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Iran, [a] [b] officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) [c] and also known as Persia, [d] is a country in West Asia.It borders Turkey to the northwest and Iraq to the west, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea, and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south.
Provinces of Iran by contribution to national GDP in 2014 Provinces of Iran by GDP per capita in 2012. Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces (Persian: استان ostân), each governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: مرکز, markaz) of that province.
Shiraz is one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia, known as the city of poets, literature and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens and also a major center for Iran's electronic industries. The other major cities are Tabriz (population 1.56 million), Qom (population 1.2 million) and Ahvaz (population 1.18 ...
Since the Safavid era, Mamâlek-e Mahruse-ye Irân (Guarded Domains of Iran) was the common and official name of Iran. [21] [22] The idea of the Guarded Domains illustrated a feeling of territorial and political uniformity in a society where the Persian language, culture, monarchy, and Shia Islam became integral elements of the developing national identity. [23]
Common English country name: Iran, archaic Persia; Official English country name: The Islamic Republic of Iran; Common endonym(s): Official endonym(s): Adjectival(s): Iranian; Demonym(s): Etymology: Name of Iran; International rankings of Iran. 18th largest country; 17th most populous country; ISO country codes: IR, IRN, 364; ISO region codes ...
The city of Arāk in western Iran still bears the region's old name, and Iranians still traditionally call the region between Tehran, Isfahan and Īlām "ʿErāq". During the medieval ages, Mesopotamian and Iranian peoples knew each other's languages because of trade, and because Arabic was the language of religion and science at that time.
A plan to move the capital has been discussed many times in prior years, due mainly to the environmental issues of the region. Tehran is one of the world's most polluted cities and is also located near two major fault lines. The city suffers from severe air pollution, 80% of it due to cars. [76] The remaining 20% is due to industrial pollution.
Iran is a founding member of the UN, NAM, OIC, OPEC, and ECO. Iran as a major regional power occupies an important position in the world economy due to its substantial reserves of petroleum and natural gas, and has considerable regional influence in Western Asia. The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan and literally means "Land of the Aryans."