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Iran: Geography
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
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Geographic coordinates:
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32 00 N, 53 00 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Alaska
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Land boundaries:
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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
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Coastline:
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2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: natural prolongation
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf
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Climate:
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mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
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Terrain:
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rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
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Land use:
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arable land: 10.17%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 88.67% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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75,620 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
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