Iran

Quick facts

How to spot Iran from satellite imagery

Iran is the second-largest country in the Middle East at 1.65 million square kilometres, with a population of 88 million spread across a remarkably varied terrain. The country is essentially a high plateau (averaging 1,200 metres elevation) bounded by mountain ranges on most sides: the Alborz running east-west along the Caspian coast, the Zagros running northwest-southeast along the western and southern borders, and the smaller ranges of Khorasan in the northeast. Within the high plateau lie two of the most extreme deserts on Earth — the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut — along with the agricultural oases that have supported Persian civilisation for thousands of years.

For geography games, Iran is a high-value country to learn because of its size, the strength of its regional aerial signatures, and the fact that it covers such a large area of the Middle East. This guide walks through the cues that lock Iran in and tell you where in the country you have landed.