Map of Iran | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: Known as Persia until 1935 Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who according to the constitution is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts - a popularly elected 86-member body of clerics. US-Iranian relations became strained when a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostages until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. During the period 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. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US UN and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and concerns over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000 a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians supported by the Supreme Leader unelected institutions of authority like the Council of Guardians and the security services reversed and blocked reform measures while increasing security repression. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004 conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His controversial reelection in June 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud. These protests were quickly suppressed and the political opposition that arouse as a consequence of AHMADI-NEJAD's election was repressed. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and October 2012 but Iran's internal security situation remained stable. President AHMADI-NEJAD's independent streak angered regime establishment figures including the Supreme Leader leading to conservative opposition to his agenda for the last year of his presidency and an alienation of his political supporters. In June 2013 Iranians elected a moderate conservative cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI to the presidency. He is a long-time senior member in the regime but has made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities but in November 2013 the five permanent members plus Germany (P5+1) signed a joint plan with Iran to provide the country with incremental relief from international pressure for positive steps toward transparency of their nuclear program.


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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 reference

Area
Rank: 18
Land: 1,531,595 km²
Water: 116,600 km²

Land boundaries
Border countries: (7) Afghanistan 921 km; Armenia 44 km; Azerbaijan 689 km; Iraq 1599 km; Pakistan 959 km; Turkey 534 km; Turkmenistan 1148 km

Coastline: 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas coal chromium copper iron ore lead manganese zinc sulfur

Land use
Permanent crops: 1.08%
Other: 88.86% (2011)

Irrigated land: 87,000 km² (2009)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 137 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts floods; dust storms sandstorms; earthquakes

Geography
Note: strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport


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Population: 80,840,713 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 19
Growth rate: 1.22% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 97
Below poverty line: 18.7% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups: Persian 61% Azeri 16% Kurd 10% Lur 6% Baloch 2% Arab 2% Turkmen and Turkic tribes 2% other 1%

Languages: Persian (official) 53% Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects 18% Kurdish 10% Gilaki and Mazandarani 7% Luri 6% Balochi 2% Arabic 2% other 2%

Religions: Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 90-95% Sunni 5-10%) other (includes Zoroastrian Jewish and Christian) 0.3% unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 18.7% (male 7,757,256/female 7,341,309)
25-54 years: 46.1% (male 18,955,874/female 18,289,849)
55-64 years: 6.3% (male 2,519,630/female 2,603,458)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 1,941,692/female 2,246,762) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 33.9 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 %
Potential support ratio: 13.1 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 28 years
Female: 28.6 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.22% (2014 est.)
Rank: 97

Birth rate: 18.23 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 105

Death rate: 5.94 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 168

Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 115

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: TEHRAN (capital) 7.304 million; Mashhad 2.713 million; Esfahan 1.781 million; Karaj 1.635 million; Tabriz 1.509 million; Shiraz 1.321 million (2011)

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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification Law of the Sea Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 55
Male: 39.53 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 38.45 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 148
Male: 69.32 years
Female: 72.53 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 146

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 73.3% (2002)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.89 physicians/1000 population (2005)

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 102
People living with hivaids: 70,900 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 54
Deaths: 4,600 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 43

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.4% (2008)
Rank: 99

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.6% (2004)
Rank: 92

Education expenditures: 3.7% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 119

Literacy
Total population: 85%
Male: 89.3%
Female: 80.7% (2008 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years (2012)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Iran
Local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
Local short form: Iran
Former: Persia

Government type: theocratic republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 35 42 N 51 25 E
Time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins fourth Tuesday in March; ends fourth Thursday in September

Administrative divisions: 31 provinces (ostanha singular - ostan); Alborz Ardabil Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan) Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan) Bushehr Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari Esfahan Fars Gilan Golestan Hamadan Hormozgan Ilam Kerman Kermanshah Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan) Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan) Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan) Khuzestan Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad Kordestan Lorestan Markazi Mazandaran Qazvin Qom Semnan Sistan va Baluchestan Tehran Yazd Zanjan

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 16 January 1979 (Shah Reza PAHLAVI flees Iran to escape popular political revolt against his rule); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI Dynasty); 1905-1907 (constitutional revolution resulting in establishment of a parliament); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid Dynasty)

National holiday: Republic Day 1 April (1979)

Constitution: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979 effective 3 December 1979; amended 1989 (2013)

Legal system: religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: President Hasan Fereidun RUHANI (since 3 August 2013); First Vice President Eshaq JAHANGIRI (since 5 August 2013)
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: supreme leader appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term and additional nonconsecutive term); election last held on 14 June 2013 (next presidential election to be held in June 2017)
Election results: Hasan Fereidun RUHANI 50.7% Mohammad Baqer QALIBAF 16.5% Saeed JALILI 11.4% Mohsen REZAI 10.6% Ali Akber VELAYATI 6.2% other 4.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote from single and multimember districts to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 2 March 2012 (first round); second round held on 4 May 2012; (next election to be held in 2016)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a 5-year term; other judge appointments and tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CICA CP D-8 ECO FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU MIGA NAM OIC OPCW OPEC PCA SAARC (observer) SCO (observer) UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section Pakistani Embassy 2,209 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington DC 20,007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4,990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073
From the us: none; note - the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland No. 39 Shahid Mousavi (Golestan 5th) Pasdaran Ave. Tehran Iran; telephone [98] 21 2,254 2,178/2,256 5,273; FAX [98] 21 2,258 0432

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; green is the color of Islam and also represents growth white symbolizes honesty and peace red stands for bravery and martyrdom

National symbols: lion

National anthem
Lyrics and music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI

National heritage


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Economy overview: Iran's economy is marked by statist policies an inefficient state sector and reliance on oil a major source of government revenues. Price controls subsidies and other distortions weigh down the economy undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Private sector activity is typically limited to small-scale workshops farming some manufacturing and services. Significant informal market activity flourishes and corruption is widespread. New fiscal and monetary constraints on Tehran following the expansion of international sanctions in 2012 against Iran's Central Bank and oil exports significantly reduced Iran's oil revenue forced government spending cuts and fueled a 60% currency depreciation. Economic growth turned negative in 2012 and 2013 for the first time in two decades. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit unemployment and underemployment. Lack of job opportunities has convinced many educated Iranian youth to seek jobs overseas resulting in a significant 'brain drain.' However the election of President Hasan RUHANI in June 2013 brought about widespread expectations of economic improvements and greater international engagement among the Iranian public and early in Ruhani's term the country saw a strengthened national currency and a historic boost to market values at the Tehran Stock Exchange.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 19

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 208

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 103

Gross national saving:
Rank: 28

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 14.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 31.1%
Investment in inventories: 1.2%
Exports of goods and services: 20.8%
Imports of goods and services: -12.7%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 44.9%
Services: 44.5% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat rice other grains sugar beets sugarcane fruits nuts cotton; dairy products wool; caviar

Industries: petroleum petrochemicals fertilizers caustic soda textiles cement and other construction materials food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production) ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication armaments

Industrial production growth rate: -5.2% (2013 est.)
Rank: 191

Labor force: 27.72 million
Rank: 23
By occupation industry: 34.4%
By occupation services: 48.7% (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 142

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 18.7% (2007 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 29.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income gini index: 44.5 (2006)
Rank: 45

Budget
Expenditures: $66.38 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 160

Taxes and other revenues: 11.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 205

Public debt: 18.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 137

Revenue

Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 30.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 221

Central bank discount rate: NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Stock of narrow money: $42.91 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 62

Stock of broad money: $104.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 65

Stock of domestic credit: $77.74 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 63

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 34

Current account balance: -$9.333 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 174

Exports: $67.04 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 53
Commodities: petroleum 80% chemical and petrochemical products fruits and nuts carpets
Partners: China 22.1% India 11.9% Turkey 10.6% South Korea 7.6% Japan 7.1% (2012)

Imports: $70.03 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 46
Commodities: industrial supplies capital goods foodstuffs and other consumer goods technical services
Partners: UAE 33.2% China 13.8% Turkey 11.8% South Korea 7.4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $74.06 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 32

Debt external: $17.25 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $37.31 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 56

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $3.345 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 65

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 239.7 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 18
Consumption: 199.8 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 19
Exports: 6.707 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 25
Imports: 3.015 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 45
Installed generating capacity: 62.09 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 15
Generation sources fossil fuels: 86.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 87
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 109
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 13.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 104
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 96

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 3.594 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 6
Crude oil exports: 2.445 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 3
Crude oil imports: 15,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 71
Crude oil proven reserves: 154.6 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 4

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1.718 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products production rank: 12
Products consumption: 1.709 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products consumption rank: 14
Products exports: 330,800 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 21
Products imports: 180,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 29

Natural gas
Production: 162.6 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 4
Consumption: 144.6 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 5
Exports: 9.05 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 26
Imports: 10.59 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 29
Proven reserves: 33.61 trillion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 2

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 624.9 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 28.76 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 12
Mobile cellular: 58.16 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 24

Telephone system
Domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the fixed-line network greatly; fixed-line availability has more than doubled to more than 27 million lines since 2000; additionally mobile-cellular service has increased dramatically serving roughly 56 million subscribers in 2011; combined fixed and mobile-cellular subscribership now exceeds 100 per 100 persons
International: country code - 98; 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; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey Azerbaijan Pakistan Afghanistan Turkmenistan Syria Kuwait Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2011)

Broadcast media: state-run broadcast media with no private independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) the state-run TV broadcaster operates 5 nationwide channels a news channel about 30 provincial channels and several international channels; about 20 foreign Persian-language TV stations broadcasting on satellite TV are capable of being seen in Iran; satellite dishes are illegal and while their use had been tolerated authorities began confiscating satellite dishes following the unrest stemming from the 2009 presidential election; IRIB operates 8 nationwide radio networks a number of provincial stations and an external service; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2009)

Internet
Country code: .ir
Hosts: 197,804 (2012)
Hosts rank: 72
Users: 8.214 million (2009)
Users rank: 35

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation is 18 months; women exempt from military service (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 319 (2013)
Rank: 22
With paved runways over 3047 m: 42
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 29
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 26
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 36
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (2013)
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 135
With unpaved runways: 32 (2013)

Heliports: 26 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 973 km; gas 20,794 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,625 km; refined products 7,937 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 24
Broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
Standard gauge: 8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 26
Paved: 160,366 km (includes 1948 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 38,500 km (2010)

Waterways: 850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)
Rank: 70

Merchant marine
Rank: 60
By type: bulk carrier 8 cargo 51 chemical tanker 3 container 4 liquefied gas 1 passenger/cargo 3 petroleum tanker 2 refrigerated cargo 2 roll on/roll off 2
Foreign owned: 2 (UAE 2)
Registered in other countries: 71 (Barbados 5 Cyprus 10 Hong Kong 3 Malta 48 Panama 5) (2010)

Ports and terminals
River port: Bandar Emam Khomeyni (Shatt al-Arab)
Container port: Bandar Abbas (2,752,460)


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Disputes international: Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during 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 dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island which are occupied by Iran; Azerbaijan Kazakhstan and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable control measures along the border with Afghanistan Iran remains one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world and has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence