The Islamic Republic of Iran (Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran) covers 636,300 square miles (1,648,000 square kilometres) in south- western Asia and consists of 28 provinces.There are more than 200 cities and 2000 villages in Iran. It is bounded on the north by Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, and the Caspian Sea, on the east by Pakistan and Afghanistan, onthe south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and on the west by Turkey and Iraq.

Iran also controls about a dozen islands in the Persian Gulf. More than 30 percent of its 4,770-mile (7,680-kilometre) boundary is seacoast. The capital is Tehran (Teheran).  More...
 

Foreigners are often surprised at the kindness and generosity of Iranians when they visit Iran. Iranians show great admiration and respect for tourists. It's too easy to confuse TV news images which usually portray a particular political faction, with most ordinary Iranians who have great respect for foreigners and their respective cultures. Persian heritage has a long history of encounters with other nations and Iranians themselves have been shaped by a mix of Western and Eastern influences.