Location: Middle East, between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea

Map references: Asia, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 1.648 million sq km
land area: 1.636 million sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: total 5,440 km, Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan (north) 432 km, Azerbaijan (northwest) 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:
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 50 nm in the Gulf of Oman; continental shelf limit, continental shelf boundaries, or median lines in the Persian Gulf
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Tunb as Sughra (Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek (Persian) or Lesser Tunb, and Tunb al Kubra (Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg (Persian) or Greater Tunb; it jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE, Abu Musa (Arabic) or Jazireh-ye Abu Musa (Persian); in 1992 the dispute over Abu Musa and the Tunb islands became more acute when Iran unilaterally tried to control the entry of third country nationals into the UAE portion of Abu Musa island, Tehran subsequently backed off in the face of significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region; periodic disputes with Afghanistan over Helmand water rights

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

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 27%
forest and woodland: 11%
other: 54%

Irrigated land: 57,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industry; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; shortages of drinking water
natural hazards: periodic droughts
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

NOTE: The information regarding Iran on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Iran Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Iran Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.