Modern Iran Occupies the greater part of the Iranian high Plateau which has an average elevation of 1000m and is set between two depressions the Caspian sea in the north and the Persian Gulf in the south .It is a large country, with an area of more than 1,648,000sq/KM equal to fifth of the United States, That is to say larger than the UK, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland and Germany put together. The ground rises steeply from the Caspian to the Alborz range ,80Kms from the coast. The highest peak is the dormant volcano Mt. Damavand ( 5670 m ) . The central range runs roughly at a diagonal from lake Orumieh to Kerman, and the more gently slopping south western or Zagros Chain starts from Kurdistan and runs along The coast of the Persian Gulf. The Caspian Sea, the largest inland sea in the world ,is 26m below sea level. It is actually a lake, with more salt content than the ocean, and has been diminishing in size for centuries.Except for the rainy belt around the Caspian, the country is extremely dry; One Sixth of The area is desert. The Dasht-e-Lut and Dasht-eKavir deserts are partly lakes of salts and salines, and partly rock steppes.