Iran, The Home to One of the Worlds Oldest Civilizations

Iran is an ancient country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia, the Azeri exclave of Nakhichevan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan; to the north by the Caspian Sea; to the northeast by Turkmenistan; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the sea of Oman; and to the west by Iraq and Turkey. As with Tehran, the capital and most populous city of the country, cities such as Isfahan and Shiraz combine modern buildings with important landmarks from the past and serve as major centers of education, culture, and commerce.

Iran’s climate is diverse, ranging from arid and semi-arid, to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests.

Iran is divided into thirty-one provinces. Therefore, Iran is a diverse country, consisting of numerous ethnic and linguistic groups that are unified through a shared Iranian nationality. The majority of the population speak Persian, which is also the official language of the country.

Twelver Shia Islam is the official state religion, to which about 90% to 95% of the population adhere. About 4% to 8% of the population are Sunni Muslims. The remaining 2% are non-Muslim religious minorities, including Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians.