IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1394 1. LAND AND CLIMATE Introduction and Qarah Dagh in Khorasan Ostan on the east The statistical information appeared in this of Iran. chapter includes “geographical characteristics The mountain ranges in the west, which have and administrative divisions” ,and “climate”. extended from Ararat mountain to the north west 1. Geographical characteristics and 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 which totally form half of the northern temperate zone, between Zagros ranges.The highest peak of this range is latitudes 25º 04' and 39º 46' north, and “Dena” with a 4409 m height. longitudes 44º 02' and 63º 19' east. The land’s Southern mountain range stretches from average height is over 1200 meters above seas Khouzestan Ostan to Sistan & Baluchestan level. The lowest place, located in Chaleh-ye- Ostan and joins Soleyman mountains in Loot, is only 56 meters high, while the highest Pakistan. The mountain range includes Sepidar, point, Damavand peak in Alborz Mountains, Meymand, Bashagard and Bam Posht mountains. rises as high as 5610 meters. The land height at Central and eastern mountains mainly comprise the southern coastal strip of the Caspian Sea is Karkas, Shir Kuh, Kuh Banan, Jebal Barez, 28 meters lower than the open seas. Hezar, Bazman and Taftan mountains, the Iran is bounded by Turkmenistan, Caspian Sea, highest of which is Hezar mountain with a 4465 Republic of Azerbaijan, and Armenia on the m height. north, Afghanistan and Pakistan on the east, The largest Iranian islands that are mainly Oman Sea and Persian Gulf on the south, and located at Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait, are Iraq and Turkey on the west Qeshm, Kish, Lavan, Larak Shahri, Hormuz, Administratively, the country is divided into Hengam Jadid (new Hengam), Kabudan, Ashk Ostans, Ostans into Shahrestans, and Shahrestans (Orumiyeh Lake), Faroor Bozorg (Greater into some Shahrs and Dehestans. Faroor), Hendurabi, Khark, Minou, Siri, Khan, Highlands of Iran can be divided into four Abu Mosa, Espir (Orumiyeh Lake), Tonb mountain ranges: northern, western, southern Bozorg (Greater Tonb), Morghi, Kharku, Arezoo and central and eastern ranges. The northern (Orumiyeh Lake), Faroor Kuchak( Small/Lesser mountain ranges have extended from Ararat Faroor) and Tunb Kuchak ( Small/Lesser Tonb). Mountain in Turkey to Hindu Kush Mountain in The Caspian Sea (the world’s largest lake) lies Afghanistan, including Alamdar, Sahand, on the north of Iran and connects Iran to Sabalan, Talesh, Qaflan Kuh mountains in European countries through Russian waterways. Azarbayejan, Albourz mountain ranges at the The water of the most of the Iranian lakes is north of Tehran and south of Mazandaran and salty. The major internal lakes are: Orumiyeh, Gilan Ostans, Ala Dagh, Binalud, Hezar Masjed Namak, Hamoun Jazmourian,Hamoun-e-Saberi, 51 1. LAND AND CLIMATE IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1394 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 ann um. 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 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 : Vast regions of renamed Central Plateau, Eastern Border, and the interior and far south of Iran enjoy this Qareh Qum basins, respectively in the year climate which are characterized by long, warm 1383. and dry periods, some years lasting over 7 The Statistics in this Chapter have been gathered months. The annual precipitation in such regions from the Armed Forces Geographical varies between 30 to 250 mm. Organization, Ministry of the Interior, I.R. of 2. Mountainous climate, which are Iran Meteorological Organization and Iran Water sub-divided into cold and moderate Resource 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, mountain ranges, as well as Sahand and Sabalan formed from joining of a few neighboring 52 IRAN STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 1394 1. LAND AND CLIMATE Bakhshes(county) which enjoy homogeneous Absolute maximum:the highest temperature natural, social, economic, political and cultural during a certain period (24 hours, one month, conditions. one year, or a few years). Bakhsh (county): an administrative division Relative humidity: the amount of humid air in a with a specific geographical boundary, including volume unit of air. a number of neighboring Dehestans and their Average height of precipitation: is the weighted adjacent fields, places, Roostas (hamlets), and mean of an area. By dividing the area into possibly Shahrs(cities), which are similar in several polygons and considering the natural, social, cultural, economic and political precipitation in each polygon, the average height aspects. of precipitation is calculated. Shahr (city/town):an area with a legal boundary, Water basin: is a geographical area in which located within the geographical boundary of a overland flows from, and drains downhill into a certain Bakhsh and in terms of constructional body of water, such as ocean, sea, or flat. If the context, employment and other factors, having concentration point is located inside the basin, 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 1394 coefficient is applied to the total volume. approximately 338.846 bln m3 out of which the share of each basin is as follows: the Caspian Selected information Sea:80.725 bln m3, the Persian Gulf and Oman The total length of the I.R. Iran’s borderlines is Sea 101.152 bln m3, the Lake of Orumiyeh:19.56 8640 kilometers out of which the longest bln m3, Central Plateau:108.311 bln m3, Eastern borderline is for that of south waters with 2106 Border: 9.499bln m3& Qareh Qum 9.598bln m3.