Oriental rugs traditionally are those rugs and carpets that are both handmade (either hand-knotted or hand-woven) and come from Asia. This includes such countries as Turkey, Iran (formerly Persia), Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal, Mongolia and Uzbekistan. Historically speaking, Persia (now Iran) is considered to be the origin of the most important oriental rugs. Typical Persian rug designs and patterns are geometric. Rugs which are hand-knotted outlast machine-made rugs. One way to determine quality is to study the compactness of the weave. More knots per inch means more labor invested in the rug and commands a higher price.