Desertification in Iran

Forest and Range Organization
Spring 1995

What is desertification?

Desertification is a specific phenomenon of arid, semiarid and day sub humid. The main feature of this said phenomenon is the diminution of the biological production (vegetation cover), which appears under different forms adn aspects. To explain the occurance of the aforementioned phenomenon and its causes, various opinions and theories have been put forward; the human factor being considered in all cases and undoubtly, the most important one in causing the degradation of the natural resources.

Man, by over grazing, bush and shrub picking and wrong irrigation, land use disregarding the land capability, irrigular transformation of range lands to rain-fed farming, non observance of soil conservation in cultivation practices, ets, altogheter create conditions which in the last instance land to the reduction of biological production and the expansion of desert and arid lands.

Extent of Iran's deserts and sandy soils

As a result of the geographical and ecological situation of Iran, as well as the blowing of unfavourable winds in the Central Desert, more than 80% of the 164 million hectare area of the country is subject to the conditions of arid and semi arid regions, characterized by low precipitation, ranged between 50 to 250 mm per year. At the present the area of the country's deserts and sandy soils is estimated to be 34 million hectars, and that of the poor and desertified rangelands which 12 million hectars correspond to the sandy, soils 5 million of the same shifting sand dunes.

Historical evidences and works remained from the ancient time testify the fact that these regions were covered by desert forests and plants, which were annihilated because of the wrong and excessive exploitation, the result of which has been the diminution of the vegetation resources and the conversion of the lands into deserts. It is estimated that the trends of desertification in the country is about 1% annually.

Active and inactive desert and sandy lands area (ha)

By the obliteration of the vegetation cover (desertification), the soil is exposed to the erosion by wind, the most remarkable manifestation of which being the shifting sands, that cause the destruction of orchards and farms annihilation of cultivated lands, and represent a serious threat for both residential and industrial zones and civil and military instalations.