Sahab Geographic and Drafting Institute

Sahab Geographic and Drafting Institute is an Iranian geographical and cartographical institution associated with the production, publication, and preservation of geographic information. Founded in 1935 by Abolghasem Sahab and his son Abbas Sahab, it is described as the first geographical and cartographical institute established in Iran's private sector and as an early institution of its kind in the Middle East. Its work has centered on making geographic knowledge available through maps, atlases, globes, school materials, posters, and related publications. The institute's output has included more than 3,000 titles. These materials cover both general and educational geography, with maps and atlases forming the core of its publishing and cartographic activity. Its products have served instructional, reference, and public-information purposes rather than being limited to commercial mapping services. The institute is therefore best understood as a combined cartographic publisher, educational-content producer, and geographic-information institution. A notable part of Sahab's historical role is its attention to the geography and historical cartography of the Persian Gulf. The institute has published books and maps concerning the Persian Gulf, historical representations of the region, and the islands located there. This subject area places the institute within Iran's broader tradition of geographic scholarship and map publication, while also reflecting the political and historical significance of Persian Gulf geography in Iranian public and academic discourse. The institute also maintains an important documentary and research resource in the form of the Sahab Library. Established by Abolghasem Sahab and later expanded by Abbas Sahab, the library contains approximately 32,000 books and journals relating to geography and around 20,000 maps. The collection supports the institute's publishing activities and preserves geographic and cartographic material for research and reference. The organization remains associated with the Sahab family. Mohammad Reza Sahab is identified as its current manager in the available reference material. Publicly documented information does not establish a separate corporate parent, stock-market listing, or international operating structure. Its principal identity is that of an Iranian specialist institute whose legacy combines mapmaking, geographic publishing, education, and the preservation of cartographic collections.

Sahab Geographic and Drafting Institute was established in 1935 by Abolghasem Sahab and his son Abbas Sahab. Its creation marked the development of a dedicated private-sector institution for geography and cartography in Iran. The institute's work has focused on producing and distributing geographic knowledge through maps, atlases, globes, books, school textbooks, posters, and other educational materials. Over the course of its publishing history, Sahab produced more than 3,000 titles. This body of work placed the institute at the intersection of cartography, education, geographic reference publishing, and public cultural institutions. Its materials have addressed general geographic subjects as well as educational needs, making the organization more than a map-printing operation. The publication of atlases and globes, in particular, extended its geographic content into classroom and reference settings. The Sahab family also developed a substantial library connected with the institute. Abolghasem Sahab established the Sahab Library, and Abbas Sahab subsequently expanded it. The collection is reported to include approximately 32,000 books and journals related to geography, together with about 20,000 maps. The library's holdings provide a documentary foundation for the institute's cartographic and publishing work and preserve historical geographic resources. The Persian Gulf has been a recurring subject in Sahab publications. The institute has issued books and maps dealing with the Persian Gulf, historical maps of the region, and the islands within it. These publications reflect the institute's interest in historical cartography as well as the importance of Persian Gulf geography in Iranian geographic writing and public discussion. The organization continues to be identified with the Sahab family. Available reference material names Mohammad Reza Sahab as the institute's current manager. No reliable public information in the supplied sources establishes its precise legal structure, headquarters address, financial position, ownership arrangements beyond its family association, or detailed chronology of individual publications.

• 1935

  Institute founded

  [1]Sahab Geographic and Drafting Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Abolghasem Sahab and Abbas Sahab founded the Sahab Geographic and Drafting Institute in Iran.

• Sahab Library established and expanded

  [1]Sahab Geographic and Drafting Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Abolghasem Sahab established the Sahab Library, which was later developed by Abbas Sahab into a major collection of geographic books, journals, and maps.

• Publication portfolio exceeds 3,000 titles

  [1]Sahab Geographic and Drafting Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  The institute's documented publishing output grew to more than 3,000 titles, including maps, atlases, globes, school textbooks, and posters.

A specialist Iranian geographic and cartographic institute combining map publishing, educational materials, geographic scholarship, and preservation of historical map collections.

• Cartographic publications

  Maps

  Maps are a central part of Sahab's work. The institute has produced general geographic maps, educational maps, historical maps, and publications focused on areas of particular geographic or historical importance, including the Persian Gulf and its islands.

• Geographic reference publications

  Atlases

  Sahab atlases organize geographic information into structured reference works for educational and general-use purposes. They form part of the institute's long-running publishing output and extend its cartographic content beyond individual map sheets.

• Educational geographic products

  Globes

  The institute produces globes as physical educational representations of the Earth. Alongside maps and atlases, globes support classroom instruction and provide a widely accessible format for presenting geographic relationships.

• Educational publishing

  School textbooks

  Sahab's documented catalogue includes school textbooks and related educational materials. These publications connect the institute's cartographic expertise with the teaching of geography and help present geographic subjects in an instructional format.

• Geographic and cartographic archive

  Sahab Library

  The Sahab Library is the institute's major documentary collection. It contains approximately 32,000 geography-related books and journals and around 20,000 maps, providing a research and preservation resource connected to the institute's publishing and cartographic activities.

1. 1Sahab Geographic and Drafting Instituteen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sahab Geographic and Drafting Institute official websitesahabmap.com