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Article: National Day of Iran.(Opinion/Editorial)
- Article from:
- Manila Bulletin
- Article date:
- February 9, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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IRAN celebrates its National Day today. Formerly known as Persia, the country is located in southwestern Asia, from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, the junction of cultural, intellectual, and pontifical influences from the East and West.
Iran's area is about 1,648,195 square kilometers (about 636,300 square miles). The capital and largest city is Tehran. Its population is estimated at 65 million, mostly concentrated in the north and west. Some 60 percent live in urban areas such as Tehran, Mashdad, and Esfahan. More than onehalf of the people are Persians. The largest minority group consists of the Azerbaijanis who compose 24 percent of the population. The ...