Elburz Mountains summary

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Mount Damāvand, the highest volcanic peak in the Elburz Mountains, Iran.

Elburz Mountains, Mountain range, northern Iran. It is 560 mi (900 km) long and extends along the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, from which it is separated by a narrow coastal lowland. It includes Iran’s highest peak, Mount Damāvand (Demavend), at 18,605 ft (5,671 m). The forests of the Elburz cover some 12,500 sq mi (32,400 sq km). The Hyrcanian tigers for which they were famous are now extinct, but other wild cats, including the leopard and the lynx, are still numerous.

Iran Summary

Iran, a mountainous, arid, and ethnically diverse country of southwestern Asia. The country maintains a rich and distinctive cultural and social continuity dating back to the Achaemenian period, which began in 550 bce. Since 1979 it has become known for its unique brand of Islamic republic.

A map of the continent of Asia, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities, as well as parts of Europe, Africa, and surrounding oceans.

Asia Summary

Asia, the world’s largest and most diverse continent. It occupies the eastern four-fifths of the giant Eurasian landmass. Asia is more a geographic term than a homogeneous continent, and the use of the term to describe such a vast area always carries the potential of obscuring the enormous