|
Natural regions
One of the world's most mountainous
countries, Iran contains two major ranges of mountains, the Alborz
with the highest peak in Asia west of the Himalayas, Damavand (5671
m above sea level) and the Zagros that cuts across the country for
more than 1,600 km extending from north west to the south east of
the country. The peaks exceeding 2,300 m in these two ranges capture
a considerable amount of moisture coming either from the Caspian Sea
southward or the Mediterranean eastward.
There are also some other local ranges.
Within these mountainous rims lies a series of basins known
collectively as the central plateau. They include Dasht-e-Kavir, a
huge salt-encrusted desert in north central Iran and Kavir-e-Lut, a
sand-and-pebble desert in the southeast.
There are several fertile oases in these
regions that are living examples of ancient Iranians? determination
to survive and bestow life to the arid areas.
There are numerous rivers in Iran,
but nearly all of them are relatively short, shallow streams
unsuitable for navigation. The country?s only navigable river, the
Karun, flows through the city of Ahvaz in the southwest and empties
to the Persian Gulf. Most rivers originate from the mountains and
drain into the interior basins.
Although around 1/3 of Iran?s total
territory is arable, only %10.4 is under cultivation. An additional
%6 of the total land is used for pasture. Forested areas have
declined slightly in recent decades and account for %4.5 of the
total territory.
Natural Resources
Iran's extensive petroleum and
natural gas deposits are located primarily in the southwestern
province of Khuzestan and in the Persian Gulf. Iran also has one of
the world's largest reserves of copper the deposits of which are
located throughout the country, but the major lode lies in central
Iran between the cities of Yazd and Kerman. This region also serves
as a center for the mining of bauxite, lead, zinc, iron ore and
coal. Other coalmines operate throughout the Alborz Mountains. Iron
ore mines also exist near Zanjan, near Mashad and on Hormoz Island
in the Strait of Hormoz. Iran also has valuable deposits of
aluminum, chromites, manganese, gold, silver, tin and tungsten.
There are also various gemstones like lapis lazuli, turquoise, amber
and agate.
Plants & Animals
More than 10,000 plant species have
been identified in Iran. The natural vegetation in most of the
country has been devastated and used for cultivating crops or
feeding cattle. Natural forests at the Alborz consist of various
trees like beech, oak, deciduous trees and conifers. There are
wooded areas in some regions of higher elevation in the Zagros
Mountains consisting primarily of oak. Wild fruit trees grow in both
the Alborz and Zagros mountains. They include almond, pear,
pomegranate, and walnut. In the more arid central part of the
country, wild pistachio and other resistant trees grow in areas that
have not been disturbed by human activities. Tamarisk and other
salt-tolerant bushes grow along the margins of the Dasht-e-Kavir.
A wide variety of native mammals,
reptiles, birds, and insects live in Iran. Many species of
mammals-including wolves, foxes, bears, mountain goats, red mountain
sheep, rabbits, and gerbils continue to thrive. Some species of
birds inhabit Iran and a large number of the species are migratory
birds that spend part of the year in other countries.
Climates
The totally different up and down
altitudes of Iran are the major reasons for the several various
climates. The Caspian coastal plain on the northern edge of the
country with an average elevation of about the sea level remains
humid all year round. Winter temperatures rarely fall below freezing
point and maximum summer temperatures rarely exceed 29? C. Annual
precipitation averages 650 mm in the eastern part of the plain
(Mazandaran Province) and more than 1,900 mm in the western part
(Gilan Province).
At higher elevations to the west,
the inhabited areas in the Zagros Mountains experience lower
temperatures with average daily temperatures below freezing point in
winter. They also experience warm summers with average temperature
of 25? C in the northwest and 33? C in the central and southern
Zagros. The average annual precipitation, including snowfall, is
more than 280 mm at higher elevations.
The central plateau region also
experiences regional variations. The arid basins of central and
eastern Iran generally receive less than 200 mm of precipitation per
year.
The southern coastal plains of Iran
have mild winters with average January temperatures ranging from 7?
C to 18? C in Khuzestan Province, but the average temperatures in
Bandar-e-Abbas on the Strait of Hormoz are even higher. Summers are
very hot and humid with temperatures exceeding 48? C during July in
the interior areas. The Annual precipitation ranges in this region
are from 145 mm to 355 mm.
Large Cities
The country?s capital and
largest city, Tehran, serves as the main administrative, financial,
industrial, commercial, educational and publishing center. Iran's
other major cities include Shiraz, Esfehan, Tabriz, Mashad and
Ahvaz.
Shiraz is a manufacturing
center in the south near the ruins of the most glorious ancient
Persian monument called Persepolis.
Esfehan is a
manufacturing center with several masterpieces of Islamic
architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Tabriz is the principal
industrial and commercial center of the northwest.
Mashad is a manufacturing and commercial center in the northeast and
the site of the country's most important religious shrine where the
body of the eighth Imam of Shiites has been buried.
And Ahvaz is the major
commercial and manufacturing center in the southwest of Iran.
|
