BOOK COVER -- TITLE -- COPYRIGHT -- CONTENTS -- INTRODUCTION -- CHAPTER 1 LAND -- RELIEF -- VOLCANIC AND TECTONIC ACTIVITY -- THE INTERIOR PLATEAU -- DRAINAGE -- SOILS -- CLIMATE -- PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE -- CHAPTER 2 PEOPLE -- ETHNIC GROUPS -- LANGUAGES -- RELIGION -- RELIGIOUS MINORITIES -- SETTLEMENT PATTERNS -- DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS -- CHAPTER 3 ECONOMY -- STATE PLANNING -- REFORM -- AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, AND FISHING -- RESOURCES AND POWER -- MANUFACTURING -- FINANCE -- TRADE -- SERVICES -- LABOUR AND TAXATION -- TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS -- CHAPTER 4 GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY -- VELAYAT-E FAQIH -- THE PRESIDENCY -- LOCAL GOVERNMENT -- JUSTICE -- POLITICAL PROCESS -- SECURITY -- HEALTH AND WELFARE -- HOUSING -- EDUCATION -- CHAPTER 5 CULTURAL LIFE -- DAILY LIFE AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS -- THE ARTS -- CRAFTS -- ARCHITECTURE -- VISUAL ARTS -- MUSIC -- LITERATURE -- CINEMA -- CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS -- SPORTS AND RECREATION -- MEDIA AND PUBLISHING -- CHAPTER 6 HISTORY -- THE ADVENT OF ISLAM (640-829) -- ABU MUSLIM'S REVOLUTION -- THE 'ABBASID CALIPHATE (750-821) -- THE "IRANIAN INTERMEZZO" (821-1055) -- THE SAFFARIDS -- THE SAMANIDS -- THE IRANIAN RENAISSANCE -- THE GHAZNAVIDS -- THE BUYIDS -- FROM THE SELJUQS TO THE MONGOLS -- THE SELJUQS -- THE ISMA'ILIYYAH -- THE KHWAREZM-SHAHS -- THE MONGOL INVASION -- THE IL-KHANS -- THE TIMURIDS AND TURKMEN -- THE SAFAVIDS (1501-1736) -- SHAH ISMA'IL -- SHAH 'ABBAS I -- THE AFGHAN INTERLUDE -- RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS -- NADIR SHAH (1736-47) -- THE ZAND DYNASTY (1751-94) -- THE QAJAR DYNASTY (1796-1925) -- THE AGE OF IMPERIALISM -- POPULAR PROTEST AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTION -- THE RISE OF REZA KHAN AND THE PAHLAVI DYNASTY (1925-79) -- REZA SHAH -- WARTIME AND NATIONALIZATION OF OIL -- THE WHITE REVOLUTION -- PROTEST AND FAILURE -- FOREIGN RELATIONS -- THE GROWTH OF SOCIAL DISCONTENT.

THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC -- THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION, 1978-79 -- POSTREVOLUTIONARY CHAOS -- THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR (1980-88) -- DOMESTIC AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL REFORM -- CONSERVATIVES RETURN TO POWER -- FOREIGN AFFAIRS SINCE 1989: CONTINUING TENSION ABROAD -- CONCLUSION -- GLOSSARY -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- GEOGRAPHY -- HISTORY -- IRAN FROM 640 TO C. 1500 -- IRAN SINCE C. 1950 -- INDEX -- BACK COVER.