Iran Map (China-foreign comparison)

Author: Zhou Min, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-01-01
Features:
National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran: April 1 (1979) (Islamic Republic Day)
Revolution Day: February 11 (1979) (Victory of the Islamic Revolution)
>>> National Flower: Rose
National Flag: Rectangular in shape, with a ratio of length to width of approximately 7:4. It consists of three parallel horizontal stripes of green, white, and red from top to bottom. In the center of the white stripe, a red emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran is embedded. At the junctions of white with green and red, the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar" is inscribed in 11 lines above and 11 lines below, totaling 22 lines. This was done to commemorate the Victory of the Islamic Revolution on February 11, 1979 (November 22 in the Islamic solar calendar). The green on the flag represents agriculture, symbolizing life and hope; white symbolizes holiness and purity; and red indicates Iran's abundant mineral resources.
National Emblem: Composed of four crescents, a sword, and a copy of the Quran. The crescents symbolize religion—Islam; the Quran at the top signifies that Islam is supreme and serves as the basis for the republic's actions; the sword represents determination and strength, like a giant blade piercing the sky, cutting through "evil." The four crescents and the Quran book together form the Arabic word "Allah" (God); the entire design is circular, symbolizing the Earth, indicating that "Allah's" Islamic thought spans the globe.
National Leaders:
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, who succeeded the late Ayatollah Khomeini as leader in June 1989;
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, elected in June 2005 and took office in August;
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who assumed office in August 1997 and was re-elected in August 2001.
Natural Geography: 1,645,000 square kilometers. Located in southwestern Asia, it borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north, Turkey and Iraq to the west, Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east, and the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the south. It is a plateau country, with an average elevation of 900–1,500 meters. The north has the Elburz Mountains, with Mount Damavand reaching an altitude of 5,670 meters, the highest peak in Iran. The western and southwestern regions have the Zagros Mountains, while the eastern part is a dry basin, forming numerous deserts. The northern coast along the Caspian Sea and the southern coast along the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are coastal plains. Major rivers include the Karun and the Safid. The Caspian Sea is the world's largest saltwater lake, with its southern shore belonging to Iran. The eastern and central regions of Iran have a continental subtropical grassland and desert climate, characterized by dryness, little rainfall, and significant temperature variations. The western mountainous areas have a Mediterranean climate. The coastal regions along the Caspian Sea are mild and humid, with an average annual precipitation exceeding 1,000 millimeters. The central plateau has an average annual precipitation of less than 100 millimeters. The bridges of Isfahan in Iran are famous for their age, Islamic style, and diverse functions. All the bridges in Isfahan cross the "Zayandeh River," playing a vital role in the lives of the people. The image shows the Ferdowsi Bridge in Isfahan. The night view of the Khaju Bridge in Isfahan. The bridge is 132 meters long and was first built in 1550. It also serves as a dam. Below the stone bridge is a gathering place for Isfahan's folk artisans, as well as a spot for people to cool off and socialize at night.
Population: 63.9 million (estimated as of April 2000). It is a multi-ethnic Muslim country with ethnic groups such as Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen. Among them, Persians account for 66%, Azeris for 25%, Kurds for 5%, and other minority groups include Arabs and Turkmen. The official language is Persian, and Islam is the state religion. 98.8% of the population follows Islam, with 91% being Shia and 7.8% being Sunni.
Capital: Tehran, located at the southern foot of the Elburz Mountains in northern Iran, with a population of 11 million. For more details, click >>
Brief History: Iran is an ancient civilization with a history of over 4,500 years, known historically as Persia. Its recorded history and culture date back to 2,700 BC, when it was known in Chinese history as Anxi. After 2,000 BC, Indo-European descendants of the Iranian people appeared. In the 6th century BC, the Achaemenid dynasty of the ancient Persian Empire reached its peak. During the reign of Darius I (521–485 BC), the empire's territory extended east to the banks of the Amu Darya and Indus River, west to the middle and lower reaches of the Nile River, north to the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and south to the Persian Gulf. In 330 BC, the ancient Persian Empire was conquered by Alexander the Great of Macedon. Later, the Parthian and Sasanian dynasties were established. From the 7th to the 18th centuries, Arabs, Turks, and Mongols invaded Iran one after another. In the late 18th century, the Qajar tribe of Turkmen in northeastern Iran unified the country and established the Qajar dynasty. In the early 19th century, Iran became a semi-colony of Britain and Russia. In 1921, Reza Shah overthrew the Qajar dynasty and established the Pahlavi dynasty in 1925. In 1941, Reza Shah was forced out of Iran by the Allies, and his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ascended the throne. On March 21, 1935, the country's name was changed to Iran. In 1978, a popular movement against the king forced the Pahlavi king to flee the country on January 16, 1979. That same year, in February, the religious leader Khomeini returned from 14 years of exile in Paris to take over the government and declared the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran on April 1, 1979. On October 1, 1981, Khamenei became president, and Musavi became prime minister and was tasked with forming the government. Khomeini gradually established an Islamic theocracy. Iran and Iraq have long had disputes over borders, sects, and ethnic issues. Relations between the two countries deteriorated in the 1980s. The Iran-Iraq War broke out in September 1980. After mediation by international parties, a ceasefire was accepted in August 1988. On June 3, 1989, Khomeini passed away, and the Assembly of Experts elected President Khamenei as the new leader the next day. On July 28, 1989, the speaker of the parliament was elected president. On June 11, 1993, Larijani was re-elected president. On May 23, 1997, Hashemi Rafsanjani was elected president and took the oath of office on August 4, 1997, and was re-elected in 2001.
Administrative Divisions: The country is divided into 27 provinces, 195 counties, 500 districts, and 1,581 villages. The 27 provinces are: Tehran, Central, Gilan, Mazandaran, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Fars, Kerman, Khorasan, Isfahan, Sistan-Baluchistan, Kurdistan, Hamadan, Chaharmahal-Baharati, Lorestan, Ilam, Bohol, Kohgiluyeh, Bushehr, Zanjan, Semnan, Yazd, Hormozgan, Ardabil, Qazvin, and Qom.