One Day in Persia

Photography by Mohammad Hossein Aminian, aged 21

Tehran population 7,314,000 (metropolitan: 12,151,000), and a land area of 658 square kilometers (254 sq mi), is the capital city of Iran (Persia) and the center of Tehran Province.

More than half of the country's industry is based there. Industries include the manufacturing of automobiles, electronics and 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 an oil refinery nearby.

Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in western Asia. It is also the hub of the country's railway network. The city has numerous large museums, art centers, palace complexes and cultural centers.

In the 20th century, Tehran faced a large migration of people from all around Iran including those of ethnic and religious minorities such Azeris, Armenian, Assyrians, Kurds, Mazanderanis, Jews, Bahá'ís and Zoroastrians. The city is filled with historic mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples.