Editing Geography of Iran (section)

==Flora and fauna==
{{see also|Wildlife of Iran|List of birds of Iran|List of mammals of Iran|List of trees of Iran}}
[[Image:Map iran biotopes simplified-fr.png|thumb|250px|Map of biotopes of [[Iran]]
{{legend|#aeff2f|Forest steppe}}
{{legend|#32cd32|Forests and woodlands}}
{{legend|#ffc0a8|Semi-desert}}
{{legend|#fff0b9|Desert lowlands}}
{{legend|#c8fb98|Steppe}}
{{legend|#ffffff|Salted alluvial marshes}}]]

7% of the country is forested. The most extensive growths are found on the mountain slopes rising from the Caspian Sea, with stands of [[oak]], [[ash tree|ash]], [[elm]], [[Cupressaceae|cypress]], and other valuable trees. On the plateau proper, areas of scrub oak appear on the best-watered mountain slopes, and villagers cultivate orchards and grow the plane tree, poplar, [[willow]], [[walnut]], [[beech]], [[maple]], and [[mulberry]]. Wild plants and [[shrubs]] spring from the barren land in the spring and afford pasturage, but the summer sun burns them away. According to [[FAO]] reports,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5371e/x5371e08.htm|title=Unasylva – Vol. 8, No. 2 – The work of FAO|website=fao.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909234158/http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5371e/x5371e08.htm|archive-date=9 September 2007}}</ref> the major types of forests that exist in Iran and their respective areas are:
# [[Caspian Sea|Caspian]] [[Jungles of Iran|forests of the northern districts]] – {{convert|19000|km2|abbr=on}}
# [[Limestone]] mountainous forests in the northeastern districts (''[[Juniperus]]'' forests) –  {{convert|13000|km2|abbr=on}}
# [[Pistachio]] forests in the eastern, southern and southeastern districts – {{convert|26000|km2|abbr=on}}
# [[Oak]] forests in the central and western districts – {{convert|35000|km2|abbr=on}}
# [[Shrub]]s of the Kavir (desert) districts in the central and northeastern part of the country – {{convert|10000|km2|abbr=on}}
# [[Sub-tropical]] forests of the southern coast, like the [[Hara forests]] – {{convert|5000|km2|abbr=on}}

[[Wildlife of Iran]] is diverse and composed of several animal species including bears, gazelles, wild pigs, wolves, jackals, panthers, Eurasian lynx, and foxes. Domestic animals include, sheep, goats, cattle, horses, water buffalo, donkeys, and camels. The pheasant, partridge, stork, eagles and falcon are also native to Iran.

As of 2001, 20 of Iran's [[mammal]] species and 14 bird [[species]] are [[endangered species|endangered]]. Among them are the [[Baluchistan bear]] (''Ursus thibetanus gedrosianus''), a [[subspecies]] of [[Asian black bear]], [[Persian fallow deer]], [[Siberian crane]], [[hawksbill turtle]], [[green turtle]], [[Oxus cobra]], [[Latifi's viper]], [[dugong]] and dolphins. The [[Asiatic cheetah]] is a [[critically endangered species]] which is [[Local extinction|extinct elsewhere]] and now can only be found in central to northeastern parts of Iran.

Iran lost all its [[Asiatic lion]]s and [[Caspian tiger]]s by the earlier part of the 20th century. The [[Syrian wild ass]] has become extinct. [[Syrian brown bear]]s in the mountains, wild sheep and goats, [[gazelle]]s, [[Persian onager]]s, [[Sus (genus)|wild pig]]s, [[Persian leopard]]s, and foxes abound. Domestic animals include sheep, goats, cattle, horses, [[domestic Asian water buffalo|water buffalo]], donkeys, and camels. The [[pheasant]], [[partridge]], [[stork]], and [[falcon]] are native to Iran.

The Persian leopard is said to be the largest of all the subspecies of leopards in the world. The main range of this species in Iran closely overlaps with that of [[bezoar ibex]]. Hence, it is found throughout [[Alborz]] and [[Zagros Mountains|Zagros]] mountain ranges, as well as smaller ranges within the Iranian plateau. The leopard population is very sparse, due to loss of habitat, loss of natural prey, and population fragmentation.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} Apart from bezoar ibex, wild sheep, [[boar]], deer, (either [[Caspian red deer]] or [[roe deer]]), and domestic animals constitute leopards' diet in Iran.

===Ecosystem and biosphere===
{{Main|List of national parks and protected areas of Iran|List of biosphere reserves in Iran}}
Iran's [[bio-diversity]] ranks 13th in the world.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} There are 272 conservation areas around Iran for a total of 17&nbsp;million hectares under the supervision of the [[Department of Environment (Iran)]], variously named national parks, protected areas, and natural wildlife refuges, all meant to protect the [[genetic resources]] of the country. There are only 2,617 rangers and 430 environmental monitoring units engaged in protecting these vast areas, which amounts to 6,500 hectares to cover for each ranger.<ref>[http://www.payvand.com/news/14/feb/1191.html 74 Iranian wildlife species red-listed by Environment Department] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520013716/http://www.payvand.com/news/14/feb/1191.html |date=20 May 2015}}. (28 February 2014) ''Radio Zamaneh'' via ''Payvand Iran News''. Retrieved 4 April 2014</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! align=left | [[Ramsar site]]s (23 June 1975)!! align=right | Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
|-----
| [[Anzali Lagoon|Anzali Wetland Complex]],<ref>[http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR005en.pdf "Ramsar Information Sheet: Anzali Wetlands Complex"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327120332/http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR005en.pdf |date=27 March 2009}}, accessed 28 November 2008</ref> [[Gilan province]]|| align="right" | 150
|-----
| [[Arjan Meadow]],<ref name="wetlands.org">[http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR002en.pdf "Ramsar Information Sheet: Lake Lake Parishan and Dashte-Arjan"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327120324/http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR002en.pdf |date=27 March 2009}}, accessed 1 December 2008</ref> [[Fars province]]|| align="right" | 22
|-----
| [[Lake Gori]],<ref>[http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR013en.pdf "Ramsar Information Sheet: Lake Gori"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327120336/http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR013en.pdf |date=27 March 2009}}, accessed 1 December 2008</ref> [[East Azerbaijan province]]|| align="right" | 1.2
|-----
| [[Lake Kobi]],<ref>[http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR008en.pdf "Ramsar Information Sheet: Lake Kobi"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327120319/http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR008en.pdf |date=27 March 2009}}, accessed 1 December 2008</ref> [[West Azerbaijan province]]|| align="right" | 12
|-----
| [[Lake Parishan]],<ref name="wetlands.org"/> [[Fars province]]  || align=right | 40
|-----
| [[Miankaleh Peninsula]], [[Gorgan Bay]], Lapoo-Zaghmarz Ab-bandan<ref>[http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR001en.pdf "Ramsar Information Sheet: Miankaleh Peninsula, Gorgan Bay and Lapoo-Zaghmarz Ab-bandans"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327120328/http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2IR001en.pdf |date=27 March 2009}}, accessed 28 November 2008</ref> [[Mazandaran province]]|| align="right" | 1000
|}