaddin holds political significance within the

, notably due to the presence of key leadership figures and headquarters of the

Kurdistan Democratic Party The Kurdistan Democratic Party (), usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the ruling Political party, party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Government. It was founded in 1946 in Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan. ...

(PDK). * PDK Headquarters: Masif is home to a significant headquarters of the PDK, one of the leading political parties in the

. This location underscores the town's importance in the region's political landscape.KDP.info, KDP leaders hold meeting in Pirmam. * Leadership Presence: Key leaders of the PDK have residences and offices in Masif. This presence contributes to the town's role as a center of political activity within the region.Rudaw News, KDP politburo meet in Pirmam.

Demographics

The estimated population of Masif is around 30,000. While precise demographics for Masif are unavailable, Erbil, the governorate in which Pirmam is located, has a significant Kurdish population. Originally, demographic records for Iraq show a notable Kurdish population.KRG pushes for inclusion of Kurdish areas in Iraq's population census - Kurdistan24

References

Rudaw News. Pirmam sees rise in tourism during Eid holiday. KDP.info, KDP leaders hold meeting in Pirmam. Rudaw News, KDP politburo meet in Pirmam. {{cite web , url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/iraq/kurdistan/erbil/1110010000__pirmam/ , title=Pirmam (Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information , publisher=City Population KRG pushes for inclusion of Kurdish areas in Iraq's population census - Kurdistan24 Populated places in Erbil Governorate