Shiraz is the largest city in southwest Iran and the capital of Fars province. Located at the northwest end of the intermountain basin in the south of zagros mountains, with an altitude of1490m. The population is 800,000 (1982). Flat terrain, fertile land, mild climate, annual precipitation of 385 mm. An ancient city and cultural center, it was the center of the Persian Empire in the 6th century BC. The early kings were in Persepolis, 56 kilometers north of Shiraz, and Passagard, 36 kilometers north of Kloc-0. Emerging industrial cities, including cotton textile, cottonseed oil refining, sugar refining, flour, canned fruit, light industrial machinery and automobile assembly, have established modern petrochemical plants (mainly chemical fertilizers), oil refineries and large cement plants, with natural gas and oil imported from Gachisaland as fuel and raw materials. Traditional handicrafts include carpets, glass, mosaics, wine making and bricks. This area is rich in products and is famous for producing beets, grapes and roses. There is a river in the north of the city, which flows southeast into Lake Mahalu. It is a channel connecting the Iranian mainland and the Persian Gulf coast. The existing north-south highway trunk line runs through it, connecting Tehran and the cities along the Caspian Sea in the north, Buhill in the Gulf in the south and the oil-producing area at the southern foot of Zagros Mountain in the west. The urban area is divided into the old city and the new city. The old city has preserved the ruins of Persepolis and the mausoleum of the emperor, and built a big square and many mosques, which is a tourist attraction. There are commercial areas and industrial areas in the new urban area. There is an airport in the south. On the other side of the river are mainly universities and garden areas, as well as industrial areas.