PERSIA, called IRAN by the natives, lies between 25° and 40° N. lat., 44' and 70' K long., constituting an elevated table-land, sur rounded by mountain ranges, which mark the edges of the table-land, and separate it either from the sea, or from the low couutries which inclose it on the east, north, and west. On the south the table-land, or rather the ranges which inclose it, come close to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Sea. On the east of the table-land are the extensive plains which are watered by the river Siud, or Indus ; and on the north the still more extensive plain which eurrounds the Lake of And, and extends to the tauten) shores of the Caspian Sea. These desert plains are known to the natives by the name of Turan. A narrow and very low tract of land separates Iran from the Caspian Sea ; a more elevated and rather undulating plain divide. it from the high range of Caucasus. Along the mountain chains which form it. western border are the great plains drained by the Tigris aud Euphrates. Thus the table-land of Iran is surrounded on all sides by lower countries, but it is connected with the mountain ranges of Eastern Asia end Asia Minor by two chains. The chain which unites it with the Himalaya and Kuen Luau mountains, in Eastern Asia, lies between 33' and 37 N. lat., 68' and 74' E. long., and is known by the name of Ilindu.Kooalt At the moat north-western extremity of Iran Is Mount Ararat. From this high pinnacle a mountain chain runs westward, and unites the table-laud with the mountains of Asia Minor. This chain forms the Armenian Mountains.
The surface of the table-land of Iran, with the mountain ranges inclosing It., according to a very rough estimate, may occupy an area of between 1,000,000 and 1,200,000 square miles, or about one-twelfth of the surface of Asia. The table-land is generally level, interspersed with low and rocky ridges of comparatively small extent, which an like islands or OMANI In the sandy sea which surrounds them. Tht level tracts, which occupy an immense space, and lie contiguous use another, aro either meal-al with loom sand or sand iropreguater Kith salt, but both these kinds of sand are nearly destitute of vega .stion. Along the Interior base of the mountain ranges which extend along the edgee of the tableland there are large tracts, the soil of which is generally fertile wherever there are means of Irrigating the fields. However even in these tracts there are numerous ridges of licks, which render cultivation always difficult, and frequently ni possible.
This extensive country is at present divided into three independent antes. The western half of it coustitutes the present kingdom of Persia, or Iran ; and the eastern is divided between Afghauistan and Deloochistan. Of the two last-mentioned countries an account is found under their respective heads.
Tho modern kingdom of Persia exteuda between 25° and 40° N. lat., and from 44' to 62' 30' Fs long., and borders on the east on Afghan [stall and Beloochietan. The plains along the northern boundary are athabited by several tribes of nomadic Turkomans as far west as the ihores of the Caspian Sea, which constitutes the boundary-line on the north as far as 49° E. long., and washes it as far north as 38° 40' N. lat., where the line begius which separates Persia from Russia. This lino commences on the shores of the Caspian Sea, at the mouth )f the Astarah River, and runs along its course to its junction with the Kala Kushi : it then follows the course of this river to its source in the Massfrla Mount tius. This range (which extends to the west of north) constitutes, as far as 39° N. lat., the boundary-line, which, Farther north, passes to the Bala-Rud River, and thence to the Aras River. The lastementioued river separates Persia from Russia as far as the base of Mount Ararat, which is situated at the junction of the three empires of Russia, Turkey, and Persia. The western boundary line of Persia passes over the mountains of Kurdistan, which inclose the table-land of Iran on the west. North of 35° N. lat..the greater part of these mountain ranges are subject to Turkey, the boundary-line between Turkey and Persia passing between the lakes of Van and Urmia, or Urumiyeh ; but south of that parallel the whole of the mountain system is now included within the territories of Persia, which south of N. lat. extend to the banks of the Tigris and Shat el-Arab. According to a rough estimate the surface of Persia is 500,000 square miles, or considerably more than double the area of France. It includes the western half of the table-laud of Iran, and also the low narrow tract which separates the table-land from the Caspian Sea, as well as a small portion of the low plain which lies to the west of the table-land on the banks of the Tigris. The population is variously estimated at from 8,000,000 to 15,000,000.