Skip to main content

Iran Country Profile: Geography, History, Political System & Economy | UPSC Prelims Notes


Iran Country Profile: Geography, History, Political System & Economy | UPSC Prelims Notes




1. Introduction & Basic Facts

  • Official Name: Islamic Republic of Iran.

  • Earlier Name: Persia (the name was officially changed to Iran in 1935 by Reza Shah Pahlavi to emphasize the country's Aryan heritage).

  • Region: Located in West Asia (Middle East) and forms a geopolitical bridge between Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.

  • Capital and Largest City: Tehran, which is also the country's political, economic, and cultural centre.

  • Area: Approximately 1.64 million square kilometres, making Iran the 17th largest country in the world and the second-largest country in West Asia after Saudi Arabia.

  • Population: Around 86 million, ranking 17th globally in population.

  • Official Language: Persian (Farsi), belonging to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family.

  • Official Religion: Shia Islam (Twelver Shia), which is followed by the majority of the population.

  • Iran is considered an ethnically diverse country with groups such as Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Lurs, Baloch, Turkmen and Arabs.

2. Location and Boundaries

Iran occupies a strategically important location connecting Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East.

Land Borders

Iran shares borders with seven countries:

  • West: Iraq and Turkey

  • Northwest: Armenia and Azerbaijan

  • North: Turkmenistan

  • East: Afghanistan and Pakistan

Maritime Boundaries

  • North: Caspian Sea

  • South: Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman

The country also lies close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important global oil transport chokepoints.

3. Latitudinal and Longitudinal Extent

  • Latitude: Between 24° North and 40° North

  • Longitude: Between 44° East and 64° East

This location places Iran largely within the subtropical dry climatic zone.

4. Physiography of Iran

Iran's terrain is dominated by mountain systems, plateaus and deserts, giving it a rugged and highly varied landscape.

1. Mountain Systems

Zagros Mountains

  • The Zagros mountain range is the most extensive mountain system in Iran.

  • It stretches from north-western Iran near the Turkish border to the Strait of Hormuz in the southeast.

  • The range runs in parallel ridges and divides the country into western and central regions.

  • Peaks generally exceed 3000 meters, with some rising above 4000 meters.

  • The region is inhabited by pastoral nomadic tribes, especially Kurds and Lurs.

Alborz Mountains

  • Located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

  • Acts as a climatic barrier between the humid Caspian coast and the arid interior plateau.

  • Contains Mount Damavand, the highest peak in Iran (5610 meters) and also the highest volcano in Asia.

2. Central Plateau

  • The Central Iranian Plateau forms the core of the country.

  • Average elevation is about 900 meters above sea level.

  • Surrounded by mountains, creating a closed drainage basin.

Major desert regions include:

  • Dasht-e Kavir (Great Salt Desert)

  • Dasht-e Lut (Lut Desert) – one of the hottest places on Earth

These deserts contain large salt flats and sand dunes, making them largely uninhabited except for scattered oasis settlements.

3. Lowlands

Iran has limited lowland areas.

Khuzestan Plain

  • Located in southwestern Iran near the Persian Gulf.

  • Contains fertile agricultural lands and important oil fields.

  • Includes marshlands and river valleys.

Caspian Coastal Plain

  • Located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

  • Narrow but fertile region with dense forests and agriculture.

5. Rivers and Lakes

Iran lacks large perennial rivers due to its arid climate and plateau geography.

Major Rivers

Karun River

  • Length: about 830 km

  • Only navigable river in Iran

  • Flows into the Persian Gulf

Karkheh River

  • Major river flowing through Khuzestan region

Zayandeh River

  • Important river flowing through Isfahan

Many rivers originate from snowmelt in mountains and end in salt lakes or inland basins.

Lakes

Lake Urmia

  • Located in north-western Iran

  • One of the largest saltwater lakes in the Middle East

  • High salinity prevents most aquatic life except some microorganisms

6. Climate of Iran

Iran experiences a highly variable continental climate.

Major Climatic Features

  • Cold winters and heavy snowfall in north-western mountainous regions.

  • Hot and dry summers across most interior areas.

  • Mild winters in southern coastal regions.

  • Average summer temperatures in southern Iran can exceed 38°C.

  • Rainfall is generally low, leading to semi-arid and desert conditions.

7. Natural Vegetation and Forests

Only about 7% of Iran's total land area is forested.

Major Forest Regions

Caspian Forests

  • Located in the north along the Caspian Sea

  • Dense temperate forests

Oak Forests

  • Found in western and central mountainous regions

Pistachio Forests

  • Found in southern and southeastern regions

Limestone Forests

  • Located in northeastern Iran

8. Wildlife of Iran

Iran hosts diverse wildlife due to its varied ecosystems.

Important species include:

  • Asiatic Cheetah (critically endangered; now found only in Iran)

  • Persian Leopard (largest leopard subspecies)

  • Eurasian Lynx

  • Bears

  • Foxes

  • Gazelles

  • Jackals

9. Seismic Activity

Iran lies in a highly active seismic zone due to the collision of the Arabian Plate and Eurasian Plate.

  • Major earthquakes occur frequently.

  • On average, a magnitude 7 earthquake occurs every decade.

  • Many earthquakes are shallow-focus, making them extremely destructive.

Example:

  • 2003 Bam Earthquake, one of the deadliest disasters in Iran.

10. Ancient History of Iran

Human presence in Iran dates back to the Lower Paleolithic period.

Early Civilizations

  • Archaeological sites show urban settlements dating back to 4000 BCE.

Median Empire

  • Formed around 7th century BCE.

Achaemenid Empire (First Persian Empire)

  • Founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE.

  • One of the largest empires in ancient history, stretching from Greece to India.

Alexander the Great

  • Conquered the Persian Empire after defeating Darius III.

11. Later Empires

Parthian Empire

  • Ruled Iran for about five centuries.

  • Known for its feudal political structure.

Sassanian Empire

  • Ruled from 224 CE to 651 CE.

  • Major rival of the Roman and Byzantine empires.

12. Islamic Period

  • In the 7th century, Iran was conquered by Arab Muslim armies.

  • Became part of:

    • Rashidun Caliphate

    • Umayyad Caliphate

    • Abbasid Caliphate

During this period Iran became a centre of the Islamic Golden Age, contributing greatly to science, medicine, philosophy, mathematics, and literature.

13. Mongol and Timurid Invasions

  • Genghis Khan invaded Iran in 1219–1221, causing massive destruction.

  • Later, Timur (Tamerlane) established the Timurid Empire in the region.

14. Safavid Empire

  • Established in 1501.

  • Declared Shia Islam as the official state religion, shaping Iran’s modern religious identity.

  • Major rival of the Sunni Ottoman Empire.

15. Modern History

Qajar Dynasty

  • Ruled from 1794 to 1925.

  • Period marked by foreign influence and internal decline.

Discovery of Oil

  • 1908 – first major oil reserves discovered.

Pahlavi Dynasty

  • Established by Reza Shah in 1925.

  • Introduced modernization and westernization reforms.

16. Iranian Revolution (1979)

  • Led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

  • Overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

  • Ended centuries of monarchy.

  • Established the Islamic Republic of Iran.

17. Political System of Iran

Iran is a theocratic republic combining democratic institutions with religious authority.

Supreme Leader

  • Highest political and religious authority.

  • Controls military, judiciary, media, and key political institutions.

Supreme Leaders:

  1. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1979–1989)

  2. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (1989–present)

18. President

  • Second highest authority in Iran.

  • Elected for 4-year term by popular vote.

  • Must be approved by the Supreme Leader.

19. Legislature

Majlis (Parliament)

  • Members elected by public vote.

Assembly of Experts

  • 88 clerics elected for 8 years.

  • Responsible for appointing or removing the Supreme Leader.

20. Economy of Iran

Iran has a mixed economy dominated by the state sector.

Major Economic Features

  • 21st largest economy in the world (PPP).

  • Currency: Iranian Rial.

Energy Resources

Iran is considered an energy superpower because it possesses:

  • 3rd largest oil reserves in the world

  • 2nd largest natural gas reserves globally

21. Major Industries

  • Petroleum and petrochemicals

  • Fertilizer production

  • Electronics and telecommunications

  • Construction materials

  • Power generation

22. Bonyads (Unique Economic Institutions)

  • Bonyads are large religious charitable foundations.

  • They control a significant part of the non-oil economy.

  • Estimated to control around 20% of Iran’s GDP.

23. International Organisations

Iran is a member of several international organisations:

  • OPEC

  • WHO

  • IAEA

  • INTERPOL

  • International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Recent development:

  • Became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2022.

Comments

Post a Comment