BUSHEHR

coastal region, southwestern Iran, bordering the Persian Gulf on the west and bounded by the regions of Hormozgan and Fars on the southeast and east and Khuzestan on the northwest. Inland the region is part of the Zagros Mountains and consists of fingers of upland within a plateau. The Shapur River drains the region and serves as an inland waterway from the coast of the Persian Gulf at Bushehr, which is the main city of the region. Rainfall over the region is low and sporadic. Agriculture is the principal occupation; crops include wheat, barley, date palms, mangoes, and citrus fruits. Industries produce woven cloth, milled rice and flour, building materials, and processed food. A number of oil and natural-gas fields are located in the region, and there are natural-gas pipelines from the interior to the coastal town of Kangan. Kharg Island, lying in the Persian Gulf 34 miles (55 km) northwest of Bushehr city, is a major crude-oil terminal.