The Alborz mountain range contains Mount Damāvand, Iran’s highest mountain at 5,609 metres.
The Alborz, also spelled Elburz or Elborz, forms an arc along northern Iran beside the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. Mount Damāvand is a potentially active stratovolcano and is the highest volcanic peak in Asia. Its isolated cone is a major landmark visible from parts of northern Iran.
Damāvand has an important place in Persian mythology and literature, especially in the national epic Shahnameh. In modern geography, it is recognized both as Iran’s highest point and as the highest volcano in Asia.
The Alborz is often confused with the Caucasus because both lie near the Caspian region. They are separate mountain systems, divided by the Caspian Sea and surrounding lowlands. The Zagros, another major Iranian range, lies mainly farther west and southwest.