7 Fascinating Facts About Iran's Geography

Iran is a vast country located in Asia that has strong hictory and culture. but one of the main things that made this country extraordinary, is its geography. Iran is in middle of world's Crossroads that cultures and traditions met each other in a geography full of wonders. You can find snowy mountians with full of snow while in your horizen you can see either forest or desert come across each other in a narrow line spliting them! This unique geographical phenomenon is due to the country's vast latitudinal range and its complex topography. The presence of two massive mountain ranges, the Alborz and the Zagros, creates distinct microclimates.

7. From Winter to Summer in Just 30 Minutes

Iran has amazing features because of its unique geography. One of these features is the big temperature difference between two nearby places. This is common in Iran. For example in Tehran the northern neighborhoods in the Alborz mountains can be 15 degrees Celsius cooler than the southern neighborhoods near the flat plains. Sometimes people in the south drive for only 30 minutes to reach the northern forests and mountains to escape the summer heat. Once there they often have to wear warmer clothes at night because the temperature drops. Similarly in winter people prefer the southern parts of the city because it is warmer.

6. Water in the heart of the desert ancient qanat architecture

One of the most amazing geographical features in Iran is finding green farmland in the middle of the desert. You might think they use underground wells but Iranians found a smarter solution thanks to their diverse geography. As mentioned you can travel from snowy mountains to sandy deserts in a short distance. Iranians wanted to live on flat ground but use water from the mountains. So they moved water from the mountains to the plains. This method is called a qanat and has been used since ancient times. It is a network of hand dug tunnels that carry water from mountain springs underground to the plains. These tunnels are easier to reach than deep wells. Think of a qanat like a subway system where water flows instead of trains and the wells are like the stations. Today many qanats still exist in Iran as an important way to manage water.

5. The Salt Glaciers of the Zagros

Most of the time glaciers have been made of ice and snow, specially in north and south pole or in Himalayas Mountains but Iran possesses a rare geological wonder: salt glaciers. In the southern parts of the Zagros Mountains, massive underground salt deposits have been pushed to the surface by tectonic pressure. These salt domes and glaciers creates breathtaking sceneries with combined colors of white, black, red, orange, pink and yellow. But they are not just wonderful, most of the times under this kind of glaciers there are many oil reserves under them hidden and this glaciers are sign.

4. Zagros oak forests the work of forgetful squirrels

We can say many things about the Zagros mountains but the oak forests are truly special. These forests are amazing because of how they grow. There are squirrels in this region that collect acorns during spring and summer for their winter food. They hide the acorns under the ground. However they often forget where they hid them. The acorns stay untouched in the ground and get plenty of water from rain and snow. In the spring they sprout and slowly turn into trees.

3. Stars Valley in Qeshm Mars on Earth

Elon Musk and other famous people are trying to find ways to travel to Mars but you can experience a piece of Mars in southern Iran. Stars Valley in Qeshm looks like the red planet because of its fossils and rocks. Millions of years of tides and volcanic activity created this place. The valley reflects light in a strange way because of its unique shapes and dead red colors. When the wind blows through the valley it creates sounds like those heard in Star Wars and other science fiction movies.

2. Where the desert meets the beach and a single palm tree

The wonders of southern Iran are endless. One of these wonders is where the desert meets the sea. This happens in very few places in the world. It is as if the desert and the sea are two people who do not like each other but they meet at Darak beach in Sistan and Baluchestan. A single palm tree stands between the big sand dunes and the ocean waves making the view very beautiful.

1. Hormuz Island a festival of earth colors

Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf is like a festival of colors. Have you ever seen soil in colors that you cannot even find in a box of crayons. This island is covered in red yellow blue and gray soil. Some of the sand even shines like diamonds. When you walk on the beach you can put the colorful soil on your fingers and paint on your face or a canvas. You can also find beautiful rocks made from millions of years of volcanic activity. The shells from this island are popular gifts. People even use the red soil of this island as a spice in some of their food.

Conclusion

Iran is a country with a rich and diverse culture and even more diverse geography and untouched nature. It is one of the few places in the world that people should see at least once in their life. The next time you want to travel to Iran make sure to visit one of these geographical wonders