Present Persia is the modern name for the country of IRAN. It is located in the Middle East and is bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It has a population of over 80 million people and is the second-largest nation in the Middle East. The official language is Persian, and the majority of the population is Shia Muslim. Present Persia has a long and rich history, with its roots stretching back to the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC.