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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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