Chapter 1: Introduction

A Few Words about Iran...

Iran is the the is the 18th largest country in the world and the second largest -after Saudi Arabia- in the middle east in terms of area at 1,648,195 km². It is also the second largest in terms of population after Egypt with a population of around 77 million. Iran is an Islamic country with a fairly diverse ethnic population. It is bordered by Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan and Armenia, Hence it hosts many immigrants from this neighbouring countries.



Figure 1: The Middle East (own illustration)

Known as a developing country, Iran is a regional power. It has the second largest proven natural gas reserves in the world and the fourth largest proven petroleum reserves. Iran's climate ranges from arid to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests.
Iran is home to one the world’s oldest civilization.It was the major part of Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BCE) or the first Persian Empire, one of the biggest empires of the history.


...And Its Capital City

Tehran is the capital city of Iran. It is Iran's largest city and urban area, and one of the largest cities in Western Asia. We will be focusing here on the official city limits, i.e. the 'province of Tehran' which is smaller than the whole of Tehran.



Figure 2: The province of Tehran (own illustration)

The city is home to many historic buildings. Contemporary Tehran is a modern city featuring many structures, of which the Azadi Tower and the Milad Tower have come to be symbols of Tehran itself. Tehran is ranked 29th in the world by the population of its metropolitan area. Throughout Iran's history, the capital has been moved many times, and Tehran is the 32nd national capital of Iran although it has been Iran's capital for about 220 years.




Figure 3: Tehran written in Persian (own illustration)

Tehran features a continental climate. Tehran's climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Alborz Mountains to its north and the central desert to the south. Because the city is large with significant differences in elevation among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly north than in the flat southern part of Tehran. This difference in climate has contributed to different socio-spatial organization of the city.

Figure 4: City limits of Tehran 1972-2008 (source: Atlas.tehran.ir)

The city of Tehran is divided into 22 municipal districts, each with its own administrative centres. The city has a complex spatial structure and a multitude of factors affect the city’s spatial organization and the dispersal of activities. While it is not known as polycentric city, in comparison to European cities, it is difficult to define a center for the city.

Figure 5: Tehran's municipal districts (2006) (source: Tehran statistical yearbook 2011-2012)

Tehran is the largest and most important educational center of Iran. Today there are a total of nearly 50 major colleges and universities in Greater Tehran.

 

Image 1: Azadi Tower (source: Toptravellists.net)

Image 2: Milad Tower (by Alee Soumi - Navab, 2012)

Sources:
- Lowell Barrington (2012). Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices. (2nd ed.tr: Structures and Choices). Cengage Learning, p. 121
- Statistical Centre of Iran: www.amar.org.ir
- Tehran statistical yearbook, 2011-2012
 

>> To view first some beautiful pictures of Tehran and its surroundings, go to the next post
>> To read about Tehran's population structure and development, go directly to Chapter 2