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Iran

General Information about Iran

Iran, also known as Persia, is located in the Middle East and is bordered by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Tukey, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. Iran is one of the world's oldest major civilisations with settlements dating back as far as 4000BC. Iran has a population of over 70 millipn people and is the 18th most populated country in the world. The official language spoken in Iran is Persian. Persian dialects, Turkic and Turkic dialects and Arabic is spoken by small minorities. Shi'a Islam is the official state religion and 89% of the population follow this religion. 9% of the Iranian population are Sunni Muslim. The capital and largest city of Iran, Tehran is located in the country's north and is home to over 14 million people.

One of the architectural highlights in Iran is the Golestan Palace situated in Tehran. This is a monument to the Qajar shahs and there are several buildings and a formal garden to explore. There are also museums nearby such as the Ivan-e Takht-e Marmar (Marble Throne Verandah) and the mirrored Shams-Al Emarat (Edifice of the Sun) which was once Tehran's tallest building and incorporates both Persian and European architecture. The National Jewels Museum in Tehran is considered by many to be the must-see of Iran. Here are the most expensive jewels in the world, some of which have inspired wars. Rubies, pearls, emeralds and diamonds are all here trowelled onto objects such as crowns, cloaks and swords.

Climate

Find Out About The Climate Of Iran

Throughout most of Iran the climate is typically tropical as well as being arid to semi arid along the Caspian Sea. In the north western parts the climate is more subpolar with December and January being the coolest months with heavy rainfalls and subfreezing conditions. In the southern parts winters are generally mild with hot summers. July is the warmest month to visit the south with high humidity levels and temperatures rising as high as 38 degrees. Most of the country's rainfall occurs during the winter months with as much as 78 inches falling in the Caspian region, while the annual average sits around 16 inches.

Geography

Geographical Information On Iran

Set in the Middle East and Central Eurasia Iran, is a large country measuring over 1,648 million square kilometres which includes over 12,000 square kilometres. Iran has an extensive coastline that borders the Caspian Sea and extends for over 2,440 kilometres. Iran which is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran but was also known as Persia up until 1935. A large portion of Iran can be found on the Iranian Plateau which is also known as Persian Plateau. The Iranian Plateau is a geological formation found in the Southwest, Southern Asia and Caucasus.

Found at Mazandaran along the Alborz range is the highest point of Iran. Known as Kuh-e Damavand or just Mount Damavand is the 12th highest mountain in the world and rises to over 5,610 metres. Mount Damavand is of stratovolcanic origin and dormant today. Mount Damavand is also the highest volcano in Asia as well as being the widest range in the Middle East. The terrain of Iran is mostly rugged with many mountains around the rim with high central basins along with deserts. Iran also has many small mountains with discontinuous plains along both coastlines. The lowest point of Iran is the Caspian Sea at 28 metres below sea level.

Economy

Learn About The Economy Of Iran

The economy of Iran is mainly controlled by the government with a particulary small private sector. Iran also depends greatly on its oil industry. The industry sector is the main leader of the economy with a contribution of over 45 percent while emlpoying over 30 percent of the population. The main industries are petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing as well as ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication. The agricultural industry only provides just over 10 percent of the economy while employing over 25 percent of the population. Some of the main agricultural produces are wheat, rice, sugar cane, cotton as well as dairy products and wool. The main exports of Iran are petroleum with over 80 percent followed by chemical and petrochemical products, fruit and nuts, and carpets. The official currency of Iran is the Iranian Rial

Hostels in Iran

Hotels in Iran

Must Explore would like to wish you an enjoyable stay in Iran.

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