THE GULF COAST.—The escarpment of the Iranian plateau runs along the entire length of the Persian Gulf, sometimes approaching close to it, but generally receding from it a distance of 15 to 30 miles. The coastal strip is sandy, and, except in places where there are clusters of date palms, is one of the least inviting parts of Persia. The valley of the Karun is an exception to this general rule, and only requires the development of an irrigation system to render it one of the most productive districts in the country. The chief towns situated upon the coast—Bushire, Bunder Abbas, and Lingah—all derive their importance from the facilities which they offer for penetration into the interior.
COMMUNICATIONS.—Economic progress in Persia has been greatly retarded by the want of good means of communication. With practically no railways and with few carriage roads, the country has been forced to rely almost entirely upon caravans for its means of transport. In the north, it is true, matters are somewhat better than in the south. Julfa, the terminus of a branch line from Tiflis on the trans-Caucasian railway, is connected with Tabriz by a good carriage road, which was built by the Russians. Another carriage road leads from Enzeli to Teheran, while a third runs from Ashabad on the trans-Caspian railway to Meshed. Caravan routes connect Tabriz with Trebizond on the Black Sea, with Astara on the Caspian, and, by way of Teheran, with Isfahan and Meshed. In the south of the country the Karun opens up river communica tion from Mohammerah, the port of transhipment near its mouth, to the rapids at Ahwaz, whence a caravan route leads to Isfahan. From Basra, on the Shat-el-Arab, a considerable quantity of goods for Persia makes its way upstream to Bagdad, from which town it is forwarded by caravan to Teheran through Kermanshah and Hamadan. Bushire is connected by way of Shiraz with Isfahan
and Kerman, and Bunder Abbas with Yezd and Kerman. From Kerman, caravan routes lead to Isfahan by Yezd, and to Meshed by Birjand. Meshed is also connected directly with Yezd, and, by a long caravan route, with Nushki on a branch of the railway from Karachi to Chaman.
COMMERCE.—Persia transacts the bulk of its foreign trade with Russia and the British Empire ; and, as regards the northern part of the country, at least, Russia is much more advantageously situated than either Great Britain or India. Among the more important articles imported are cotton goods, sugar, and tea, which together account for over 60 per cent. of the total imports. In the supply of cotton goods, Great Britain comes first, with Russia second, and British India third ; sugar is largely of Russian origin, while tea comes mainly from India, but partly from China by way of Russia. Among the exports of Persia are raw cotton, dried fruits, carpets, rice, opium, silk, and gums. Russia is the chief purchaser of raw cotton, fruits, and rice, and along with Turkey takes the bulk of the carpets ; silk goes mainly to France and Italy ; opium to Turkey and China ; and gum to various countries. For the five years 1906-10, the average value of the imports amounted to £7,900,000, of which Russia supplied almost 50 per cent. and the British Empire about 36 per cent. During the same period the exports averaged £6,500,000, of which two-thirds went to Russia and one-tenth to Great Britain, India, and other parts of the Empire.