Infrastructure: Ariana

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While the region’s five countries have a significant number of rural residents, the majority of each country’s population lives in urban areas. About two-thirds of the Arianian (68%), Donovian (67%), and Limarian populace (64%) and just over half of the Gorgan (53%) and Atropian (52%) populace live in urban areas. All five countries contain a mixture of modern urban cities and almost pre-modern rural villages. Modern utilities can be found in most major cities but not in the rural villages and countryside.

Arianian infrastructure resembles a patchwork quilt with a mixture of modernization and obsolescence. While previous Arianian leaders made substantial investments, the infrastructure now faces significant challenges from the stresses of both war and peace. While rail, road, air, and seaports are marginally adequate, the natural gas and oil infrastructure suffers from archaic construction. Environmental and population pressures on aquifers, along with considerable pollution levels, create significant stress on water and other natural resources. Over 40% of Ariana’s more than 77 million people reside in its 18 largest cities, all of which have at least 350,000 residents.

As previously mentioned, the majority of residents in all five countries live in urban areas. Most urban cities contain a mixture of old neighborhoods with roughshod construction, while buildings in newer neighborhoods are made with modern construction methods. In rural villages and areas, residents use whatever materials they can obtain to build their houses.

Construction patterns in Ariana’s urban areas are similar, with dense, random construction in the city’s oldest areas and more closed orderly block construction in the recently built neighborhoods. In the very rural areas, Arianians use mud, brick, and other traditional techniques that have been used to build homes for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The result is a shantytown appearance.

Military operations in urban areas will benefit from modern electricity, water, sewage, and other utility services. The military will also find resources to support it, such a large labor pool. In urban areas, the military must cope with more people who oppose it, additional hiding places for the enemy, and added civilians they must support logistically to prevent starvation. Because of its large metropolitan population, Ariana would require extensive urban operations.

Major Cities and Urban Zones

Ariana's Largest Cities

Over 68% percent of Ariana’s people live in urban areas. Ariana has 12 metropolitan areas with populations over one million residents. Over 40% of Ariana residents (over 34 million of 77.9 million) live in Ariana’s 18 largest metropolitan areas.

Tehran

Tehran, Ariana’s capital, contains over one-eighth of the country’s population—over eight million people, with an additional four million people in the greater metropolitan area, making it a megacity. Tehran governs the city through 22 municipal districts. The city center is a mixture of closely compacted ancient buildings along narrow streets and modern multistory high-rise buildings that form both city core and core periphery urban zones. Tehran also has both high-rise and low-rise residential areas. Ariana’s capital possesses many commercial and industrial areas, including an oil refinery south of the city and military bases in the metropolitan area. Over 175 miles of highways cross Tehran, with at least another 80 miles under construction.

Mashhad

Mashhad, Ariana’s second-largest city with over 2.5 million residents, lies in the extreme northeast corner of the country. A complex of modern high-rise buildings under 10 stories tall and mosques in the center of Mashhad create city core and core periphery urban zones. Old-style dense, random residential houses surround the governmental complex for many miles in all directions. A few high-rise apartment buildings, most under 10 stories, are scattered among the dense low-rise residential neighborhoods.

Isfahan

The country’s third-largest city, Isfahan, has over 1.5 million residents in the city and almost 3.5 million in the metropolitan area. Located along the main north-south and east-west routes across Ariana, Isfahan has served as an important regional city for many centuries. Like other large Arianian cities, its variety of neighborhoods includes the closely packed old city built randomly over the centuries, scattered areas with high-rise apartments, and spread-out single-family homes in more orderly construction farther from the inner city. Urban zones include city core, core periphery, and high-rise residential areas, with smaller zones of low-rise residential areas. For a city its size, Isfahan has few commercial and industrial areas.

Tabriz

Located in Ariana’s extreme northwest corner of the country, Tabriz is Ariana’s fourth-largest city with 1.5 million residents. Each of the city’s eight municipal districts contains old city neighborhoods that create small city core urban zones with dense random construction. Pockets of high-rise multifamily dwellings and single-family homes spring up randomly in all the districts, creating both high-rise and low-rise residential area urban zones. The suburbs, while planned, do not always resemble a grid pattern as the residents built the low-rise residential areas to fit the terrain. After Tehran, the greater Tabriz region is Ariana’s largest industrial center and possesses a thriving commercial area.

Karaj

Karaj, with almost 1.4 million inhabitants, is Ariana’s fifth-largest city. Located near Tehran to the west, the city contains a similar combination of dense random construction and modern buildings that create city core, core periphery, high-rise, and low-rise residential areas. Karaj also has commercial and industrial areas.

Population Density

Tehran: 26,748 people per square mile

Mashhad: 16,445 people per square mile

Isfahan: 12,556 people per square mile

Tabriz: 11,179 people per square mile

Karaj: 11,111 people per square mile

Utilities

The Caucasus area faces a dichotomy when it comes to utilities such as electricity, water, and sewage treatment. Most urban households can access modern utilities, but rural areas cannot. Many rural residents who cannot access modern utilities live similarly to their ancestors generations ago.

Power

Another dichotomy in the Caucasus region is that countries like Ariana, Atropia, and Donovia export hydrocarbons, coal, or electrical power to other countries while Gorgas and Limaria must import the same resources to meet their requirements. The countries that can export hydrocarbon products or electricity become richer while those that must import significant quantities of power become poorer. At least 75% of all structures in the five countries can access power because they are located in urban areas.

Though it is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil in the world, Ariana still must import over 200,000 barrels per day (bbl/day) of refined oil products because it lacks internal refinery capacity. During the past three years, Ariana reduced its natural gas exports 25%, or 50 billion cubic feet, as it attempted to wean its citizens off more expensive oil products. While Ariana increased its electricity production over the past decade by over 10%, electricity exports remain stagnant because of increased internal consumption.

Arianian Nuclear Power Plants
Name	Estimated Location	Current Operational Reactors	Reactors Under Construction
Bushehr	N 28˚ 59’ 20” E 50˚ 49’ 42”	1	1
Bandar Deylam	N 30˚ 00’ 09” E 50˚ 09’ 29”	0	1
Bandar-e-Ganaveh	N 29˚ 38’ 25” E 50˚ 25’ 18”	0	1
Banak	N 27˚ 49’ 46” E 52˚ 02’ 12”	0	1
Bandar-Lengeh	N 26 ˚ 33’ 50” E 54˚ 54’ 55”	0	1

Arianian population growth, inadequate power distribution investment, outdated infrastructure, and waste place significant demands on Ariana’s electrical grid. Ariana currently produces 90% of its power from oil-fired generation plants (as expected with its oil reserves), but the country is pursuing an aggressive construction program for hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants. The first nuclear power plant hooked up to the national grid occurred three months ago when the Bushehr power plant went on line. With the success of the initial nuclear power plant, the Arianian government began the construction of five additional reactors last month—one at Bushehr and four additional sites located along the Persian Gulf. The Arianian government continues to emphasize electricity for development. Ariana exports small quantities of electricity to Limaria and other bordering countries.

The Western world will need continuous access to oil and natural gas from Ariana, which is one of the largest hydrocarbon exporters in the world. Any military activity in the region will need to help ensure the continued operation of Ariana’s hydrocarbon export systems.

Water

The majority of the Caucasus region’s urban population has access to potable water. As areas become more rural, people must rely on local sources—rivers, streams, and wells—to obtain water for cooking, drinking, and washing.

Though population increases have placed additional pressure on water delivery systems, the government has successfully extended modern water systems to reach more than 75% of Arianians. In rural areas, water distribution infrastructure is obsolete, inadequate, or nonexistent. The Arianian geography creates a dichotomy because of extreme seasonal water flow variations as well  as differences between regions (from bone-dry deserts in the east and south, to the lush mountain valleys along the Caspian) and even within regions. These challenges create distribution issues that require significant investment in dams, pipelines, and reservoirs. Deep wells also serve as an important part of the water distribution network, especially in rural areas. Military personnel should find sufficient potable water access in urban areas but may experience water shortages in rural areas. Before any military personnel use local water sources, they should test and potentially treat for contamination.

Sanitation

The vast majority of Ariana, Atropia, Donovia, and Gorgas urban residents use modern sewage disposal methods to get rid of waste, but most Limarians do not. Urban residents have greater access to modern sewage treatment than rural residents. The more remote a person, the less likely he/she will use modern sewage treatment techniques. Poor disposal methods in rural areas contaminate groundwater that other residents rely on for drinking and cooking.

While moderately capable sewage systems exist in larger metropolitan areas, sewage systems in many Arianian rural areas are outdated, inadequate, or nonexistent. In many locations—including urban areas—households and industries discharge untreated sewage through rainwater systems. In rural areas, sanitary facilities often consist of pit latrines or other very basic systems. Urban areas usually have more modern facilities. With the exception of Tehran, which has separate water and sewer departments, a single local government entity that reports to national authorities handles both water and sewage.

Transportation Architecture

Roads are the primary transportation method throughout the Caucasus region. Train and especially air travel remain too expensive for many residents of Ariana, Atropia, Gorgas, and Limaria. Most roads, especially the unpaved ones, suffer from a lack of maintenance. Ariana and Donovia maintain a complex transportation architectural system while the other three countries operate a moderate one due to railway system limitations.

Ariana’s Major Roads

Road System

Overall, roads in this part of the world do not meet US or Western Europe standards. Driving is hazardous, especially in the winter months or in bad weather. Generally, drivers do not obey all traffic laws, and vehicle owners often fail to maintain their vehicles properly.

Ariana has a vast road network of 107,451 miles that includes 78,235 miles of paved roads. The Arianian road network consists of two major national highways, called the A1 and the A2. The A1 stretches from the Limarian border, through Tehran, to the eastern border. It covers just over 1,242 miles and is generally kept in good condition throughout its entire length. The A2 extends across the country in the southern part of Ariana. Numerous other freeways and roads connect cities or run within major cities like Tehran. Most have heavy traffic and are considered dangerous due to the Arianians’ reckless driving habits, poor design, substandard road conditions, and poorly maintained older cars.

Bus

All five countries maintain some sort of bus system, but its quality depends on the country and location. The larger the city, the more likely it will operate a public bus system. Usually, intercity buses run between the larger cities, and “private” buses may also operate in some areas. Due to the relatively cheap cost of public transportation, buses remain a favorite method for local civilians to travel long distances within their country.

Buses operate throughout Ariana, providing long distance and local transportation to the civilian population. Most travelers find the Arianian bus system inexpensive and usually reliable. Often buses will leave almost every hour from the large Arianian cities to other large cities. For long distance travel, many travelers take a night bus. Mercedes, Super Luxe, and Volvo provide the bulk of the buses that operate in Ariana. Most Mercedes buses are over ten years old, with air conditioners that no longer operate effectively. While slightly newer, many of the air conditioners in the Super Luxe models also no longer work. Due to their relative newness, the Volvos come closest to Western standards for buses with operational air conditioners. At any time on a long-distance bus trip, riders can obtain water that usually comes from melted ice.

Tehran is the hub for the Arianian bus system. Four major inter-city bus stations operate in Tehran, taking riders to other cities both within Ariana and to other countries. Tehran also operates an internal bus system with 60 major stations and other stops throughout the city. Additionally, the city operates 10 local trolley buses.

Any military operation in the Tehran area that interrupts the bus system could strangle the city’s operation. The buses are vital to Tehran’s economic well-being. Any military operations in Ariana would involve inspecting buses for contraband and weapons.

Ariana’s Major Railroads and Ports

Rail

All five Caucasus countries operate a railroad system, but they suffer many problems due to maintenance issues, nonstandard equipment, criminal activity, and high cost.

Islamic Republic of Ariana Railways controls and operates the country’s 5,246 railroad-mile network. Ariana plans significant domestic railway expansion, with connections scheduled for neighboring countries. Tehran operates a metro system that the government plans to expand to meet the capital’s transportation needs, which are driven by heavy vehicle traffic and pollution.

Because of geographical issues in a mountainous nation like Ariana, the country’s rail system accounts for only 4% of domestic passenger traffic and just over 7% of domestic freight traffic. Arianian rail consists primarily of standard gauge 1,435 millimeter (4 feet, 8½ inch) track even though some connections with neighboring countries do use broad gauge. Most Arianian locomotives operate on diesel fuel, but some have been converted to electric. The different size gauges may cause some problems if the military attempts to use the Arianian railroad system for logistical purposes or to transport large numbers of soldiers.

Air Transportation Systems

All five countries maintain both paved and unpaved runways of varying distances. Many of the unpaved runways resemble nothing more than a cleared dirt path only suitable for the sturdiest of planes.

Ariana has 133 paved and 186 unpaved runways. In addition to the airports that provide domestic service within Ariana and international connections, the country has a number of airfields that can accommodate large aircraft (C5/C17/B747). Ariana possesses enough airfields with adequate runways to support any military operation. All pilots should ensure data accuracy before attempting to land on any runway. The numbers on the runway map match up with the numbers on the chart.

Ariana’s Major Runways (Not All Shown)

Paved Runways

• Over 10,000 feet: 42
• 8,000 to 10,000 feet: 27
• 5,000 to 8,000 feet: 24
• 3,000 to 5,000 feet: 34
• Under 3,000 feet: 6

Unpaved Runways

• Over 10,000 feet: 1
• 8,000 to 10,000 feet: 1
• 5,000 to 8,000 feet: 9
• 3,000 to 5,000 feet: 142
• Under 3,000 feet: 33

Major Runways

• GRE= Graded Rolled Earth
• GRS=Non-graded Rolled Earth
• PEM=Porous European Mix

Map #	Elevation (Ft)	Latitude (D, M, S)	Longitude (D, M, S)	Length (Ft)	Width (Ft)	Surface Type
1-1	10	30 22 16.00 N	48 13 42.00 E	10170	148	Asphalt
1-2	10	30 22 16.00 N	48 13 42.00 E	7438	115	Asphalt
2	2600	32 56 04.19 N	47 29 00.41 E	6975	110	Asphalt
3	23	25 52 32.67 N	55 01 58.78 E	9796	148	Asphalt
4	88	30 44 43.62 N	49 40 34.54 E	7000	148	Asphalt
5	64	31 20 14.80 N	48 45 43.70 E	11155	148	Asphalt
6	5452	34 08 17.05 N	49 50 50.27 E	9784	148	Asphalt
7	4315	38 19 34.54 N	48 25 27.89 E	10823	148	PEM
8	2037	27 14 10.21 N	60 43 12.12 E	7649	150	Asphalt
9	10	27 28 51.95 N	52 36 56.39 E	11812	148	Asphalt
10	20	29 50 24.22 N	50 16 21.71 E	7200	100	Asphalt
11	3084	29 05 02.13 N	58 27 01.43 E	11625	148	Asphalt
12-1	22	27 13 05.41 N	56 22 40.35 E	11959	148	Asphalt
12-2	22	27 13 05.41 N	56 22 40.35 E	11292	98	Asphalt
13	19	27 09 29.70 N	56 10 20.86 E	8530	115	Asphalt
14	67	26 31 53.00 N	54 49 39.00 E	8203	148	Asphalt
15	1350	27 12 45.64 N	54 19 06.93 E	4500	100	Asphalt
16	1175	30 43 57.46 N	50 06 45.97 E	8210	148	Asphalt
17-1	5041	32 53 53.00 N	59 15 58.00 E	6903	82	Asphalt
17-2	5041	32 53 53.00 N	59 15 58.00 E	9424	148	Asphalt
18	-7	36 39 18.00 N	52 20 57.00 E	3609	98	Asphalt
19	3543	37 29 34.81 N	57 18 30.20 E	10700	148	Asphalt
20-1	70	28 56 41.32 N	50 50 04.69 E	14665	148	Asphalt
20-2	70	28 56 41.32 N	50 50 04.69 E	14668	148	Asphalt
21-1	24	25 26 36.00 N	60 22 55.60 E	9845	150	Asphalt
21-2	24	25 26 36.00 N	60 22 55.60 E	12421	150	Asphalt
22-1	3600	28 43 17.80 N	54 26 28.80 E	3969	100	Asphalt
22-2	3600	28 43 17.80 N	54 26 28.80 E	5260	100	Asphalt
23-1	500	32 26 04.00 N	48 23 51.50 E	12653	115	Asphalt
23-2	500	32 26 04.00 N	48 23 51.50 E	11722	148	Asphalt
24	72	31 55 18.51 N	48 52 39.06 E	3334	160	Asphalt
25-1	5226	32 37 15.99 N	51 41 49.26 E	1467	97	Asphalt
25-2	5226	32 37 15.99 N	51 41 49.26 E	10920	140	Asphalt
26-1	5256	32 55 44.00 N	51 33 40.00 E	9830	148	Asphalt
26-2	5256	32 55 44.00 N	51 33 40.00 E	1091	40	Concrete
27-1	5072	32 45 02.60 N	51 51 42.10 E	14435	148	Asphalt
27-2	5072	32 45 02.60 N	51 51 42.10 E	14435	148	Asphalt
28	4261	28 53 34.00 N	53 43 25.00 E	6502	100	Asphalt
29	3258	35 31 47.63 N	51 30 29.91 E	3106	70	Asphalt
30	2394	30 20 15.24 N	50 49 40.67 E	6070	148	Asphalt
31	2717	35 10 27.10 N	52 19 23.78 E	2985	105	Asphalt
32	4187	36 14 24.21 N	50 02 49.62 E	3675	131	Asphalt
33	3800	35 57 07.55 N	50 27 02.80 E	4579	75	Asphalt
34	41	26 45 04.00 N	55 53 52.00 E	13892	148	Asphalt
35	150	37 14 45.94 N	55 05 45.20 E	3276	106	Asphalt
36-1	0	36 54 34.82 N	54 24 04.58 E	7715	148	Asphalt
36-2	0	36 54 34.82 N	54 24 04.58 E	7585	148	Asphalt
37	5715	34 52 09.00 N	48 33 09.00 E	10593	148	Asphalt
38-1	5551	35 12 41.87 N	48 39 12.65 E	13009	148	Asphalt
38-2	5551	35 12 41.87 N	48 39 12.65 E	14351	148	Asphalt
38-3	5551	35 12 41.87 N	48 39 12.65 E	14625	148	Asphalt
38-4	5551	35 12 41.87 N	48 39 12.65 E	14625	148	Asphalt
39	4377	33 35 11.78 N	46 24 17.43 E	9185	148	Asphalt
40	3350	28 35 11.48 N	53 34 44.90 E	7947	98	Asphalt
41	2172	27 49 13.52 N	52 21 07.74 E	7715	148	Asphalt
42	19	25 39 12.80 N	57 47 57.30 E	6200	148	Asphalt
43	2643	28 43 36.93 N	57 40 12.97 E	7237	98	Asphalt
44	500	37 22 59.85 N	55 27 07.50 E	7255	92	Asphalt
45	4170	35 46 33.94 N	50 49 36.07 E	12005	197	Asphalt
46	3465	33 53 43.20 N	51 34 37.36 E	8845	135	Asphalt
47-1	5736	30 16 28.00 N	56 56 04.00 E	6645	148	Asphalt
47-2	5736	30 16 28.00 N	56 56 04.00 E	13456	148	Asphalt
48	4284	34 20 45.07 N	47 09 29.25 E	11214	148	Asphalt
49	UNK	27 22 46.00 N	52 44 16.00 E	13117	UNK	UNK
50	17	29 15 37.00 N	50 19 26.00 E	5922	148	Asphalt
51	10	29 15 34.68 N	50 20 07.70 E	UNK	UNK	UNK
52	3790	33 26 07.19 N	48 16 58.77 E	10499	148	Asphalt
53	UNK	38 25 20.00 N	44 58 36.00 E	9190	UNK	UNK
54-1	100	26 31 36.10 N	53 58 54.49 E	12028	148	Asphalt
54-2	100	26 31 36.10 N	53 58 54.49 E	11405	98	Asphalt
55	1345	27 22 21.88 N	53 11 19.66 E	10225	98	Asphalt
56-1	2600	27 40 23.00 N	54 23 14.00 E	7874	98	Asphalt
56-2	2600	27 40 23.00 N	54 23 14.00 E	10334	148	Asphalt
57	73	26 48 37.00 N	53 21 22.00 E	6800	148	Asphalt
58	8	30 33 22.29 N	49 09 06.77 E	8874	148	Asphalt
59	4396	37 20 55.28 N	46 07 34.59 E	9842	98	Asphalt
60-1	3270	36 14 06.70 N	59 38 27.50 E	12750	148	Asphalt
60-2	3270	36 14 06.70 N	59 38 27.50 E	12389	148	Asphalt
61-1	1187	32 00 08.29 N	49 16 14.40 E	4690	98	Asphalt
61-2	1187	32 00 08.29 N	49 16 14.40 E	5876	98	Asphalt
62	-6	36 51 24.73 N	54 12 08.09 E	3270	98	Asphalt
63-1	3550	33 05 20.30 N	53 25 02.40 E	4284	64	Asphalt
63-1	3550	33 05 20.30 N	53 25 02.40 E	4396	118	GRE
64	-6	36 39 48.00 N	51 27 53.00 E	6677	115	Asphalt
65-1	85	30 50 06.60 N	49 32 05.70 E	13500	148	Asphalt
65-2	85	30 50 06.60 N	49 32 05.70 E	11500	148	Asphalt
66	251	39 36 12.98 N	47 52 53.40 E	8515	115	Asphalt
67	5298	30 17 51.77 N	56 03 04.10 E	9814	148	Asphalt
68	-7	36 54 35.67 N	50 40 46.52 E	4921	148	Asphalt
69	-4	37 19 31.55 N	49 36 20.55 E	9542	148	Asphalt
70	2980	36 10 06.28 N	57 35 42.26 E	10413	148	Asphalt
71	4522	35 14 48.97 N	47 00 32.44 E	8190	148	Asphalt
72	945	36 30 04.24 N	61 03 53.65 E	12720	148	Asphalt
73	UNK	27 24 30.00 N	62 19 14.00 E	7103	UNK	UNK
74	35	36 38 09.00 N	53 11 37.00 E	8688	148	Asphalt
75	4925	29 14 06.82 N	53 07 38.17 E	UNK	UNK	UNK
76	3659	35 23 21.80 N	53 40 17.10 E	11738	142	Asphalt
77	3665	35 35 27.94 N	53 29 42.31 E	9095	152	Asphalt
78	6725	32 17 50.00 N	50 50 32.00 E	10819	148	Asphalt
79	4219	36 25 31.00 N	55 06 15.00 E	9535	148	Asphalt
80-1	4920	29 32 21.60 N	52 35 22.11 E	13973	148	Asphalt
80-2	4920	29 32 21.60 N	52 35 22.11 E	14244	148	Asphalt
81	5831	29 33 03.36 N	55 40 21.75 E	12356	148	Asphalt
82	42	25 54 34.27 N	54 32 21.71 E	8211	141	Asphalt
83	2312	33 40 03.90 N	56 53 33.63 E	9977	148	Asphalt
84-1	4459	38 08 02.00 N	46 14 06.00 E	11537	98	Asphalt
84-2	4459	38 08 02.00 N	46 14 06.00 E	11825	148	Asphalt
85	4021	35 42 10.70 N	51 28 30.50 E	7650	148	Asphalt
86	3750	35 38 41.30 N	51 22 50.50 E	6000	120	Asphalt
87-1	3307	35 25 05.89 N	51 08 37.80 E	13769	148	Asphalt
87-2	3307	35 25 05.89 N	51 08 37.80 E	13769	148	PEM
88-1	3962	35 41 21.00 N	51 18 48.30 E	15540	130	Concrete
88-2	3962	35 41 21.00 N	51 18 48.30 E	13248	197	Asphalt
88-3	3962	35 41 21.00 N	51 18 48.30 E	13098	148	Asphalt
89	4344	37 40 05.40 N	45 04 07.20 E	10765	148	Asphalt
90	5988	30 42 01.62 N	51 32 42.89 E	8495	148	Asphalt
91	4055	31 54 22.00 N	54 16 35.00 E	13302	148	Asphalt
92	1628	31 05 54.00 N	61 32 38.00 E	9848	148	Asphalt
93-1	4520	29 28 34.30 N	60 54 21.80 E	13943	148	Asphalt
93-2	4520	29 28 34.30 N	60 54 21.80 E	13993	98	Asphalt
94	5334	36 46 25.62 N	48 21 32.81 E	9699	148	Asphalt
95	5650	32 19 38.53 N	51 22 38.10 E	7000	148	Asphalt
96	4000	35 56 37.10 N	50 04 55.40 E	3330	100	Asphalt
97	3100	34 59 02.16 N	50 48 23.28 E	11131	148	Asphalt
98	2773	34 10 09.90 N	51 19 03.90 E	3605	135	Asphalt
99	6970	29 59 59.97 N	53 42 41.29 E	4470	125	GRE
100	4040	35 46 34.63 N	50 52 51.65 E	3630	65	Asphalt
101	110	26 56 57.43 N	56 16 09.41 E	4538	82	Asphalt
102	10	30 39 51.24 N	48 38 42.46 E	3284	130	Asphalt
103-1	5310	32 34 01.34 N	51 41 29.74 E	3215	75	PEM
103-2	5310	32 34 01.34 N	51 41 29.74 E	6346	165	GRE
104	2460	37 37 40.30 N	56 10 23.10 E	9560	96	Asphalt

Airports/Airlines

Ariana’s major airports include:

• Tehran Imam Khodadad International, a new facility 30 miles southwest of Tehran. An Arianian military subsidiary manages Imam Khodadad Airport, which serves as the primary international gateway.
• Tehran Mehrabad International operates within the greater Tehran metropolis on the west side of town. It traditionally served as Tehran’s international hub but has been replaced by the recently opened Imam Khodadad Airport. Mehrabad remains an important base for Arianian Air Force operations.
• The Shiraz International Airport serves Shiraz, a southern Arianian economic center.
• The Mashhad International Airport services the Shia holy city of Mashhad in extreme northeast Ariana, a religious destination for the global Shia population. Mashhad also is Ariana’s second-largest city.

The four main Arianian airlines are AirAriana (the national flag carrier), Ariana Travelair, Magas Airline, and Hava Airline. All four operate an eclectic fleet of American, European, and Donovian aircraft and service a variety of European, Middle Eastern, and Asian destinations, along with providing domestic Arianian service. Airlines often operate aircraft procured prior to the Council of Guardians Revolution or secondhand Donovian and/or European passenger aircraft. Aircraft serviceability and safety remain problematic due to Western sanctions as the Arianian government and airlines attempt to keep these archaic planes in the air. In wartime, Ariana would likely use its domestic airline fleets as an auxiliary air force.

Maritime Seaports

Ariana has 12 seaports located along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. There are 7 Ariana ports that average more than 1 million tons of cargo throughput annually. The only ports that can accommodate Military Sea Lift (MSC) Commands Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) is the Port of Bandar-E Shahid Reajie and the Port of Bandar Khomeyni. Ariana has a significant coastline and a large oceangoing fleet to export its oil and has ports on the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman. Ariana owns the largest tanker fleet within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cartel, a large merchant shipping fleet, and maintains ports on the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The country also maintains a number of offshore oil and gas platforms that are linked to onshore facilities through a highly complex series of pipelines. In addition to the offshore platforms, facilities at the Kharg, Lavan, and Sirri Islands maintain jetties and other facilities to swap petroleum from ocean-going tankers that are too large for standard ports to land-based pipelines. The safety of oil shipment infrastructure remains paramount, as any disruption in the flow of oil to the Western world will affect America’s allies.

Port of Bandar-E Shahid Rajaee

The Port of Bandar-E Shahid Rajaee (Ariana’s largest seaport) is lies on the north shores of the Strait of Hormuz in southern Ariana about nine nautical miles (14.5 kilometers or nine mile) west-southwest of the Port of Bandar Abbas, of which it is a part. The Port of Shahid Rajaee is some 565 nautical miles (770 kilometers or almost 480 miles) southeast of Ariana’s Imam Khomeini Port, and it is about 1500 kilometers (933 miles) southeast of Tehran. The Port of Shahid Rajaee covers about 2400 hectares and handles 70 million tons of cargo per year, including three million TEUs of containerized cargo. The Port of Shahid Rajaee contains 23 berths with alongside depth of 15 meters (49.2 feet). The Port of Shahid Rajaee maintains over 19 hectares of roofed warehouses and 23.5 kilometers (14.6 miles) of domestic railway tracks. Another 16 kilometers (almost 10 miles) of railway are under construction.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important strait or narrow strip of water that links the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. The strait is only 21 to 60 miles (33 to 95 km) wide throughout its length. The Strait of Hormuz is important because it is a geographic chokepoint and a main artery for the transport of oil from the Middle East. Ariana and Oman are the countries nearest to the Strait of Hormuz and share territorial rights over the waters. Due to its importance, Ariana has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz several times in recent history. In the event Ariana closed all traffic going in and out of the Strait of Hormuz, it would be a logistical nightmare to try and transport equipment, CLV, and Oil in or out of Araina. Due to the large number of ports available to Ariana, any military blockade would require significant naval assets. Interrupting the oil flowing through Ariana’s tanker fleet could cause significant problems to the Western world. (See map of railroads and ports on page 92.). Ariana’s Merchant Marine fleet consists of 76 vessels ( 8 x bulk carrier ships;  51 x cargo vessels;   3 x chemical tankers; 4 x container ships; 1 x liquefied gas ship; 3 x passenger/cargo vessels; 2 x petroleum tankers;  2 x refrigerated cargo vessels; 2 x Roll On/Roll Off RO/RO).

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Ariana’s Major Pipelines and Hydrocarbon Fields

Pipelines

The security of hydrocarbon pipelines will be paramount in any military operations in the region. Any disruption to the flow of crude oil and natural gas to the Western world could cause economic problems, as many modern countries rely on hydrocarbons to fuel their industries.

Ariana maintains an extensive pipeline system that connects with other nations but also serves as an essential internal link to refining and export operations. Five major pipelines represent the backbone of the oil/gas movement system, with connectivity points to the international distribution network. Ariana maintains crude oil swap points to export its oil internationally and receives oil for internal use. A 122-mile-long pipeline that will carry natural gas from Tabriz, Ariana, to Ordubad, Limaria, is currently under construction. Local pipelines move oil and gas from field production centers to refineries or transshipment points. The security of Ariana’s pipelines remains an important issue, as any disruption may affect America’s allies.

Telecommunications Architecture

For the most part, Caucasus-region residents use cellular telephones to communicate with each other due to the lack of landline telephone infrastructure. Many residents never owned any type of telephone until they received their first cellular phone. Most can access news from either television or radio, but some rural residents have no information access via modern methods. (See the Ariana Information variable for additional details.)

The majority of Arianian citizens can access a telephone, use the Internet, or listen to a television or radio broadcast. Ariana contains nearly as many operational telephones as people. For its population of 77.9 million, Ariana has 25 million landlines and 43 million cellular telephones. The Arianian government wants to extend service to all villages not presently connected to the telephone system. Arianian Internet use continues to climb as over 46,000 Internet hosts operate in Ariana and over 23 million Arianians can assess the Internet. The Broadcasting Corporation of Ariana (BCA) operates five nationwide networks, including a news channel, over 30 provincial channels, and several international channels. While satellite dishes remain technically illegal, Arianians are able to obtain and operate them, and receive broadcasts from about 20 Arianian-language stations in foreign countries. The BCA also operates eight nationwide and numerous provincial radio networks. Arianian residents can also listen to many foreign radio stations. The military will find television and radio are excellent methods for communicating with the majority of Arianian citizens.

Industry

Because of their hydrocarbon resources, Ariana, Atropia, and Donovia are more industrialized than Gorgas and Limaria. Industry GDP ranges from a low of 27.1% in Gorgas to a high of 61.4% in Atropia. Ariana’s industry accounts for 45.9% of its GDP. The protection of the hydrocarbon infrastructure remains paramount for any military operations in the area, and the military should refrain from unnecessary damage to the industrial sector to facilitate economic recovery after the end of hostilities. Ariana produces a large amount of toxic industrial chemicals for multiple purposes, including hydrocarbon production activities, water purification, wastewater management, and fertilizer to increase agricultural output.

Agriculture

Agriculture production still dominates the labor forces of Gorgas (55.6%) and Limaria (46.2%), but not Ariana (25%), Atropia (38.3%), or Donovia (20%). Even in the Caucasus region’s predominately agricultural countries, farming creates less than one-fourth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Except for Atropia, the region relies on food imports to feed its people. Any food import disruption may increase the military’s burden to feed civilians and prevent starvation.

While 25% of workers are employed in agriculture-related jobs, agriculture generates only 11% of Ariana’s GDP. While 44.9% of Arianian land is potentially farmable, less than one-quarter of that amount is cultivated due to issues with salinity, irrigation, and other related infrastructure. Ariana irrigates one-third of its productive farm land. Cereal crops (wheat, barley, and rice) cover almost 70% of the cultivated land, with wheat alone as 52% of the cereal crops. Other important crops include pistachios, grapes, dates, citrus fruits, and apples. Because of availability issues, the military probably cannot rely on locally produced foodstuffs to supplement the ration system.

Oil/Gas

Despite its position as a global force in the world’s oil and gas economy, uneven investment and a lack of modern infrastructure hinder the Arianian oil and gas industry. While Ariana has some of  the largest known oil and gas reserves in the world, it lacks the ability to adequately refine the petroleum it produces. The Ariana State Oil Company (ASOC) is the world’s second largest oil company, after Saudi Aramco, and maintains access to some of the world’s largest proven reserves. The vast majority of Arianian oil and gas fields lie in Ariana’s southwest coastal area. The ASOC operates a massive organization that controls most, if not all, of Ariana’s important oil and gas production and logistical support elements. The ASOC generates most of Ariana’s revenue. Ariana currently only produces four million bbl/day compared to six million bbl/d before the Revolution. The reduction is due to combined effects of damage from the eight-year border war of three decades ago, a lack of infrastructure investment, and Western sanctions. Because of a refinery capacity shortage and high levels of domestic use (like gasoline), Ariana functions as a net petroleum importer. Some consider Ariana’s lack of refining capability as a significant Achilles heel for its economy. The Arianian government recently earmarked $15 billion for refinery modernization and development, but even this massive investment may not eliminate the Arianian refinery shortfall.

Ariana’s major refineries include:

• Abaadan (400,000 bbl/d capacity)
• Isfahan (265,000 bbl/d)
• Bandar-e Abbas (232,000 bbl/d)
• Tehran (225,000 bbl/d)
• Arak (150,000 bbl/d)
• Tabriz (112,000 bbl/d)

Minor refineries include:

• Kermancha
• Shiraz
• Lavan Island

Ariana plans additional refineries, modernization, or expansion at the following locations:

• Bandar-e Abbas
• Abaadan

Arianian oil and gas exploitation capability will drive the country’s economy for the indefinite future. Authorities will need to continue balancing oil and gas reinvestment requirements with the need for oil and gas to provide financial security for the rest of the country’s economy.

Defense Industries

In the last decade, Ariana took significant steps to create a domestic arms and military equipment manufacturing capability. The government took great pains to demonstrate its ability to indigenously produce aircraft and other high-profile items, and more importantly, Ariana reverse-engineered and produced Arianian versions of capable weapons such as helicopter gunships and anti-tank missiles. The Arianians also attempted to provide depot and higher-level maintenance for their aircraft through a variety of aviation companies, many owned by the Arianian government or senior Arianian military leaders.

Ariana’s four important defense industry organizations are:

• Ariana Combat Systems Company: manufactures a wide range of ground and naval combat systems, from small arms to light naval combat systems
• Ariana Electronics Company: produces radar, telecommunications, optics, electronic warfare, and related systems; organizationally subordinate to the Ariana Combat Systems Company
• Defense Aviation Corporation: provides aircraft maintenance,  component  replacement, and overhaul
• Aerospace Industries of Ariana: concerned with ballistic missile and rocket design, manufacturing, testing, and production

The Arianian defense industry has attempted to build an indigenous industry capable of simultaneously producing advanced equipment for its own forces and exporting weapons abroad. While UN sanctions limit Ariana’s ability to export weapons, the country’s engineers successfully developed sophisticated systems, such as battlefield radars and missile technology, for foreign sale and domestic use. Ariana produced its own capable intermediate-range missile with assistance from Donovia and other international partners. Arianian engineers reportedly are planning to reverse-engineer Donovian rocket motor designs to develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a range of 3,107 miles that could target most of Europe with a nuclear warhead.

Nuclear

The Arianian nuclear program began in the 1950s as a research- and medical isotope-oriented program under the Pasha. With US support, the Pasha intended to eventually mature the activities into a large nuclear power program. In the aftermath of the Council of Guardians Revolution, however, the nuclear program went dormant in the 1980s, with little activity during an eight-year border conflict. Fifteen to twenty years ago—with foreign technical assistance from Donovia, Germany, and other foreign partners—the nascent Arianian nuclear program blossomed from an almost abandoned and forgotten imperial legacy to a primary element of Ariana’s internal and external political and military arenas. Open-source reporting suggests that a shadow organization, the Arianian Energy Commission (AEC), functions as the center of the Arianian nuclear program. Qabil Bagheri, an Arianian military officer and university lecturer, leads the AEC. AEC is the latest name for the Arianian clandestine nuclear weapons development program that Arianians refer to as the “Energy Research Center” or the “Special Contingencies Organization.”

Nine years ago, more troubling aspects of the Arianian nuclear program came to light with the public exposure of the Arianian nuclear facilities at Natanz (a uranium enrichment facility) and Arak (a heavy water reactor), whose very existence indicated a significant nuclear weapons program. Recently, Ariana became the tenth country in the world to develop a nuclear weapon. Though less powerful in terms of kilowatts compared with other nuclear powers, Ariana now possesses a small number of tactical nuclear weapons.

To make the nuclear situation in Ariana even more challenging, it has been reported that Ariana has moved a significant portion of its nuclear enrichment programs and nuclear development programs below ground into underground facilities (UGFs). It is likely that the most important UGFs associated with these activities are located at Qom, Isfahan, and Natanz.

Space

The Arianian government has launched an ambitious national space program to significantly increase Arianian prestige and technical capability. The Arianian national space program will provide an internationally acceptable means for Ariana to validate much of its long-range missile technology if it produces space launch vehicles (SLVs). Dual-use technology such as satellite-based communications, earth observation/remote sensing, and scientific experiments can also produce direct military spinoffs and applications.

The Arianian Space Agency, the government organization with primary responsibility for space operations, maintains a variety of current operational and developmental launchers and payloads. The Safir-2 SLV is the Arianians’ current primary operational launcher, with the potential ability (with Safir-2 follow-ons) to put 660+ pound satellites into low-earth orbit. The Arianians have placed a variety of payloads in orbit, including first-generation communications, photographic, and scientific missions. Many of these assets were launched using a space launch facility located just south of the town in northeastern Ariana called Sharood. This facility is relatively new and under construction. Unique characteristics of the Sharood launch facility include a launch tower that is 75 feet high, a launch pad that measures 459 feet by 656 feet, and a single rocket exhaust shaft measuring 410 feet. Given Ariana’s interest and investment in this arena, it will likely attempt to continue upgrading rocket and satellite capabilities and complexities.

Pollution

All five Caucasus-region countries face significant pollution problems stemming from poor industrial practices. The governments cared more about natural resource extraction and industrial production than the stewardship of the planet. This lack of concern for the environment occurred regardless of which government was in power. While the Western world greatly influenced Arianian oil and natural gas production techniques, the lack of spare parts since the Revolution created excess pollution. The region’s military operations will need to address pollution, with soldiers taking precautions due to high levels of air pollution and units considering any local water source not potable until tested.

Ariana faces significant concerns regarding pollution from byproducts of industrialization, urbanization, and oil production. Due to vehicle air pollution, Tehran ranks as one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Summary

Ariana’s oil and gas infrastructure does not operate at optimal efficiency due to a broad mix of equipment and technology from several foreign countries and a lack of spare parts for some of its Western equipment. The Arianian hydrocarbon industry continues to rely on pre-Revolution technology that is decades old and susceptible to mechanical breakdown. While Ariana continues to build new infrastructure mainly in the form of pipelines to transport oil and natural gas around its country, the government spends its money on these new projects while failing to maintain the hydrocarbon infrastructure already in place.