2 nm

International disputes: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in
1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling
outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border
demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and
sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands
in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Tunb as Sughra (Arabic),
Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek (Persian) or Lesser Tunb, and Tunb al Kubra
(Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg (Persian) or Greater Tunb; it
jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed
by the UAE, Abu Musa (Arabic) or Jazireh-ye Abu Musa (Persian); in
1992 the dispute over Abu Musa and the Tunb islands became more acute
when Iran unilaterally tried to control the entry of third country
nationals into the UAE portion of Abu Musa island, Tehran subsequently
backed off in the face of significant diplomatic support for the UAE
in the region, but in 1994 it increased its military presence on the
disputed islands; periodic disputes with Afghanistan over Helmand
water rights; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined

Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper,
iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 27%
forest and woodland: 11%
other: 54%

Irrigated land: 57,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle
emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;
deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the
Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water
natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; duststorms, sandstorms;
earthquakes along the Western border
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed,
but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

@Iran:People

Population: 64,625,455 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (female 14,113,933; male 14,995,015)
15-64 years: 51% (female 16,237,810; male