Prelims ask
Iran and Iraq. Parallel to the Persian Gulf. Separate it from Elburz and from the Caucasus.
Asia · Young fold
Zagros
- Countries
- Northwest to southeast: Iran and Iraq.
- Length
- About 1,600 km.
- Orientation
- Northwest–southeast, parallel to the Persian Gulf.
- Mountain type
- Young fold
- Plates
- Arabian plate colliding with Eurasia.
- Highest peak
- Dena (Qash-Mastan), about 4,409 m. Textbooks often round the crest to about 4,400 m.
- Rivers that rise here
- Karun, Iran’s largest river, reaches the Shatt al-Arab and the Persian Gulf. Western slopes feed the Tigris.
- Climate and rain shadow
- Winter westerlies wet the western slopes. The Iranian plateau to the east is in rain shadow.
Mains use
Ocean-closing collision with a fold-thrust oil province. Earthquakes yes; it is not the Pacific Ring of Fire.