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 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. US-Iranian 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 and 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 UN and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and its nuclear weapons ambitions. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000 a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians through the control of unelected institutions prevented reform measures from being enacted and increased repressive measures. 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. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions (1696 in July 2006 1737 in December 2006 1747 in March 2007 1803 in March 2008 and 1835 in September 2008) calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities. Resolutions 1737 1477 and 1803 subject a number of Iranian individuals and entities involved in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs to sanctions. Additionally several Iranian entities are subject to US sanctions under Executive Order 13,382 designations for proliferation activities and EO 13,224 designations for support of terrorism.

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N 53 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 1,648,195 km²
Rank: 18
Land: 1,531,595 km²
Water: 116,600 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries
Total: 5,440 km
Border countries: (8) Afghanistan 936 km; Armenia 35 km; Azerbaijan-proper 432 km; Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km; Iraq 1458 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
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
Arable land: 9.78%
Permanent crops: 1.29%
Other: 88.93% (2005)

Irrigated land: 76,500 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 137.5 km³ (1997)

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

Population: 66,429,284 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 19
Growth rate: 0.883% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 135
Below poverty line: 18% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Iranian
Adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups: Persian 51% Azeri 24% Gilaki and Mazandarani 8% Kurd 7% Arab 3% Lur 2% Baloch 2% Turkmen 2% other 1%

Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58% Turkic and Turkic dialects 26% Kurdish 9% Luri 2% Balochi 1% Arabic 1% Turkish 1% other 2%

Religions: Muslim 98% (Shia 89% Sunni 9%) other (includes Zoroastrian Jewish Christian and Baha'i) 2%

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.7%
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 24,501,544/female 23,914,172)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,725,828/female 1,870,823) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 27 years
Male: 26.8 years
Female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.883% (2009 est.)
Rank: 135

Birth rate: 17.17 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 119

Death rate: 5.72 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 171

Net migration rate: -2.62 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 147

Urbanization
Urban population: 68% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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 party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification Law of the Sea Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 35.78 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 70
Male: 35.98 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 35.56 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.14 years
Rank: 132
Male: 69.65 years
Female: 72.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 169

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 98
People living with hivaids: 86,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 49
Deaths: 4,300 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 47

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible r

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 67

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 77%
Male: 83.5%
Female: 70.4% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years (2005)

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
Name: Tehran
Geographic coordinates: 35 40 N 51 25 E
Time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (ostanha singular - ostan); Ardabil Azarbayjan-e Gharbi Azarbayjan-e Sharqi Bushehr Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari Esfahan Fars Gilan Golestan Hamadan Hormozgan Ilam Kerman Kermanshah Khorasan-e Jonubi Khorasan-e Razavi Khorasan-e Shomali Khuzestan Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer 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)

Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised in 1989
Note: the revision in 1989 expanded powers of the presidency and eliminated the prime ministership

Legal system: based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
Head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Mohammad Reza RAHIMI (since 13 September 2009)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries
Note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan) a popularly elected body charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader reviewing his performance and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency (Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam) exerts supervisory authority over the executive judicial and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005 the Council's powers were expanded to act as a supervisory body for the government; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e Qanun-e Assassi) determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law vets candidates for suitability and supervises national elections
Elections: Supreme Leader is appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 12 June 2009;(next presidential election slated for June 2013)
Election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD reelected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62.6% Mir-Hosein MUSAVI-Khamenei 33.8% other 3.6%; voter turnout 85%

Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 14 March 2008 with a runoff held 25 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 167 reformers 39 independents 74 religious minorities 5 other 5

Judicial branch: The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include 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; often political parties or coalitions are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front which includes political parties as well as less formal groups and organizations achieved considerable success in elections for the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition included the 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; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections former MCS Secretary General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI formed the National Trust Party; a new conservative group Islamic Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran) took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004; following the 2004 Majles elections traditional and hardline conservatives have attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists and the Broad Popular Coalition of Principlists; several reformist groups such as the Islamic Revolution came together as a reformist coalition in advance of the 2008 Majles elections; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that the overwhelming majority of its candidates have been unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections

International organization participation: CP ECO FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt (signatory) 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 UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU 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

Economy overview: Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector reliance on the oil sector which provides the majority of government revenues and statist policies which create major distortions throughout the system. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically limited to small-scale workshops farming and services. Price controls subsidies and other rigidities weigh down the economy undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Significant informal market activity flourishes. Corruption and shortages of goods are widespread. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD has proposed reforms to Iran's system of price controls and subsidies particularly on food and energy. However previous government-led efforts at reform - such as fuel rationing in July 2007 and the imposition of the Value-Added Tax (VAT) in October 2008 - were met with stiff resistance and violent protests. High oil prices in recent years allowed Iran to greatly increase its export earnings and amass nearly $100 billion in foreign exchange reserves. But with oil prices currently below $40 per barrel the Iranian government is facing difficulties. Tehran has formulated a 2009 budget that anticipates lower oil prices. The government has drawn down the country's Oil Stabilization Fund and may be dipping into foreign exchange reserves. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit unemployment and inflation - inflation climbed to a 28% annual rate in 2008. Underemployment among Iran's educated youth has convinced many to seek jobs overseas resulting in a significant 'brain drain.'

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 18
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 47

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 87
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.2%
Industry: 41.9%
Services: 47.8% (2008 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat rice other grains sugar beets sugar cane 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: 4.5% excluding oil (2008 est.)
Rank: 57

Labor force: 24.35 million
Rank: 23
Note: shortage of skilled labor (2008 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 25%
By occupation industry: 31%
By occupation services: 45% (June 2007)

Unemployment rate: 12% (2007 est.)
Rank: 139
Note: data are according to the Iranian Government

Population below poverty line: 18% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 29.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income gini index: 44.5 (2006)
Rank: 47

Budget
Revenues: $51 billion
Expenditures: $103 billion (FY09/10 est.)

Public debt: 27% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 97

Inflation rate consumer prices: 17.1% (2007 est.)
Rank: 214
Note: official Iranian estimate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 12% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 69

Stock of domestic credit:

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 58

Current account balance: $34.08 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 20

Exports: $97.4 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 37
Commodities: petroleum 80% chemical and petrochemical products fruits and nuts carpets
Partners: China 15.3% Japan 14.3% India 10.4% South Korea 6.4% Turkey 6.4% Italy 4.5% (2008)

Imports: $56.58 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 45
Commodities: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods capital goods foodstuffs and other consumer goods technical services
Partners: UAE 19.3% China 13% Germany 9.2% South Korea 7% Italy 5.1% France 4.3% Russia 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $82.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 15

Debt external: $20.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 70

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $6.054 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 84

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $903 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 72

Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,143 (2008 est.) 9,408 (2007) 9,227 (2006) 8,964 (2005) 8,614 (2004)
Note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002

Electricity
Production: 192.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 19
Consumption: 153.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 20
Exports: 2.52 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 1.842 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 116.3 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 5
Consumption: 119 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 4
Exports: 4.246 billion m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 28
Imports: 6.9 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 28
Proven reserves: 28.08 trillion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 2

Telephones
Main lines in use: 24.8 million (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 12
Mobile cellular: 43 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 26

Telephone system
General assessment: 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: 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 main line network greatly; main line availability has more than doubled to nearly 25 million lines since 2000; additionally mobile service has increased dramatically serving 43 million subscribers in 2008; 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) (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ir
Hosts: 45,678 (2009)
Hosts rank: 85
Users: 23 million (2008)
Users rank: 17

Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 67

Military service age and obligation: 19 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 - 18 months; women exempt from military service (2008)

Airports: 316 (2009)
Rank: 24
With paved runways total: 133
With paved runways over 3047 m: 40
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 28
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 25
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 34
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 183
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 139
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 33 (2009)

Heliports: 19 (2009)

Pipelines: condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 12 km; gas 19,246 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 7,018 km; refined products 7,936 km (2008)

Railways
Total: 8,442 km
Rank: 26
Broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
Standard gauge: 8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 172,927 km
Rank: 29
Paved: 125,908 km (includes 1429 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 47,019 km (2006)

Waterways: 850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2008)
Rank: 70

Merchant marine
Total: 74
Rank: 60
By type: bulk carrier 18 cargo 34 chemical tanker 4 container 6 liquefied gas 1 passenger/cargo 4 petroleum tanker 2 refrigerated cargo 2 roll on/roll off 3
Foreign owned: 1 (UAE 1)
Registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2 Bolivia 1 Cyprus 10 Hong Kong 15 Malta 79 Panama 7 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Assaluyeh Bandar Abbas Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni

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 dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island which are occupied by Iran; 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: 914,268 (Afghanistan); 54,024 (Iraq) (2007)

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