Mazandaran Province is located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the adjacent Central Alborz mountain range, in central-northern Iran. Sari is the provincial capital of Mazandaran, the former capital of Iran (for a short period) and is the biggest and the most densely populated city of the province.

Sari has a humid subtropical climate, with a Mediterranean climate influence. Winters are cool and rainy whilst summers are hot and humid. Sari is in the beautiful Caspian region of Iran with about half million people residing in the town and same amount in the suburbs, located mainly on the left side of the Tajan River and about 20 kilometers away from the Caspian (Mazandaran) Sea.

The city has been mentioned in Ferdowsi’s magnum opus, the Shahnameh (Book of Kings), which recounts Iran’s mythical and historical past. Excavations at Hutto and Kamarband Caves have provided evidence of the existence of settlements around Sari as far back as the 7th millennium BC.

When the Qajar’s came to power they made Sari the capital of Mazandaran once again and the city became the center of their rule for a short period. The founder of the Qajar Dynasty Agha Mohammad Khan (1742-1797) originally held a coronation ceremony in Sari before moving his capital to Tehran.

The Clock Tower, in the Clock Square (Meydan-e-Sa'at) located in downtown Sari, attracts visitors and has become a famous landmark. Sari also contains the tombs of the Muslim cleric leaders Yahya and Zayn Al-Abedin, Emamzade-ye Abbas, and Shazdeh Hussein the architecture of which are from the 15th century.

The unique Badab Sourt Natural Spring, which is the second registered natural attraction of Iran, is located in the Chahardangeh district of Sari.The economy of Sari is based on food products such as milled rice, dairy products, canned meat and cookies. Sari is a major citrus fruits producer, especially oranges, tangerines and lemons. Other sources of the economy include, but are not limited to, paper, wood, fabrics and construction materials. Mazandaran Wood and Paper Industries, the biggest factory of its kind in the Middle East, is situated in a 2000-acre ground on Semnan Road. Mazpaper is presently producing more than 20% of the country's paper requirements and is a major economic entity not only for the city but also for the province.