IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1391 1. LAND AND CLIMATE Introduction Gilan Ostans, Ala Dagh, Binalud, Hezar Masjed he statistical information appeared in this and Qarah Dagh in Khorasan Ostanon the east of chapter includes the Geographical Iran. characteristics and administrative divisions, and The mountain ranges in the west, which have Climate. extended from Ararat Mountain to the north 1. Geographical characteristics and west and the south east of the country, cover Sari administrative divisions Dash, Chehel Cheshmeh, Panjeh Ali, Alvand, Iran comprises a land area of over 1.6 million Bakhtiyari mountains, Pish Kuh, Posht Kuh, square kilometers. It lies down on the southern Oshtoran Kuh and Zard Kuh and form Zagros half of the northern temperate zone, between ranges .The highest peak of this range is “Dena” latitudes 25º 00' and 39º 47' north, and with a 4409 m height. longitudes 44º 02' and 63º 20' east. The land’s . average height is over 1200 meters. The lowest Southern mountain range stretches from place, located in Chaleh-ye-Loot, is only 56 Khouzestan province to Sistan & Baluchestan meters high, while the highest point, Damavand province and joins Soleyman Mountains in peak in Alborz Mountains, rises as high as 5610 Pakistan. The mountain range includes Sepidar, meters. The land height at the southern coastal Meymand, Bashagard and Bam Posht mountains. strip of the Caspian Sea is 28 meters lower than Central and eastern mountains mainly comprise the open seas. Karkas, Shir Kuh, Kuh Banan, Jebal Barez, Iran is bounded by Turkmenistan, Caspian Sea, Hezar,Bazman and Taftan mountains, the highest Azerbaijan, and Armenia on the north, of which is Hezar mountain with a 4465 m Afghanistan and Pakistan on the east, Oman Sea height. and Persian Gulf on the south, and Iraq and The largest Iranian islands that are mainly Turkey on the west located at Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait, are Administratively, the country is divided into Qeshm, Kish, Lavan, Larak Shahri, Hormuz, Ostans, Ostans into Shahrestans, and Shahrestans Hengam Jadid (new Hengam), Kabudan, Ashk into cities and Dehestans. (Orumiyeh Lake), Faroor Bozorg (Great Faroor), Highlands of Iran can be divided into four Hendurabi, Khark, Minou,Siri, Khan, Abu Mosa, mountain ranges: northern, western, southern Espir (Orumiyeh Lake), Tonb Bozorg (Great and central and eastern ranges. The northern Tonb), Morghi, Kharku, Arezoo, (Orumiyeh mountain ranges have extended from Ararat Lake), Faroor Kuchak( Small Faroor) and Tunb Mountain in Turkey to Hindu Kush Mountain in Kuchak ( Small Tonb). Afghanistan, including Alamdar, Sahand, The Caspian Sea (the world’s largest lake) lies Sabalan, Talesh, Qaflan Kuh mountains in on the north of Iran and connects Iran to Azarbayejan, Albourz mountain ranges at the European countries through Russian waterways. north of Tehran and south of Mazandaran and The water of most of the Iranian lakes is salty. 51 1. LAND AND CLIMATE IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1391 The major internal lakes are: Orumiyeh, Namak, mountain ranges, as well as Sahand and Sabalan Hamoun Jazmourian, Hamoun-e-Saberi, high peaks. The annual precipitation in these Bakhtegan,Toshak, Hamoun-e-Pouzak, Maharlu, regions exceeds 500 mm. Hamoun-e-Hirmand, Talab-e-Anzali( Anzali 2. 2. Moderate mountainous climate: lagoon), Howz-e-Sultan, Parishan and Zarivar some 300000 sq km of the country enjoys of Marivan. moderate mountainous climate, where 2. Climate the annual precipitation varies from 250 to 600 Due to its vast area, abundant mountains, desert 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 very diverse 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 sea, can performed by the National Meteorological 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) centers. 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 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 Qum, 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 Armed Forces Geographical Organization, between 30 to 250 mm. Ministry of Interior, I.R. of Iran Meteorological 2. Mountainous climate, which are Organization and Iran Water Resource sub-divided into cold and moderate Management Company. mountainous 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, 52 IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1391 1. LAND AND CLIMATE formed from joining of a few neighboring Absolute maximum: the highest temperature Bakhshes(county) which enjoy homogeneous during a certain period (24 hours, one month, natural, social, economic, political and cultural one year, or a few years). conditions. Relative humidity: the amount of humid air in a Bakhsh (county): an administrative division volume unit of air. with a specific geographical boundary, including Average height of precipitation: is the weighted a number of neighboring Dehestans and their mean of an area. By dividing the area into adjacent fields, places, Roostas (hamlets), and several polygons and considering the possibly Shahrs, which are similar in natural, precipitation in each polygon, the average height social, cultural, economic and political aspects. of precipitation is calculated. Shahr (city .town):an area with a legal Water basin: is a geographical area in which boundary, located within the geographical overland flows from, and drains downhill into a boundary of a certain Bakhsh and in terms of body of water, such as ocean, sea, or flat. If the constructional context, employment and other concentration point is located inside the basin, factors, having the distinctive features of a city. the basin is a closed one (e.g. Orumiyeh Lake), Dehestan (rural agglomeration): the smallest but if the point is located at the end of the basin, unit among administrative divisions with a so that the flow can leave there, then there is an specific geographical boundary, comprised of a open basin. Every given point in a river is number of neighboring Roostas and their considered the concentration point for the basin adjacent places and fields, homogeneous in just above it. environment, economic and social conditions Aquatic year: from the first day of Mehr to the that allow for providing public services and end of Shahrivar of the next year. planning within a single system and network. Coefficient of overland flow: the ratio of the Synoptic stations (simultaneous meteorological volume of water flowed in a given hydrometric reporting stations): These are stations at which, station to the volume of the precipitation of the various climatic features including dry and basin stretching to the station. humid temperatures, amount and type of cloud, Hydrometric stations: stations in which amount of precipitation, type of climatic parameters of debit (discharge), sediment, phenomenon, direction and speed of wind, temperature, physical properties of water and amount of evaporation, air pressure, hours of features of ice cover and chemical properties of bright sunshine, changes in pressure, amount of rivers, lake and dams reservoir are observed and solar radiation, etc. are according to certain measured. instructions at certain hours measured and Volume of overland flow: To estimate the communicated to meteorological centers across volume of overland flow of each of the country’s the globe by devices like SSB, telephone or main basins, a total of 42 rivers have been telex after being registered. selected to indicate and represent the overland Absolute minimum: the lowest temperature flow whose annual total volume exceeds 60 during a certain period (24 hours, one month, percent of the country’s grand total. To reach the one year, or a few years). volume of any individual flow, a proper 53 1. LAND AND CLIMATE IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1391 coefficient is applied to the total volume. share of each basin is as follows: