| Introduction |
Top |
| Background: |
Known
as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979
after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced
into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic
system of government with ultimate political authority nominally
vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have
been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US
Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January
1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with
Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to
clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between
1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism
for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and
remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls
because of its continued involvement. Following the elections of a
reformist president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to
foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction
have floundered as conservative politicians have prevented reform
measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and
consolidated their control over the government.
|
|
| Geography |
Top |
| Location: |
Middle
East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
|
|
| Geographic
coordinates: |
32 00
N, 53 00 E
|
|
| Map
references: |
Middle
East
|
|
| Area: |
total:
1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km
|
|
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly
larger than Alaska
|
|
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
|
|
| Coastline: |
2,440
km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
|
|
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial
sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median
lines in the Persian Gulf
continental shelf: natural prolongation
|
|
| Climate: |
mostly
arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
|
|
| Terrain: |
rugged,
mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains;
small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
|
|
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
|
|
| Natural
resources: |
petroleum,
natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese,
zinc, sulfur
|
|
| Land
use: |
arable
land: 8.72%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 89.89% (2001)
|
|
| Irrigated
land: |
75,620
sq km (1998 est.)
|
|
| Natural
hazards: |
periodic
droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
|
|
| Environment
- current issues: |
air
pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,
refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation;
overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;
wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination);
inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw
sewage and industrial waste; urbanization
|
|
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
|
|
| Geography
- note: |
strategic
location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital
maritime pathways for crude oil transport
|
|
| People |
Top |
| Population: |
68,017,860
(July 2005 est.)
|
|
| Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)
15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010)
(2005 est.)
|
|
| Median
age: |
total:
24.23 years
male: 24.03 years
female: 24.44 years (2005 est.)
|
|
| Population
growth rate: |
0.86%
(2005 est.)
|
|
| Birth
rate: |
16.83
births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
|
|
| Death
rate: |
5.55
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
|
|
| Net
migration rate: |
-2.64
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
|
|
| Sex
ratio: |
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
|
|
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 69.96 years
male: 68.58 years
female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)
|
|
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.82
children born/woman (2005 est.)
|
|
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
less
than 0.1% (2001 est.)
|
|
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
31,000
(2001 est.)
|
|
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
800
(2003 est.)
|
|
| Nationality: |
noun:
Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian
|
|
| Ethnic
groups: |
Persian
51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur
2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
|
|
| Religions: |
Shi'a
Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and
Baha'i 2%
|
|
| Languages: |
Persian
and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish
9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
|
|
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 85.6%
female: 73% (2003 est.)
|
|
| Government |
Top |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran
former: Persia
|
|
| Government
type: |
theocratic
republic
|
|
| Capital: |
Tehran
|
|
| Administrative
divisions: |
30
provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,
Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,
Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan
|
|
| Independence: |
1
April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
|
|
| National
holiday: |
Republic
Day, 1 April (1979)
note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)
|
|
| Constitution: |
2-3
December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and
eliminate the prime ministership
|
|
| Legal
system: |
the
Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
|
|
| Suffrage: |
15
years of age; universal
|
|
| Executive
branch: |
chief
of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since
4 June 1989)
head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3
August 2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi
(since 26 August 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control
over appointments to the more sensitive ministries
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for
life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote
for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a
two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president;
percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi
RAFSANJANI 36%; note - 2% of ballots spoiled
|
|
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290
seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000
election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7
May 2004 (next to be held February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party -
conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,
religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for
|
|
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme
Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and
a special administrative court
|
|
| Political
parties and leaders: |
formal
political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most
conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure
groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition called
the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as well as
less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved
considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early
2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation
Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran);
Solidarity Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari; Mojahedin of
the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics
Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh
Majles elections in early 2004; a new apparently conservative
group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in
the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February
2004
|
|
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
political
pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities;
groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e
Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran
Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh),
and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups
include the Organization for Strengthening Unity; opposition
groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e
Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed
political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the
government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's
Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala
|
|
| International
organization participation: |
CP,
ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO
|
|
| Flag
description: |
three
equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the
national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in
the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in
the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script
is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and
11 times along the top edge of the red band
|
|
| Economy |
Top |
| Economy
- overview: |
Iran's
economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector, over
reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create major
distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled by
the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale -
workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI has continued
to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI,
with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years
have enabled Iran to amass some $30 billion in foreign exchange
reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high
unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted
to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a
contentious issue with leading Western nations.
|
|
| GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $516.7 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
6.3%
(2004 est.)
|
|
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.)
|
|
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
11.2%
industry: 40.9%
services: 48.7% (2004 est.)
|
|
| Labor
force: |
23
million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)
|
|
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture
30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)
|
|
| Unemployment
rate: |
11.2%
(2004 est.)
|
|
| Population
below poverty line: |
40%
(2002 est.)
|
|
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
|
|
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
15.5%
(2004 est.)
|
|
| Investment
(gross fixed): |
31.3%
of GDP (2004 est.)
|
|
| Budget: |
revenues:
$43.34 billion
expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures
of $7.6 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
| Public
debt: |
27%
of GDP (2004 est.)
|
|
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat,
rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy
products, wool; caviar
|
|
| Industries: |
petroleum,
petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials,
food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil
production), metal fabrication, armaments
|
|
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
3.5%
excluding oil (2004 est.)
|
|
| Electricity
- production: |
129
billion kWh (2002)
|
|
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil
fuel: 97.1%
hydro: 2.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
|
|
| Electricity
- consumption: |
119.9
billion kWh (2002)
|
|
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh
(2002)
|
|
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh
(2002)
|
|
| Oil
- production: |
3.962
million bbl/day (2004 est.)
|
|
| Oil
- consumption: |
1.4
million bbl/day (2002 est.)
|
|
| Oil
- exports: |
2.5
million bbl/day (2004 est.)
|
|
| Oil
- imports: |
NA
|
|
| Oil
- proved reserves: |
130.8
billion bbl (2004 est.)
|
|
| Natural
gas - production: |
79
billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
| Natural
gas - consumption: |
72.4
billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
| Natural
gas - exports: |
3.4
billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
| Natural
gas - imports: |
4.92
billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
| Natural
gas - proved reserves: |
26.7
trillion cu m (2004)
|
|
| Current
account balance: |
$2.1
billion (2004 est.)
|
|
| Exports: |
$38.79
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
|
|
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum
80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
|
|
| Exports
- partners: |
Japan
20%, China 9.9%, Italy 6.3%, South Africa 6.3%, Taiwan 4.8%,
Turkey 4.7%, South Korea 4.7%, France 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3%
(2004)
|
|
| Imports: |
$31.3
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
|
|
| Imports
- commodities: |
industrial
raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs
and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies
|
|
| Imports
- partners: |
Germany
13%, France 8.9%, Italy 8%, China 7.7%, UAE 6.4%, South Korea
6.3%, Russia 4.9% (2004)
|
|
| Reserves
of foreign exchange and gold: |
$29.87
billion (2004 est.)
|
|
| Debt
- external: |
$13.4
billion (2004 est.)
|
|
| Currency
(code): |
Iranian
rial (IRR)
|
|
| Currency
code: |
IRR
|
|
| Exchange
rates: |
rials
per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002),
1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)
note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate
regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
|
|
| Fiscal
year: |
21
March - 20 March
|
|
| Communications |
Top |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
14,571,100
(2003)
|
|
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
3,376,500
(2003)
|
|
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and
expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone
system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the
microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages
have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the
urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile
cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical
level of the system has been raised by the installation of
thousands of digital switches
international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave
radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan,
Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine
fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around
the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs
from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to
Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite
earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat
|
|
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM
72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
|
|
| Radios: |
17
million (1997)
|
|
| Television
broadcast stations: |
28
(plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
|
|
| Televisions: |
4.61
million (1997)
|
|
| Internet
country code: |
.ir
|
|
| Internet
hosts: |
5,269
(2004)
|
|
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
100
(2002)
|
|
| Internet
users: |
4.3
million (2003)
|
|
| Transportation |
Top |
| Railways: |
total:
7,203 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified)
(2004)
|
|
| Highways: |
total:
167,157 km
paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)
|
|
| Waterways: |
850
km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)
|
|
| Pipelines: |
condensate/gas
212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,256 km;
refined products 7,808 km (2004)
|
|
| Ports
and harbors: |
Assaluyeh,
Bushehr
|
|
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4,
container 14, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5,
petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
|
|
| Airports: |
305
(2004 est.)
|
|
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
127
over 3,047 m: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 32
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
|
|
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
178
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 129
under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)
|
|
| Heliports: |
13
(2004 est.)
|
|
| Military |
Top |
| Military
branches: |
Islamic
Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy,
Air Force (includes Air Defense)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e
Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force
(special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)
Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)
|
|
| Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18
years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for
volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively
during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2004)
|
|
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males
age 18-49: 18,319,545 (2005 est.)
|
|
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males
age 18-49: 15,665,725 (2005 est.)
|
|
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
862,056 (2005 est.)
|
|
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$4.3
billion (2003 est.)
|
|
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.3%
(2003 est.)
|
|
| Transnational Issues |
Top |
| Disputes
- international: |
Iran
protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the
Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime
boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth
of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage in
direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes
over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran
stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of
the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors
|
|
| Refugees
and internally displaced persons:: |
refugees
(country of origin): 1,223,823 (Afghanistan) 124,014 (Iraq)
(2004)
|
|
| Illicit
drugs: |
despite
substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment
point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic narcotics
consumption remains a persistent problem and according to official
Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug users in
the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations |
