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 sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Alaska |
| 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: | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf |
| 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: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur |
| Land use: | arable land: 8.72%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 89.89% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 75,620 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Geography - note: | strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Source: CIA World Factbook
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