2.  Once known as Persia  Oil rich nation  Slightly larger than Alaska  Two mountain ranges:  Elburz and Zagros Mountains  Oil rich nation

3. Elburz Mountains Zagros Mountains

4.  Industries:  Textiles, metal goods, construction materials, carpets  Crops:  Wheat, rice, sugar beets, cotton  World’s largest producer of pistachio nuts

5. Persian Carpet

6.  Population: 66.6 million  ½ million are Persians  Language: Farsi (Persian)  65% live in urban areas  Capital: Tehran (also largest city)  2 million refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan  Religion: Islam (98%)

8.  Center of Persian empire 2,000 years ago  Ruled by shahs (kings)  1979-Religious leaders overthrew the monarchy  Islamic Republic-a government run by Islamic religious leaders  New laws introduced based on Quran