Iran is the 18th largest country in the world. Its area roughly equals that of the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany combined or slightly less than the state of Alaska. Its borders are with Azerbaijan and Armenia to the north-west; the Caspian Sea to the north; Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east; Turkey ans Iraq to the west and finally the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the south.
It is one of the world's most mountanious countries. Iran's climate ranges from arid or smiarid to subtropical along the Caspian coast. Summer tempratures rarely exceed 29°C.