‘B.R. 525 (RESTRICTED) PERSIA’

Content

An official publication entitled Persia from the Geographical Handbook Series produced by the Naval Intelligence Division (NID) of the Admiralty. This volume was prepared by the Oxford sub-division of the NID under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Mason, Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford, and is dated September 1945.

The volume opens with two prefaces from the Director of Naval Intelligence, dated 1942 and 1945, followed by a contents page and lists of diagrams, maps, and illustrations.

The main body of the volume consists of fourteen chapters:

• Chapter I. ‘Introduction’, giving an overview of Persia’s [Iran’s] geography, history, population, and administration, communications, and oil industry, with notes on transliteration and sources of information
• Chapter II. ‘Structure and drainage’, covering geology and hydrology
• Chapter III. ‘Regional description of the land’, with geographical descriptions of various regions
• Chapter IV. ‘The coasts’, with geographical descriptions of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Caspian Sea coasts
• Chapter V. ‘Climate, vegetation and fauna’
• Chapter VI. ‘History’, spanning from c 4000 BCE to 1945, with some notes on Persia’s foreign relations and a list of Shahs from the Safavid era to 1945
• Chapter VII. ‘The people’, describing the different ethnic groups of Persia, languages, religions, ‘way of life’, and societal changes under Riza Shah [Rezā Shāh Pahlavī]
• Chapter VIII. ‘Distribution of population’
• Chapter IX. ‘Administration and public life’, covering the Persian Government, armed forces, justice and education systems, and some cultural policies
• Chapter X. ‘Public health and disease’
• Chapter XI. ‘Agriculture, stockbreeding, and industry’
• Chapter XII. ‘Currency, finance, commerce, and oil’
• Chapter XIII. ‘Ports and inland towns’, describing ports on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Caspian Sea coasts and major cities of Persia
• Chapter XIV. ‘Communications’, covering roads, railways, and waterways, along with international sea, air, rail, and telegraph connections.

This is followed by four appendices:

• Appendix A. ‘Meteorological Tables’
• Appendix B. ‘Chronological Table’
• Appendix C. ‘Weights and Measures’
• Appendix D. ‘Authorship, Authorities, and Maps’.

At the end of the volume is an index.

The volume contains sixty-two maps and diagrams interspersed with the text. The following attached foldout maps have been catalogued separately:

• ‘FIG. 2. Generalized Geological Map of Persia.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 19)
• ‘FIG. 8. Drainage basins of Persia.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 28)
• ‘FIG. 10. Regions and Regional Index.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 35)
• ‘FIG. 11. Caspian Coastlands and Elburz Range.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 37)
• ‘FIG. 12. Northern Khurasan [Khorasan] and the Hari Rud.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 41)
• ‘FIG. 14. North-western Zagros and Khuzistan [Khuzestan].’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 54)
• ‘FIG. 15. South-eastern Zagros and with Niriz [Neyriz] and Shiraz basins.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 64)
• ‘FIG. 20. Persian Makran, Jaz Murian basin, and Sarhad.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 90)
• ‘FIG. 52. Tribal distribution.’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 256)
• ‘FIG. 60. Principal Communications’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 399)
• ‘FIG. 61. Index to British Official Maps of Persia’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 412)
• ‘General Map of Iraq, Arabia and Persia’ (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 429).

The volume also contains 337 photographs and illustrations.

Extent and format

1 volume (428 folios)

It is grouped into

‘FIG. 2. Generalized Geological Map of Persia’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 19

‘FIG. 8. Drainage Basins of Persia’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 28

‘FIG. 10. Regions and Regional Index’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 35

‘FIG. 11. Caspian Coastlands and Elburz Range’.

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 37

‘FIG. 12. Northern Khurasan and the Hari Rud.’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 41

‘FIG. 14. North-western Zagros and Khuzistan.’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 54

‘FIG. 15. South-eastern Zagros with Niriz [Neyriz] and Shiraz basins.’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 64

‘FIG. 20. Persian Makran, Jaz Murian basin, and Sarhad.’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 90

‘FIG. 52. Tribal distribution.’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 256

‘FIG. 60. Principal Communications’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 399

‘FIG. 61. Index to British Official Maps of Persia’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 412

‘General Map of Iraq, Arabia and Persia’

2 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/20/C259, f 429

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 430; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: an original printed pagination sequence is present at ff 5-428.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/L/PS/20/C259

History of this record

Date(s)

1945 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Geography

Places

Persia

People & organisations

Admiralty War Staff, Naval Intelligence Division

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‘B.R. 525 (RESTRICTED) PERSIA’, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C259, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x0001e2> [accessed 21 November 2024]

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