جمهوری اسلامی ايران Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān Islamic Republic of Iran
Flag Emblem
Motto: Esteqlāl, āzādī, jomhūrī-ye eslāmī 1  (Persian) "Independence, freedom, Islamic Republic"
Anthem: Sorūd-e Mellī-e Īrān ²
Capital (and largest city)		Tehran 35°41′N, 51°25′E
Official languages		Persian, Constitutional status for regional languages such as Azeri and Kurdish [1]
Demonym		Iranian
Government		Islamic Republic
-	Supreme Leader	Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
-	President	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Unification[2]
-	Media	625 BC [2]
-	Safavid dynasty (reestablishment)	May 1502
-	Islamic Republic declared	April 1, 1979
Area
-	Total	1,648,195 km² (18th) 636,372 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0.7
Population
-	2007 (1385 AP) census	71,208,000³ (17th)
-	Density	42/km² (163th) 109/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$852 billion (2007)[3]  (15th)
-	Per capita	$12,300 [3]  (65th)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$278 billion [4]  (29th)
-	Per capita	$3,920 (89th)
Gini (1998)		43.0 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.759 (medium) (94th)
Currency		Iranian rial (ريال) (IRR)
Time zone		IRST (UTC+3:30)
-	Summer (DST)	Iran Daylight Time (IRDT) (UTC+4:30)
Internet TLD		.ir
Calling code		+98
1	bookrags.com
2	iranchamber.com
3	Statistical Centre of Iran. تغییرات جمعیت کشور طی سال‌های ۱۳۳۵-۱۳۸۵ (Persian). Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
4	CIA Factbook

Iran Portal

Iran, (Persian: ايران,[ʔiːˈɾɒn] (help·info) ĭrănˈ), officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian: جمهوری اسلامی ايران, pronounced [dʒomhuɾije ʔeslɒmije ʔiɾɒn]), formerly known internationally as Persia until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia. Iran is bounded by the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south and the Caspian Sea to its north. Shi'a Islam is the official religion, and Persian is the official language.^[5] The 18th largest country in the world in terms of area at 1,648,195 km², Iran has a population of over seventy million. Iran borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, and Turkey and Iraq to the west. Being a littoral state of the Caspian sea (an internal sea and condominium), also Kazakhstan and Russia are Iran's direct neighbors. Image File history File links Flag_of_Iran. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_arms_of_Iran. ... Current flag of the Islamic republic of Iran, introduced in 1980. ... The Emblem of Iran displays the name of God (or Allah) in artistically stylized Arabic letters. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Sorood-e Melli-ye Jomhoori-ye Eslami-ye Iran or Sorud-e Melli-ye Iran is the national anthem of Iran. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Ethnolinguistic groups in Iran Irans population was declared 70,049,262 in 2006 census. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Farsi redirects here. ... Note: This page contains phonetic information presented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) using Unicode. ... The Kurdish language (Kurdish: Kurdî or کوردی) is a term used for a range of different dialects of a language spoken by Kurds. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... An Islamic republic, in its modern context, has come to mean several different things, some contradictory to others. ... The post of Supreme Leader (Persian: رهبر انقلاب, Rahbare Enqelab,[1] lit. ... For other uses, see Ayatollah (disambiguation). ... Grand Âyatollâh   (Persian: آیت‌الله سید علی حسینی کس ننه ای Ä€yatollāh Seyyed `AlÄ« ḤoseynÄ« KhāmeneÄ«) (born 17 July 1939), also known as Seyyed Ali Khamenei,[1] is the current Supreme Leader of Iran and was the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. ... The President of Iran is the head of government. ...  [1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different surface areas  here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... The Iranian calendar (Persian: ), also known as Persian calendar or (mistakenly) the Jalāli Calendar is an astronomical solar calendar currently used in Iran and Afghanistan as the main official calendar. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007 This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... World map of GDP (Nominal and PPP). ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Map of countries by 2006 GDP (nominal) per capita (IMF, October 2007). ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... ISO 4217 Code IRR User(s) Iran Inflation 15. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Iran Standard Time (IRST) is the time zone used in Iran. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .ir is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Iran. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iran. ... Farsi redirects here. ... Farsi redirects here. ... Persia redirects here. ... Central Eurasia is a geographic term. ... Gulf of Oman The Gulf of Oman (Arabic: خليج عمان; transliterated: khalÄ«j Ê¿umān, Persian: دریای عمان یا دریای پازس; transliterated: daryā-ye Ê¿omān,Pars) Persian sea is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Persian Gulf; it is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... Shī‘a Islam, also Shi‘ite Islam, or Shi‘ism (Arabic ) is the second largest denomination of the Islamic faith. ... Farsi redirects here. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ... In international law, a condominium is a territory in which two sovereign powers have equal rights. ...

Persia/Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BC.^[6][7][8] Throughout history, Iran has been of geostrategic importance because of its central location in Eurasia and is a regional power.^[9][10] Iran is a founding member of the UN, NAM, OIC, and OPEC. The political system of Iran, based on the 1979 Constitution, comprises several intricately connected governing bodies. The highest state authority is the Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Geostrategy is a subfield of geopolitics. ... For other uses, see Eurasia (disambiguation). ... In international relations, a regional power is a state that has power within a geographic region. ... UN redirects here. ... Member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (2005). ... The flag of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an inter-governmental organization with a Permanent Delegation to the United Nations. ... Logo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is made up of Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela; since 1965 its international headquarters have been in Vienna, Austria. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran Politics and Government of Iran takes place in the framework of an Islamic theocratic republic. ... The post of Supreme Leader (Persian: رهبر انقلاب, Rahbare Enqelab,[1] lit. ... For other uses, see Ayatollah (disambiguation). ... Grand Âyatollâh   (Persian: آیت‌الله سید علی حسینی کس ننه ای Ä€yatollāh Seyyed `AlÄ« ḤoseynÄ« KhāmeneÄ«) (born 17 July 1939), also known as Seyyed Ali Khamenei,[1] is the current Supreme Leader of Iran and was the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. ...

Iran occupies an important position in international energy security and world economy as a result of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan, and means "Land of the Aryans".^[11][12][13] Petro redirects here. ... For other uses, see Natural gas (disambiguation). ... Look up cognate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the term Aryan. For Arian, a follower of the ancient Christian sect, See Arianism. ...

Etymology

Main article: Etymology of Iran

See also: Iran naming dispute

The term Iran (ایران) in modern Persian derives from the Proto-Iranian term Aryānām first attested in Zoroastrianism's Avesta tradition.^[14] Ariya- and Airiia- are also attested as an ethnic designator in Achaemenid inscriptions. The term Ērān from Middle Persian Ērān, Pahlavi ʼyrʼn, is found at the inscription that accompanies the investiture relief of Ardashir I at Naqsh-e Rustam.^[15] In this inscription, the king's appellation in Middle Persian contains the term ērān (Pahlavi: ʼryʼn), while in the Parthian language inscription that accompanies it, Iran is mentioned as aryān. In Ardashir's time ērān retained this meaning, denoting the people rather than the state. The term Iran derives immediately from Middle Persian Ä’rān, Pahlavi ʼyrʼn, first attested in the inscription that accompanies the investiture relief of Ardashir I at Naqsh-e Rustam. ... Iran has been the subject of a naming dispute in common Western usage. ... The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family with an estimated number of 150-200 million native speakers today. ... Zoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra, Zartosht). ... See Avesta Municipality for the Swedish town Yasna 28. ... Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Dynasty was a dynasty in the ancient Persian Empire, including Cyrus II the Great, Darius I and Xerxes I. At the height of their power, the Achaemenid rulers of Persia ruled over territories roughly emcompassing some parts of todays Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon... Pahlavi is a term that refers: (1) to a script used in Iran derived from the Aramaic script, and (2) more broadly, to Middle Persian, the Middle Iranian language written in this script. ... The Pahlavi script was used broadly in the Sasanid Persian Empire to write down Middle Persian for secular, as well as religious purposes. ... Silver coin of Ardashir I with a fire altar on its verso (British Museum London). ... NæqÅ¡-e Rostæm, near Shiraz A rock relief at Naqsh-e Rostam, depicting the triumph of Shapur I over three Roman Emperors Valerian, Gordian III and Philip the Arab. ... The Iranian languages are a part of the Indo-European language family with estimated 150-200 million native speakers. ...

Notwithstanding this inscriptional use of ērān to refer to the Iranian peoples, the use of ērān to refer to the geographical empire is also attested in the early Sassanid period. An inscription of Shapur I, Ardashir's son and immediate successor, apparently "includes in Ērān regions such as Armenia and the Caucasus which were not inhabited predominantly by Iranians."^[16] In Kartir's inscriptions the high priest includes the same regions in his list of provinces of the antonymic Anērān.^[16] Both ērān and aryān comes from the Proto-Iranian term Aryānām, (Land) of the (Iranian) Aryas. The word and concept of Airyanem Vaejah is present in the name of the country Iran (Lit. Land of the Aryans) inasmuch as Iran (Ērān) is the modern Persian form of the word Aryānā. Language(s) Persian, Kurdish, Pashto, Balouchi, Ossetian and various other Iranian languages. ... A coin of Shapur I. Shapur I, son of Ardashir I (226–241), was King of Persia from 241 to 272. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Caucasus Mountains. ... Kartir Hangirpe (alternatively, Karder or Kirdir) was a highly influential Zoroastrian high-priest of the late 3rd century CE and served as advisor to at least three Sassanid emperors. ... The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family with an estimated number of 150-200 million native speakers today. ... The Airyanem Vaejah or Airyana Waejah (Aryan Expanse) was the legendary home of the Aryan (Indo-Iranian) people, as described in writings in the Avesta, the holy book of Zoroastrians. ...

Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the official name of the country has been the "Islamic Republic of Iran." This article is about the 1979 revolution in Iran. ...

In the outside world the official name of Iran from 6th century BC until 1935 was Persia or similar names (La Perse, Das Persien, Perzie, etc.). In that year Reza Shah asked the international community to call the country by the name "Iran". A few years later some Persian scholars protested to the government that changing the name had separated the country from its past, so in 1959 Mohammad Reza Shah announced that both terms could officially be used interchangeably. Now both terms are common, but "Iran" is used mostly in the modern political context and "Persia" in a cultural and historical context. For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... His Majesty Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (اعلیحضرت محمدرضا شاه پهلوی; October 26, 1919 – July 27, 1980) also knows as Aryamehr, was the last Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 until 1979. ...

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of Iran

See also: Agriculture in Iran and Wildlife of Iran

Iran is the eighteenth largest country in the world after Libya and before Mongolia.^[17] Its area roughly equals that of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany combined, or slightly less than the state of Alaska.^{[18] [19]} Its borders are with Azerbaijan (432 km/268 mi) and Armenia (35 km/22 mi) to the north-west; the Caspian Sea to the north; Turkmenistan (992 km/616 mi) to the north-east; Pakistan (909 km/565 mi) and Afghanistan (936 km/582 mi) to the east; Turkey (499 km/310 mi) and Iraq (1,458 km/906 mi) to the west; and finally the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the south. Iran's area is 1,648,000 km² (approximately 636,300 sq mi).^[3] Fars Province landscape The Iranian landscape is predominantly mountainous, with high contrasting green oases. ... Map of Irans major crops, circa 1978. ... Wildlife of Iran includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. ... Countries by area. ... For other uses, see Alaska (disambiguation). ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Gulf of Oman The Gulf of Oman (Arabic: خليج عمان; transliterated: khalÄ«j Ê¿umān, Persian: دریای عمان یا دریای پازس; transliterated: daryā-ye Ê¿omān,Pars) Persian sea is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Persian Gulf; it is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Satellite image of Iran

Mount Damavand is Iran's highest point.

Iran consists of the Iranian Plateau with the exception of the coasts of the Caspian Sea and Khuzestan. It is one of the world's most mountainous countries, its landscape dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate various basins or plateaux from one another. The populous western part is the most mountainous, with ranges such as the Caucasus, Zagros and Alborz Mountains; the latter contains Iran's highest point, Mount Damavand at 5,604 m (18,386 ft), which is not only the country's highest peak but also the highest mountain on the Eurasian landmass west of the Hindu Kush.^[20] The eastern part consists mostly of desert basins like the saline Dasht-e Kavir, Iran's largest desert, in the north-central portion of the country, and the Dasht-e Lut, in the east, as well as some salt lakes. This is because the mountain ranges are too high for rain clouds to reach these regions. The only large plains are found along the coast of the Caspian Sea and at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, where Iran borders the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab (or the Arvand Rūd) river. Smaller, discontinuous plains are found along the remaining coast of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman. Image File history File links Damavand3. ... Image File history File links Damavand3. ... This article is about the volcano. ... Topographic map of the Iranian plateau connecting to Anatolia in the west and Hindu Kush and Himalaya in the east Iranian plateau is both a geographical area of South or West Asia, home of ancient civilizations[1], and a geological area of Eurasia north of the great folded mountain belts... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... Map showing Khuzestan in Iran Domes like this are quite common in Khuzestan province. ... For exotic financial options, see Mountain range (options). ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... For other meanings, see Plateau (disambiguation). ... The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system between the Black and Caspian seas in the Caucasus region, usually considered the southeastern limit of Europe. ... The Zagros Mountains (Kurdish: زنجیره‌ چیاکانی زاگروس), make up Irans and Iraqs largest mountain range. ... Alborz Mountains Mount Damavand, Irans tallest mountain is located in Alborz mountain range. ... This article is about the volcano. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... The Hindu Kush or Hindukush (هندوکش in Persian) is a mountain range in Afghanistan as well as in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. ... This article is about arid terrain. ... Dasht-e Kavir desert: satellite photograph Dasht-e Kavir (دشت كوير in Persian), also known as Kavir-e Namak or Great Salt Desert is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian Plateau. ... As seen from space Dasht-e Lut is a large salt desert in southeastern Iran. ... A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water which has a concentration of salts (mostly sodium chloride) and other minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least 3,000 milligrams of salt per liter). ... In geography, a plain is a large area of land with relatively low relief. ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... The Shatt al-Arab (Arabic: شط العرب, Stream of the Arabs) or Arvand (called اروندرود: arvandrÅ«d in Persian), also called the Shatt-al-Arab waterway, is a river in Southwest Asia of some 200 km in length, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and the Tigris in the town of al... Historical map of the area (1892) Map Of Strait of Hormuz Satellite image The Strait of Hormuz (Arabic: ‎, Persian: ‎) is a narrow, strategically important stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf in the southwest. ... The Gulf of Oman is a strait that connects with the Arabian Sea with the Persian Gulf. ...

Eurasian Lynx

Iran's climate is mostly arid or semiarid, to subtropical along the Caspian coast. On the northern edge of the country (the Caspian coastal plain) temperatures nearly fall below freezing and it remains humid for the rest of the year. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 29 °C (85 °F).^[21][22] Annual precipitation is 680 mm (27 in) in the eastern part of the plain and more than 1,700 mm (67 in) in the western part. To the west, settlements in the Zagros basin experience lower temperatures, severe winters with below zero average daily temperatures and heavy snowfall. The eastern and central basins are arid, with less than 200 mm (eight in) of rain, and have occasional deserts.^[22] Average summer temperatures exceed 38 °C (100 °F). The coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in southern Iran have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers. The annual precipitation ranges from 135 to 355 mm (five to fourteen inches).^[22] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (533x800, 227 KB) Lynx, photo taken by Bernard Landgraf File links The following pages link to this file: Lynx ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (533x800, 227 KB) Lynx, photo taken by Bernard Landgraf File links The following pages link to this file: Lynx ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Eurasian lynx range The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, where it is one of the predators. ... In general terms, the climate of a locale or region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. ... The steppe of Western Kazakhstan in early spring In physical geography, steppe (from Slavic step) is a plain without trees (apart from those near rivers and lakes); it is similar to a prairie, although a prairie is generally reckoned as being dominated by tall grasses, while short grasses are said... Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The Zagros Mountains (Kurdish: زنجیره‌ چیاکانی زاگروس), make up Irans and Iraqs largest mountain range. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Gulf of Oman The Gulf of Oman (Arabic: خليج عمان; transliterated: khalÄ«j Ê¿umān, Persian: دریای عمان یا دریای پازس; transliterated: daryā-ye Ê¿omān,Pars) Persian sea is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Persian Gulf; it is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of...

Bears in the mountains, wild sheep and goats, gazelles, wild asses, wild pigs, wolves, jackals, panthers, Eurasian lynxs, and foxes abound. Domestic animals include sheep, goats, cattle, horses, water buffalo, donkeys, and camels. The pheasant, partridge, stork, eagle and falcon are native to Iran.

Provinces and Cities

Main articles: Provinces of Iran and Counties of Iran

See also: List of Iran cities by population

Iran is divided into 30 provinces (ostān), each governed by an appointed governor (استاندار, ostāndār). The provinces are divided into counties (shahrestān), and subdivided into districts (bakhsh) and sub-districts (dehestān). Sheikh Safis Tomb ArdabÄ«l (Persian: اردبیل; also known as: Ardebil; ancient name: Artavil) is one of 28 provinces of Iran. ... Bushehr (Persian:استان بوشهر) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari (Persian: چهارمحال Ùˆ بختیاری) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... EÅŸfahān province (Persian: استان اصفهان (Ostan-e Esfahan); also transliterated as Isfahan, Esfahan, Espahan, Sepahan or Isphahan) is one of the 28 provinces of Iran. ... Fārs (Persian: فارس) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... GÄ«lān (Persian: گیلان, ) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran, known during ancient times as part of Hyrcania. ... Golestān (Persian: گلستان) is one of the 28 provinces of Iran. ... Hamadān or Hamedan is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Hormozgān is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Īlām, also Elam (ایلام), is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Kermān is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Kermanshah (Persian: كرمانشاه; Kurdish: KirmaÅŸan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Domes like this are quite common in Khuzestan province. ... Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad (Persian: کهگیلویه Ùˆ بویراحمد) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Map showing Iranian province of Kurdistan. ... Lorestān (Persian and Luri لرستان; also Luristan) comprises a province and a historic territory of western Iran amidst the Zagros Mountains. ... The Congregation Mosque of Narāgh. ... Mazandaran (See other names[3]) is a Caspian province in the north of Iran, Located on the Southern coast of Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by Golestan, Semnan and Tehran provinces (All forming Greater Mazandaran, Each separated from Mazandaran respectively in 1997, 1976 and 1960 [4]). Province also lies... QazvÄ«n is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... The Grand Timcheh of Qoms Bazaar. ... Khorasan (in Persian: خراسان) is a province located in northeastern Iran. ... Semnān is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Sistān o BalÅ«chestān is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Tehran province has been the seat of Irans capital, Tehran, since 1778. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Zanjan (زنجان in Persian) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... North Khorasan (in Persian: خراسان شمالی) is a province located in northeastern Iran. ... South Khorasan (Persian: خراسان جنوبی) is a province located in eastern Iran. ... Parthian fire temple, Takht-e Sulaiman,Takab This Sassanid relief is located near Salmas, and is believed to depict either Ardashir I or Shapur I. West Azarbaijan or West Azerbaijan (Persian: آذربایجان ØºØ±Ø¨ÛŒ Ä€zarbāijān-e GharbÄ«; Azeri: Batı AzÉ™rbaycan; Kurdish: Azerbaycanî Rojawa) is one of the 30 provinces of... East Azarbaijan or East Azerbaijan (Persian: آذربایجان شرقی, Ä€zarbāijān-e Sharqi; Azeri: Şərqi AzÉ™rbaycan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Iran consists of 30 provinces: Provinces are governed from a local center, mostly the largest local city. ... The provinces of Iran are divided into counties or shahrestānhā (Persian: شهرستان, singular shahrestān), and each shahrestan is subdivided into districts or bakhshānhā (Persian: بخش, singular bakhsh). ... Iran consists of 30 provinces: Provinces are governed from a local center, mostly the largest local city. ... A geographical political division in Iran. ... A bakhsh is an administrative subdivision in Iran, translated as county, but in many ways similar to a township in the United States or a district of England. ...

After the revolution, Shahyad Tower was renamed Freedom Tower

Iran has one of the highest urban-growth rates in the world. From 1950 to 2002 the urban proportion of the population increased from 27% to 60%.^[23] The United Nations predicts that by 2030 80% of the population will be urban.^[24] Most internal migrants have settled near the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, and Qom. The listed populations are from the 2006/07 (1385 AP) census.^[25] Image File history File links Azadi1. ... Image File history File links Azadi1. ... The Azadi Tower (Persian: , Borj-e Azadi meaning in English: ) (previously known as the Shahyād Āryāmehr Persian: , English: ) is the symbol of Tehran, Iran, and marks the entrance to this large metropolitan city. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ... Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan This article is about the city of Isfahan. ... The city of Ahvaz or Ahwaz[1] (Persian: ahvāz or Arabic: ‎), is the capital of the Iranian province of Khūzestān. ... Qom (Persian: قم, also known as Qum or Kom) is a city in Iran and the Qom (River) flows through the town. ... The Iranian calendar (Persian: ), also known as Persian calendar or (mistakenly) the Jalāli Calendar is an astronomical solar calendar currently used in Iran and Afghanistan as the main official calendar. ...

Tehran, with population of 7,705,036, is the largest city in Iran and is the Capital city. Tehran is home to around 11% of Iran's population. Tehran, like many big cities, suffers from severe air pollution. It is the hub of the country's communication and transport network. For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ... The government runs the broadcast media, which includes three national radio stations and two national television networks, as well as dozens of local radio and television stations. ...

Mashhad is the second largest Iranian city and is one of the holiest Shi'a cities in the world as it is the site of the Imam Reza shrine. It is the second largest city and with a population of 2.8 million is the centre of the province of Razavi Khorasan. It's the centre of tourism in Iran and between 15 and 20 million pilgrims go to the Imam Reza's shrine every year.^[26][27] The other major Iranian city is Isfahan (population city: 1,986,542). Isfahan is the capital of Isfahan Province. The Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The city contains a wide variety of Islamic architectural sites ranging from the eleventh to the 19th century. The growth of suburb area around the city has turned Isfahan to the second most populous metropolitan area (3,430,353).^[28] The other major Iranian cities are Karaj (population 1,732,275), Tabriz (population 1,597,312) and Shiraz (population 1,227,331). Tabriz is situated north of the volcanic cone of Sahand south of the Eynali mountain. Tabriz is the largest city in north-western Iran and is the capital of East Azarbaijan Province. Karaj is located in Tehran province and is situated 20 km west of Tehran, at the foot of Alborz mountains, however the city is increasingly becoming an extension of the metropolitan Tehran. Mashhad (Persian: , literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shiah world. ... Shia Islam ( Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite or Shiite) is the second largest Islamic denomination; some 20-25% of all Muslims are said to follow a Shia tradition. ... Imam Reza shrine, which is visited by 15 to 20 million pilgrims every year. ... Razavi Khorasan (in Persian: خراسان رضوی) is a province located in northeastern Iran. ... Imam Ali ar Rida (January 1, 766 - May 26, 818) was the Eighth Shia Imam. ... Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan This article is about the city of Isfahan. ... Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan This article is about the city of Isfahan. ... Esfahān province (Persian: استان اصفهان (Ostan-e Esfahan); also transliterated as Isfahan, Esfahan, Espahan, Sepahan or Isphahan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Naghsh-i Jahan Square: Ali Qapu (right), Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque (left) and Shah Mosque (front) Naghsh-i Jahan Square (Persian: ميدان نقش جهان ), also known as shah or imam square (maidan in Persian), situated at the center of Isfahan city, Iran, is the one of largest city square in the world. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... The interior of the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. ... Karaj Country Iran Province Tehran Population 2000000 (2005) Area 1000 km² Coordinates Lat. ... Tabriz (Azeri and Persian: تبریز; is the largest city in north-western Iran with an estimated population of 1,597,319 (2007 est. ... For other uses, see Shiraz (disambiguation). ... Sahand (in Persian سهند) is the highest mountain (about 3800m) located in the Iranian province of East Azarbaijan. ... A view of Tabriz laid on Einali. ... Tabriz (Azeri and Persian: تبریز; is the largest city in north-western Iran with an estimated population of 1,597,319 (2007 est. ... East Azarbaijan or East Azerbaijan (Persian: آذربایجان شرقی, Ä€zarbāijān-e Sharqi; Azeri: Şərqi AzÉ™rbaycan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Karaj Country Iran Province Tehran Population 2000000 (2005) Area 1000 km² Coordinates Lat. ... Tehran province has been the seat of Irans capital, Tehran, since 1778. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ... Alborz Mountains Mount Damavand, Irans tallest mountain is located in Alborz mountain range. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ...

History

Early history (3200 BC–625^[2] BC)

Main articles: History of Iran, Zayandeh Rud civilization, Jiroft civilization, and Elam

Map of the world by Eratosthenes, c.200 BC. The name Ariana (Aryânâ) was used to describe the region where the Iranian Plateau is found.

Dozens of pre-historic sites across the Iranian plateau point to the existence of ancient cultures and urban settlements in the fourth millennium BC,^[6][7][8] centuries before the earliest civilizations arose in nearby Mesopotamia.^[29] edit Geographical extent of Iranian influence in the 1st century BCE. The Parthian Empire (mostly Western Iranian) is shown in red, other areas, dominated by Scythia (mostly Eastern Iranian), in orange. ... Zayandeh Rud civilization (تمدن زاینده رود) is a pre-historic era culture that were settled around Zayandeh Rud, in Iran. ... Bowl depicting scorpions. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the o