About IRAN

Location
Middle East
Area : 1,648,000 sq km (636,296 sq miles).
Population : 68,727,000 (1998 estimate).
Population Density : 35 persq km.
Capital : Tehran. Population : 8,042,584(1994)
Time : GMT + 3.30 hours.
Altitude : Central plateau has and average altitude of .000 ms.1 the highest altitudes are in the north, where the north , where the volcanic peak of Mt. Damavand rises to 5671 ms.

Geography : Iran is located in the Middle East, bounded to the north by the CIS and the Caspian Sea, the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and the west by Iraq and Turkey.
The center and east of the country is largely barren undulating desert, punctured by Qantas (irrigation canals and tree eases, but there are mountainous regions in the west along the Turkish and Iraqi borders and in the north where the Alburz Mountains rise steeply from a fertile belt around the Caspian Sea.

Passport/Visa
Entry restrictions : Nationals of Israel will be refused entry under all circumstances.
Passports : Valid passport required by all.
Visas : Required by all except nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (for a stay not exceeding 3 months). Requirements are subject to change at short notice, and you are advised to contact the appropriate Embassy or Consular Section.
Types of visa : Entry, Transit, Business, Tourist and Journalist. Fee varies according to nationality of applicant, type of' visa and the existing regulation between countries.
Validity: A visa cannot be issued for passports which have a validity of less than 6 months. Exit permits required by all (often included with visa).
Transit visa : maximum of 10 days. Application to: Embassy or Consulate. For addresses, see entries.
Application requirements: Two completed application forms, four passport - sized photos and visa fees.
Note: To acquire a tourist visa within 10 days, it would be easier to apply to local tour operators in Iran .
Temporary residence: All foreigners wishing to stay for more than three months must obtain a residence permit.

Language
Persian (Farsi) is the most widely spoken language. Arabic is spoken in Khuzestan in the southwest, and Turkish in the northwest around Tabriz. English, French and (to a lesser extent) German are spoken by many businessmen and officials.

Religion
Predominantly Islamic; mostly Shi'ite, with a minority of Sunnis. (98 % Muslim 90 % shi'at and 7% sunni) Many Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians also live in Iran.

Money
Currency : Iranian Rials. Notes are in denominations of RL 10000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200 and 100. Coins are in denominations of 250, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5.but Tomans are used in everyday life (one Toman equals 10 rials).
All foreign currencies such as Deutsch Marks, Pound Sterling, US Dollars and Yens can be exchanged and credit cards (Mastercard & Visa) are also accepted.

Dress
According to the Islamic and social beliefs in Iran, it is necessary for women to be modestly covered & wearing ahead scarf.

Government
Legislative power is vested in the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis), with 275 members. The chief executive is the President, and both are elected by universal adult suffrage for a four-year term.
A twelve-member Council of Guardians ensures that legislation is in accordance with the constitution and Islamic precepts.

Duty Free
The import of following goods into Iran is strictly prohibited: Alcohol, narcotics, guns and ammunitions, radio apparatus, fashion magazines and obscene publications, and filmed, recorded or printed material carrying views contrary to those held by the Islamic regulations. Each passenger leaving the country is permitted to take his/her own personal luggage as well as Persian handicrafts, Gelims and one carpet (not bigger than 3 sq meters) as long as they are not antiques. Export of all antiques such as gems, coins, handwritten manus-cripts is prohibited.
To export musical instruments, a permit is required from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

Communication
Telephone : IDD service available. Country code: 98. Outgoing international code: 00.
Telex/telegram : Facilities are available at the Central Telegraph Office, Meydan Sepah, Tehran. There are also telex facilities at the major hotels.
Post : Post Offices are found throughout all cities, towns and villages.

How to get there

By air : Aircraft arriving from Europe land at Tehran Mehrabad . The national airline,
Iran Air, provides regular connecting flights to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Geneva,
Istanbul, Rom, Moscow, and the Gulf emirates. Tehran is served by most of the
major airlines, KLM Air France, British Airways, Emirates.

By sea : Khorramshahr (near Abadan) on the Persian Gulf if the biggest port. Some
freighters which stop there take passengers.

By road : The Asian Highway provides 2000 kms of two-lane asphalt highway from
the Turkish border at Bazergan and the Iraqi border at Qasr-e-Shirin to the Afghan border at Tayebad.

2002, All rights reserved.
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