Iran 🇮🇷
Iran is a country in Asia with a population of 88,550,570. Its capital is Tehran. The official currency is IRR, and the main languages are Persian.
Quick facts
- Capital: Tehran
- Continent: Asia
- Population: 88,550,570
- Area: 1,648,195 km²
- Density: 53.7 people per km²
- Currency: IRR
- Languages: Persian
- ISO code: IR
Where Iran sits
Iran 🇮🇷 is one of 48 countries in Asia, with its capital at Tehran. It covers 1,648,195 square kilometres — 17th in the world — and is home to about 88,550,570 people, 17th globally.
The countries it shares a continent with include China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh. If you are learning geography region by region — which works far better than alphabetically, because memory for places is spatial — those are the ones to learn alongside it.
How Iran compares
Raw figures are hard to hold on their own, so it helps to anchor them. In population, Iran sits closest to Turkey and Germany. In land area, its nearest counterparts are Mongolia and Libya.
At 53.7 people per square kilometre it is close to the world average of 59.4. Its population and area ranks match exactly, which is uncommon.
Persian is listed as official in Iran alone. The IRR is used by Iran and no one else.
To see Iran next to every other country, sort the country rankings by population, area or density; its currency and languages are listed alongside every other country's in world currencies and world languages.
How to remember Iran
Tehran sits below the Alborz mountains and is the most populous city in West Asia. Iran was historically known as Persia, so think 'Persia then, Iran now, Tehran its capital'. For the flag, look for the writing along the stripe edges: 11 times on the green, 11 times on the red.
The flag of Iran: green, white and red
🇮🇷 The flag is three horizontal stripes of green, white and red, with a red emblem in the centre and the words 'Allahu Akbar' written 22 times in white along the edges of the green and red stripes. Green is the colour of Islam and also stands for growth, white for honesty and peace, and red for bravery. The central emblem is a stylised form of the word 'Allah' shaped like a tulip.
Region and neighbours
Iran is a country in West Asia between the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south. It shares land borders with 7 countries: Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- Iraq 🇮🇶 — capital Baghdad
- Turkey 🇹🇷 — capital Ankara
- Armenia 🇦🇲 — capital Yerevan
- Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 — capital Baku
- Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 — capital Ashgabat
- Afghanistan 🇦🇫 — capital Kabul
- Pakistan 🇵🇰 — capital Islamabad
Three facts about Iran
- Iran is among the world's top five producers of pistachios, dates, figs and walnuts.
- Iran has 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the 10th-highest number of any country.
- Darius the Great began building the palace city of Persepolis.
Sources: Wikipedia: Iran, Wikipedia: Flag of Iran, Wikipedia: Tehran, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Iran
- Asian capitals quiz — match Iran to Tehran
- Asian flags quiz — spot the Iran flag among its neighbours
Quizzes that include Iran
Three angles are worth covering for any country — where it is, what its flag looks like, and what its capital is. For Iran those are:
- Asia map quiz — place it on a blank map
- Asia flags quiz — identify its flag among its neighbours
- Asia capitals quiz — match it to Tehran
- Iran capital quiz — five quick questions starting with Iran
- Daily Map Challenge — five countries to find on a blank world map, the same five for everyone each day
Doing all three for one continent before moving on is far more efficient than learning flags globally, then capitals globally, then the map.
Read more about Iran
- Capital of Iran: Tehran — the capital in detail, with size and density rankings
- All 48 countries of Asia
Nearby countries
- Afghanistan 🇦🇫 — capital Kabul
- Armenia 🇦🇲 — capital Yerevan
- Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 — capital Baku
- Bahrain 🇧🇠— capital Manama
- Bangladesh 🇧🇩 — capital Dhaka
- Bhutan 🇧🇹 — capital Thimphu
- Brunei 🇧🇳 — capital Bandar Seri Begawan
- Cambodia 🇰🇠— capital Phnom Penh
- China 🇨🇳 — capital Beijing
- Georgia 🇬🇪 — capital Tbilisi
- India 🇮🇳 — capital New Delhi
- Indonesia 🇮🇩 — capital Jakarta
Frequently asked questions
What are the colours of the Iran flag?
The flag of Iran is three horizontal stripes of green, white and red, with a red emblem in the centre and the words 'Allahu Akbar' written 22 times in white along the edges of the green and red stripes. Green is the colour of Islam and also stands for growth, white for honesty and peace, and red for bravery. The central emblem is a stylised form of the word 'Allah' shaped like a tulip.
Which countries border Iran?
Iran shares land borders with Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
How can I remember the capital of Iran?
Tehran sits below the Alborz mountains and is the most populous city in West Asia. Iran was historically known as Persia, so think 'Persia then, Iran now, Tehran its capital'. For the flag, look for the writing along the stripe edges: 11 times on the green, 11 times on the red.