Arman Alimohammadi

Iran is a vast and also a beautiful land. Every tourist who has visited Iran has liked it very much. Through this article, you can get to know this land better and may be interested enough in visiting Iran accompanying your family.

Iran is situated in West Asia. Iran is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world. It is the 17^th largest country in the world, with a total area of about 636,000 square miles. Iran's natural beauty is breathtaking. The country is a diverse land and has a great variety of geographical environments, which offer a sense of paradise for all nature-lovers. Iran's climatic diversity is such that some tourists can enjoy winter sports in the mountains while others can bathe in the warm waters of the southern shores, both within a few hours of drive from the main cities. If you are lucky enough to fly to Iran with your family, be sure to ask for a window seat; you might be surprised by what you see.

Iran is strategically located in West Asia and is surrounded by bodies of water namely, the Caspian Sea in the North and the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman in the South. This access to water has made it possible for the country to have luscious landscapes of greeneries.

Because of this big land area, the country is surrounded by Eurasian countries in the North, which are Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. In the west, one can find borders that are shared with Turkey and Iraq, while in the east, Iran shares its borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Since Iran is a massive country and is surrounded by different countries with different climates, there are areas in Iran with an abundance of rain, colder winters, and very dry and very hot weather. Comparing these natural attractions with similar wonders in other countries proves that Iran is truly a hidden gem in Western Asia, which is barely recognized and valued.

Wildlife of Iran

The wildlife of Iran includes its plants and animals and their natural habitats. Iran's wildlife is composed of several animal species including bears, gazelles, wild boars, wolves, jackals, panthers, Eurasian lynx, and foxes. Iran is also home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents to breeding birds, migrants, and wintering birds. Among the species of the birds of Iran, you can find waterfowl and wandering birds, a large suite of songbirds, swifts and nighthawks, etc.

The Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea

There are no major rivers in Iran, but the country borders the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea. The coastal wetlands of Southeast Caspian are, due to the number and diversity of birds, of international importance for birdlife. Millions of birds pass through the area each year. The wildlife of the Persian Gulf is diverse, and entirely unique due to its geographical location and its isolation from the International Waters. The Persian Gulf has hosted some of the most magnificent marine plants and animals, some of which are nearing extinction.

Deserts of Iran

Iran is situated in a high-altitude plateau surrounded by connected ranges of mountains. The average elevation of this plateau is about 900 meters, but several of the mountains that tower over the plateau exceed 3000 meters. The two well-known deserts of Iran are: 1- Dasht-e-Kavir, and 2- Kavir-e-Lut. Except for some scattered oases, these deserts are uninhabited. They are both some of the most arid and maybe hottest areas of their kind in the world.

Forests of Iran

More than one-tenth of the country is forested. The most extensive growths are found on the mountain slopes rising from the Caspian Sea, with stands of oak, ashwagandha plant, elm, cypress, and other valuable trees. On the plateau, there are areas of oak on the mountains with enough water, and villagers grow the plane tree, poplar, willow, walnut, beech, maple, and mulberry. More than 2000 plant species are grown in Iran. The land covered by Iran’s natural plants is four times that of Europe’s.

In general, Iran has a dry climate. There is little rain and snow from October through April. In the northwest, winters are cold with heavy snowfall and subfreezing temperatures while spring and fall are relatively mild and summers are dry and hot. In the south, winters are mild and summers are very hot. On the Khuzestan Plain, the summer heat is accompanied by humidity.