Geographic coordinates: 
32 00 N, 53 00 E 
Map references: Middle East 

Area: 
total: 1.648 million sq km 
land: 1.636 million sq km 
water: 12,000 sq km 
Area—comparative: slightly larger than Alaska 

Land boundaries: 
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 

Coastline: 2,440 km 
note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 

Maritime claims: 
contiguous zone: 24 nm 
continental shelf: natural prolongation 
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements, or median lines in the Persian Gulf 
territorial sea: 12 nm 

Climate: 
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast 

Terrain:
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts 

Elevation extremes: 
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m 
highest point: Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m 

Natural resources: 
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur 

Land use: 
arable land: 10% 
permanent crops: 1% 
permanent pastures: 27% 
forests and woodland: 7% 
other: 55% (1993 est.) 

Irrigated land: 94,000 sq km (1993 est.) 

Natural hazards: 
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast 

Environment—current issues: 
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water 

Environment—international agreements: 
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 .