IranGeography
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Location: |
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
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Geographic coordinates: |
32 00 N, 53 00 E
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Map references: |
Middle East
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Area: |
total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km
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Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than Alaska
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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
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Coastline: |
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf
continental shelf: natural prolongation
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Climate: |
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
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Terrain: |
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
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Natural resources: |
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
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Land use: |
arable land: 8.72%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 89.89% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
75,620 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
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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; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
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Geography - note: |
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
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More about Iran:
Introduction
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
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