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:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
1,648,195 sq km
country comparison to the world: 18
land:
1,531,595 sq km
water:
116,600 sq km
Area comparison map:
total:
5,894 km
border countries:
Afghanistan 921 km, Armenia 44 km, Azerbaijan 689 km, Iraq 1,599 km, Pakistan 959 km, Turkey 534 km, Turkmenistan 1,148 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf
continental shelf:
natural prolongation
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
More Climate Details
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
lowest point:
Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point:
Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
arable land:
10.05%
permanent crops:
1.08%
other:
88.86% (2011)
87,000 sq km (2009)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
137 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
93.3 cu km/yr (7%/1%/92%)
per capita:
1,306 cu m/yr (2004)
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
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
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport