Land and Climate
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IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1393 1. LAND AND CLIMATE Introduction Gilan Ostans, Ala Dagh, Binalud, Hezar Masjed he statistical information appeared in this and Qarah Dagh in east of Iran. T chapter includes the geographical The mountain ranges in the west, whichhave characteristics and administrative divisions,and extended from Ararat Mountain to the north climate. west and thesouth east of the country, cover Sari 1. Geographical characteristics and Dash, Chehel Cheshmeh, Panjeh Ali, Alvand, administrative divisions Bakhtiyari mountains, Pish Kuh, Posht Kuh, Iran comprises a land area of over 1.6 million Oshtoran Kuh and Zard Kuh and form Zagros square kilometers. It lies down on the southern ranges .The highest peak of this range is “Dena” half of the northern temperate zone, between with a 4409 m height. latitudes 25º 04' and 39º 46' north, and Southern mountain range stretches from longitudes 44º 02' and 63º 19' east. The land’s Khouzestan province to Sistan & Baluchestan average height is over 1200 meters above seas province and joins Soleyman Mountains in level. The lowest place, located in Chaleh-ye- Pakistan. The mountain range includes Sepidar, Loot, is only 56 meters high, while the highest Meymand, Bashagard and Bam Posht mountains. point, Damavand peak in Alborz Mountains, Central and eastern mountains mainly comprise rises as high as 5610 meters. The land height at Karkas, Shir Kuh, Kuh Banan, Jebal Barez, the southern coastal strip of the Caspian Sea is Hezar,Bazman and Taftan mountains, the highest 28 meters lower than the open seas. of which is Hezar mountain with a 4465 m Iran is bounded by Turkmenistan, Caspian Sea, height. Republic of Azerbaijan, and Armenia on the The largest Iranian islands thatare mainly located north, Afghanistan and Pakistan on the east, at Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait, are Qeshm, Oman Sea and Persian Gulf on the south, and Kish, Lavan, Larak Shahri, Hormuz, Hengam Iraq and Turkey on the west Jadid (new Hengam), Kabudan, Ashk (Orumiyeh Administratively, the country is divided into Lake), Faroor Bozorg (Greater Faroor), Ostans, Ostans into Shahrestans, and Shahrestans Hendurabi, Khark, Minou,Siri, Khan, Abu Mosa, into cities and Dehestans. Espir (Orumiyeh Lake), Tonb Bozorg (Greater Highlands of Iran can be divided into four Tonb), Morghi, Kharku, Arezoo, (Orumiyeh mountain ranges: northern, western, southern Lake), Faroor Kuchak (Small/Lesser Faroor) and central and eastern ranges. The northern and Tunb Kuchak (Small/Lesser Tonb). mountain ranges have extended from Ararat The Caspian Sea (the world’s largest lake) lies Mountain in Turkey to Hindu Kush Mountain in on the north of Iran and connects Iran to Afghanistan, including Alamdar, Sahand, European countries through Russian waterways. Sabalan, Talesh, Qaflan Kuh mountains in The water of themost of the Iranian lakes is Azarbayejan, Albourz mountain ranges at the salty. The major internal lakes are: Orumiyeh, north of Tehran and south of Mazandaran and Namak, Hamoun Jazmourian,Hamoun-e-Saberi, 51 1. LAND AND CLIMATE IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1393 Bakhtegan,Toshak, Hamoun-e-Pouzak, Maharlu, high peaks. The annual precipitation in these Hamoun-e-Hirmand, Talab-e-Anzali (Anzali regions exceeds 500 mm. lagoon), Howz-e-Sultan, Parishan and Zarivar 2. 2. Moderate mountainous climate: some of Marivan. 300000 sq km of the country enjoys moderate 2. Climate mountainous climate, where the annual Due to its vast area, abundant mountains, desert precipitation varies from 250 to 600 mm. lands and being adjacent to two large seas at the 3.Caspian climate, which is a narrow strip with north and south as well as its closeness to a limited extension, trapped between the Caspian Europe, Mediterranean Sea, African large Sahara Sea and Alborz mountains range with as much as desert, Indian Ocean, Asian internal highlands 600 to 2000 mm precipitation per annum. and large cold areas, Iran enjoys a verydiverse Measurement of climatic characteristics, which climate. The effect of distance from the sea, dates back to the year 1320, is currently namely closeness and remoteness from the sea, performed by the National Meteorological can be easily perceived by comparing the large Organization at its numerous synoptic stations amount of rainfall and rich vegetation and highly scattered around the country. The data in this populated areas around the Caspian Sea with the chapter, however, are only from those located in uninhabited arid deserts in the centre of Iran. The Ostan (provincial) centres. They include continuation of the mountain ranges, their temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity, location opposite or parallel to the winds the number of frosty days, hours of bright direction and air flows are among the factors, sunshine and speed of wind. which always affect climate change. There is a significant difference among the slopes facing or Notes: backing onto humid winds in terms of rainfall 1. Some capitals of Ostans have several synoptic amount and vegetation. stations and the data appeared here are from The country generally features three climatic those located at the airports of Ostan's capitals. zones: 2. Central basins, Hamun and Sarakhs, were 1. Arid and semi-arid climate of the interior and renamed Central Plateau, Eastern Border, and far south, characterized by long, warm and dry Qareh Qumbasins, respectively in the year 1383. periods, lasting some years over 7 months. The The Statistics in this Chapter have been gathered annual precipitation in such regions varies from theArmed Forces Geographical between 30 to 250 mm. Organization, Ministry of Interior, I.R. of Iran 2. Mountainous climate, whichare MeteorologicalOrganization and Iran Water sub-divided into cold and moderate mountainous Resource Management Company. climate. 2.1.Cold mountainous climate: about 40000 sq Definitions and concepts km of the total country consists of major Shahrestan (subprovince):an administrative highlands, including Alborz and Zagross division with a certain geographical boundary, mountain ranges, as well as Sahand and Sabalan formed from joining of a few neighboring 52 IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1393 1. LAND AND CLIMATE Bakhshes(county) which enjoy homogeneous one year, or a few years). natural, social, economic, political and cultural Absolute maximum:the highest temperature conditions. during a certain period (24 hours, one month, Bakhsh (county): an administrative division one year, or a few years). with a specific geographical boundary, including Relative humidity: the amount of humid air in a a number of neighboring Dehestans and their volume unit of air. adjacent fields, places, Roostas (hamlets), and Average height of precipitation: is the weighted possibly Shahrs (cities), which are similar in mean of an area. By dividing the area into natural, social, cultural, economic and political several polygons andconsidering the aspects. precipitationineach polygon, the average height Shahr (city/town):an area with a legal boundary, of precipitationiscalculated. located within the geographical boundary of a Water basin: is a geographical area in which certain Bakhsh and in terms of constructional overland flows from, and drains downhill into a context, employment and other factors, having body of water, such as ocean, sea, or flat. If the the distinctive features of a city. concentration point is located inside the basin, Dehestan (rural agglomeration): the smallest the basin is a closed one (e.g. Orumiyeh Lake), unit among administrative divisions with a but if the point is located at the end of the basin, specific geographical boundary, comprised of a so that the flow can leave there, then there is an number of neighboring Roostas and their open basin. Every given point in a river is adjacent places and fields, homogeneous in considered the concentration point for the basin environment, economic and social conditions just above it. that allow for providing public services and Aquatic year: from the first day of Mehr to the planning within a single system and network. end of Shahrivar of the next year. Synoptic stations (simultaneous meteorological Coefficient of overland flow: the ratio of the reporting stations): These are stations at which, volume of water flowed in a given hydrometric various climatic features including dry and station to the volume of the precipitation of the humid temperatures, amount and type of cloud, basin stretching to the station. amount of precipitation, type of climatic Hydrometric stations: stations in which phenomenon, direction and speed of wind, parameters of debit (discharge), sediment, amount of evaporation, air pressure, hours of temperature, physical properties of water and bright sunshine, changes in pressure, amount of features of ice cover and chemical properties of solar radiation, etc. are according to certain rivers, lake and damsreservoir are observed and instructions at certain hours measured and measured. communicated to meteorological centers across Volume of overland flow: To estimate the the globe by devices like SSB, telephone or volume of overland flow of each of the country’s telex after being registered. main basins, a total of 42 rivers have been Absolute minimum: the lowest temperature selected to indicate and represent the overland during a certain period (24 hours, one month, flow whose annual total volume exceeds 60 53 1. LAND AND CLIMATE IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1393 percent of the country’s grand total. To reach the any frosty day. volume of any individual flow, a proper The volume of precipitation in national main coefficient is applied to the total volume. basins during the aquatic year of 1392-93 was approximately 357.175 bln m3 out of which the Selected information share of each basin is as follows: the Caspian The total length of the I.R. Iran’s borderlines is Sea :63.969 bln m3, the Persian Gulf and Oman 8640 kilometers out of which the longest Sea 141.775 bln m3, the Lake of Orumiyeh: borderline is for that of south waters with 2106 14.635 bln m3, Central Plateau:118.303 bln m3 kilometers and the shortest one goes to Iran- ,Eastern Border:10.484 bln m3& Qareh Qum Armenia which equals 45 kilometers.