Tehran (or
Teheran) (
t?eh'??n&_160;(help·info);
Persian ?????
Tehran) is the capital and largest
city of
Iran (
Persia), and the administrative center of
Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the
Alborz mountain range (the highest point in the
Middle East (18,000 ft)) with an immense network of highways unparalleled in
Western Asia. Tehran is famous for its numerous ski resorts on the Alborz slopes, large museums, art centers, and palace complexes equal to the ancient Iranian/
Persian cities of
Isfahan,
Shiraz, and
Tabriz. Tehran is the largest city in the Middle East (defined as excluding North Africa) and is the most populated city in South Western Asia with a population of 7,404,515 and approximately 15 million in
Greater Tehran.
Most Iranian industries are headquartered in Tehran. The industries include the manufacturing of automobiles, electrical equipment, military weaponry, textiles, sugar, cement, and chemical products. It is also a leading center for the sale of carpets and furniture. There is also an oil refinery located in south of the city.[3]
In the 20th century, Tehran faced a large migration of people from all around Iran. Today, the city contains a mix of various ethnic and religious minorities, and is filled with many historic mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples.[citation needed]
Don Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo, a Castilian ambassador, was probably the first European to visit Tehran, stopping in July 1404, while on a journey to Samarkand (now in Uzbekistan) and the Mongol capital at the time. At this time, the city of Tehran was unwalled.
