The Geography of Iran: The Effect That Iran's Topography Has on the Nation

Iran’s topography (or arrangement of physical features) has a great effect on the nation. One of the ways that Iran’s topography impacts the nation is by affecting how much precipitation it receives. Iran receives very little precipitation because of orographic lifting, a process in which topographic barriers force air to ascend upslope. This creates arid (or dry) regions by causing descending air to get warmer on the leeward side of mountains. The two mountain ranges that serve as natural barriers are the Zagros and the Alborz ranges. Most humid clouds enter Iran from the west. The Zagros and the Alborz mountain ranges prevent them from reaching certain parts of the nation by forming barriers that the humid clouds cannot get through. As a result, the southern lowlands and the eastern part of the country receive very little precipitation and are considered rain shadows (or areas that receive little precipitation due to their proximity to mountain ranges). This is one way that Iran’s topography affects the nation.

Another way that Iran’s topography affects the nation is by causing haboobs (or dust storms). Haboobs are formed from air descending out of a thunderstorm. The air hits the ground and is forced out ahead of an approaching storm. This creates a gust front that carries dust and debris. On June 7, 2014, a large haboob hit the city of Tehran. One of the reasons why it hit Tehran is that the city has a dry climate. Haboobs regularly occur in hot and dry regions. This relates to the concept of orographic lifting. Tehran does not get very much precipitation because it is on the leeward side of the Alborz mountain range. As a result, rain clouds are not able to reach the city. This is another example of how Iran’s topography affects the nation.