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| Mainland Iran | |
|---|---|
| Conventional long name | Iran (mainland) |
| Common name | Iran |
| Capital | Tehran |
| Largest city | Tehran |
| Official languages | Persian |
| Area km2 | 1,648,195 |
| Population estimate | 86,000,000 |
| Government | Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Established | Constitutional Revolution (1906) |
| Currency | Iranian rial |
Mainland Iran is the contiguous continental territory of the state commonly called Iran, centered on the Iranian Plateau and bounded by the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman. The region encompasses the capitals Tehran and Isfahan, historic cities such as Shiraz and Tabriz, and strategic corridors like Khorasan and Khuzestan. It has been a crossroads for empires including the Achaemenid Empire, the Sasanian Empire, and the Safavid dynasty, and plays a central role in contemporary affairs involving OPEC, the United Nations, and regional organizations.
The English name "Iran" derives from the Iranian peoples and the Middle Persian term "ērān", used in the Sasanian Empire inscriptions and later formalized in the 20th century under Reza Shah Pahlavi; this term contrasts with the exonym Persia used in Classical antiquity and by travelers such as Marco Polo and emissaries to the Safavid dynasty. Administrative definitions used in treaties like the Treaty of Turkmenchay and maps by the British Empire and the Russian Empire delineated the continental territory distinct from island holdings such as the Abu Musa island dispute sites. Modern constitutional documents from the Constitutional Revolution of Iran and decrees by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi clarified the territorial extent recognized by the League of Nations and later the United Nations.
Mainland Iran occupies the Iranian Plateau between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman, bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Mountain systems include the Zagros Mountains and the Alborz Mountains home to Mount Damavand, while river basins such as the Karun River and the Zayandeh River feed inland lakes like Lake Urmia. Climatic zones range from arid deserts like the Dasht-e Kavir and the Dasht-e Lut to humid subtropical coasts along Gilan and Mazandaran. Strategic straits and chokepoints include the Strait of Hormuz, affecting relations with United States naval presences and GCC states.
The territory has been central to empires including the Achaemenid Empire, whose foundation under Cyrus the Great produced the Behistun Inscription; the Parthian Empire and the Sasanian Empire established pre-Islamic statecraft later transformed by the Arab conquest of Iran and the spread of Islam in Persia. Medieval dynasties such as the Safavid dynasty established Twelver Shi'ism as a state religion, contested by rivals like the Ottoman Empire and the Mongol Empire; cultural florescences under rulers like Shah Abbas I shaped cities such as Isfahan. Modernization and centralization accelerated under the Qajar dynasty and the Pahlavi dynasty, provoking reforms during the Constitutional Revolution of Iran and crises exemplified by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran (1941) and the nationalization episode involving Mohammad Mosaddegh and the Abadan Crisis. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 produced the current Islamic Republic of Iran state structure, tested by events including the Iran–Iraq War, international disputes with United States, engagements with Terrorism responses, and negotiations over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Mainland Iran's population includes major ethnic groups such as Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Lurs, Baloch, and Arabs, concentrated in provinces like Fars, East Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Khuzestan, and Sistan and Baluchestan. Religious communities feature adherents of Twelver Shi'ism, minorities including Sunni Muslims, Christians, Jews, and the Bahá'í Faith, each with historical presences in centers such as Isfahan and Hamadan. Urbanization trends concentrate populations in Tehran, Mashhad, and Shiraz; education hubs include University of Tehran and Sharif University of Technology. Social movements and legal reforms have intersected with institutions like the Guardian Council and events such as the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests and the Mahsa Amini protests.
The mainland economy hinges on hydrocarbon resources in Khuzestan and offshore fields in the Persian Gulf administered through entities such as the National Iranian Oil Company; fiscal linkages extend to OPEC and global energy markets affected by Sanctions against Iran. Industrial centers in Isfahan and Tabriz host manufacturing, while agricultural production in Fars and Gilan supplies dates, pistachios, and rice. Transport corridors include the Tehran–Qom–Isfahan axis, rail links to Turkmenistan and Turkey, and airports like Mehrabad International Airport and Imam Khomeini International Airport. Infrastructure projects have involved partnerships with firms from China and Russia and been shaped by policies under administrations of presidents like Hashemi Rafsanjani and Hassan Rouhani.
Literary and artistic traditions in the territory feature poets such as Hafez, Rumi, and Ferdowsi whose works like the Shahnameh anchored national identity; architecture manifests in monuments such as the Persepolis ruins and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Languages include Persian (Farsi), Azerbaijani Turkish, Kurdish dialects, Luri, and Balochi, reflecting regional literatures and oral traditions centered in cities like Shiraz and Tabriz. Musical forms range from classical radifs preserved by artists connected to institutions such as the Tehran Conservatory of Music, and visual arts continue in galleries in Tehran and festivals like the Fajr International Film Festival.
Mainland Iran contains ecoregions from temperate forests in Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests to deserts like the Dasht-e Kavir and the Dasht-e Lut, hosting endemic species including the Persian leopard and the Asiatic cheetah historically recorded in Kerman Province. Wetlands such as Anzali Lagoon and lakes like Urmia Lake face environmental stress from water diversion, drought, and policies affecting Caspian Sea fisheries; conservation efforts involve organizations and research from institutions such as Iranian Department of Environment and collaborations with international bodies including the IUCN. Climate vulnerability spans desertification in Sistan and Baluchestan Province to glacial retreat in the Alborz Mountains, influencing agriculture in regions like Khuzestan and prompting initiatives by figures in academia at University of Tehran and NGOs.