Iran

Iran

Iran is noted as the 18^th largest country in the world in terms of landmass.  It was formerly known as Persia.  The country is located in the Middle East and has huge reserves in gas and petroleum.  This makes Iran a regional threat due to geographic location in the area and the partial monopoly it has over the energy sector.

Iran is the home to some of the world’s oldest and continuous civilizations dating to back to around 7000BC.  The territory used to be very important in trading, from people who were traveling from Asia to Europe to Africa.  This helped establish its culture.  Currently, the nation has a Islamic republic and its authority lies in the hands of the Supreme Leader.

Iran has access to water through the Caspian Sea.  It helps with imports and exports, mainly oil.  Other landscape includes rigorous mountains and plateaus.   Dense rain forests in the north and vast deserts in the east divide the state.  The differences in geography provide for very diverse climate. In the north where it gets below freezing at times, compared to the south where it easily gets above 100 in the summer.

The capital of Iran is Tehran.  It is also the largest city in the state, both by geographic size and population.  After the state, there are 30 princes, which are then sub-divided into counties.  Tehran is like most urban cities, experiencing severe air pollution, and a hub of transportation networks. 

The country is rapidly improving its economy. By 2030 the UN predicts that 80% of the population will be urban, compared to the 60% in 2002.  Islam is the official religion of the country, and they are also required to travel to Iran’s second largest city every year to visit the shrine.  This helps create both a state of society, and increases the economy of Iran.

            Because of its old past, Iran has preserved much of its history.  The also adds to the tourism of the country.  The state has many old churches and artifacts from 1000s of years ago.

            Iran’s relationship with America has deteriorated rapidly from the 1970’s when Iranians took control of a US embassy.  Since then, there have been three wars fought between the two countries. One of which was secretly helping them stop the invading USSR from moving troops into the borders.  The other two wars have been against them and terrorism. 

            With as much history as Iran has, it has not been able to be a major technological innovator that other countries have.  It has always remained on the outskirts of big countries, but never falling behind like other countries do.  Most Iranians are struggling to remove to terrorist stereotype, get a good education, a good job, and improve their standard of living.