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Asia
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Iran travel directory
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Iran, formerly known internationally as Persia, is a Southwest Asian country located in the geographical territories of the Middle East and Southern Asia.
The 18th largest country in the world, Iran is approximately the size of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany combined. It has a population of over seventy million people.
Iran borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north; Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east; and Turkey and Iraq to the west. In addition, it borders the Persian Gulf, an important oil-producing area, Gulf of Oman, and the Caspian Sea.
Shi'a Islam is the official state religion and Persian the official language.
The political system of Iran comprises several intricately connected governing bodies. It is based on the 1979 Constitution. The highest state authority is the Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran as a land and a nation has one of the oldest histories in the world, extending nearly 6,000 years,[3] and throughout history, Iran has been of geostrategic importance because of its central location in Eurasia. Iran is a founding member of the UN, NAM, OIC, OPEC, and ECO. Iran is a regional power in Southwest Asia and occupies an important position in the world economy due to its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas.[4] The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan and literally means "Land of the Aryans".
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