Geography of Iran (original) (raw)

Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan.

**Geographic coordinates:**32 00 N, 53 00 E

**Map references:**Middle East

Area:
_total:_1.648 million km�
_land:_1.636 million km�
_water:_12,000 km�

Land boundaries:
_total:_5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

**Coastline:**2,440 km
_note:_Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims:
_contiguous zone:_24 nautical miles
_continental shelf:_natural prolongation
_exclusive economic zone:_bilateral agreements, or median lines in the Persian Gulf
_territorial sea:_12 nautical miles

**Climate:**mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

**Terrain:**rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes:
_lowest point:_Caspian Sea -28 m
_highest point:_Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
_arable land:_10%
_permanent crops:_1%
_permanent pastures:_27%
_forests and woodland:_7%
_other:_55% (1993 est.)

**Irrigated land:**94,000 km� (1993 est.)

**Natural hazards:**periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast

**Environment - current issues:**air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
_party to:_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
_signed, but not ratified:_Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

See also : Iran, Abadeh, List of mountains in Iran