Iran

Islamic Republic of IranJomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

theocratic republic

Iran as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 129 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalTehran
Position32 00 N, 53 00 E
Area1.648 million sq km
LocationMiddle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
2004

Every edition of Iran

Populationas each edition published it
69.02 million July 2004 est. · 55.65m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.07% 2004 est. · 3.49% in 1993
Median ageyears
23.5 years 2004 est. · 22.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
69.66 years 2004 est. · 65.26 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.93 children per woman 2004 est. · 6.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
42.86 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 91 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,000 2003 est. · $1,500 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6.1% 2003 est. · 6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

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Land use(2001)

arable land 8.72%permanent crops 1.39%other 89.89% (2001)irrigated 75,620 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
1.648million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq kmwater: 12,000 sq kmslightly larger than Alaska
Coastline
2,440km
note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulfcontinental shelf: natural prolongation
Land boundaries
5,440km
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

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

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

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

19 fields
Population
69,018,924
(July 2004 est.)growth rate: 1.07% (2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
17.1Death
5.53Net migration
-0.84

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)69.66
68.31 · 71.07Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)42.86
43.01 · 42.69
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)79.4%
85.6% · 73%Median age years (2004 est.)23.5
23.3 · 23.7
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
28% (male 9,935,527; female 9,411,647)
15-64 years:
67.2% (male 23,608,621; female 22,744,128)
65 years and over:
4.8% (male 1,645,246; female 1,673,755) (2004 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:
0.98 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

290 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Iranian(s)
adjective:
Iranian

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%

Government

Theocratic republic; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989); President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997)

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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

  • 28 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, 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

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 (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); 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 8 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005)
election results:
(Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%

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 the Islamic Republic 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 is expected to participate 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 afte 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

  • none;
  • note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy;
  • address:
    • Iranian Interests Section,
    • Pakistani Embassy,
    • 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW,
    • Washington,
    • DC 20007
    ;
  • telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990;
  • FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Diplomatic representation from the US

none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

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

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.

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Real growth rate
6.1%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: 3% excluding oil (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
15.7%
(2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 12.5%industry 41.2%services 46.2% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

21.8%
Japan
4.1%
Germany
11%
9.7%
China
8.4%
France
8.6%
6.3%
Italy
8.1%
UAE
7.9%
5.4%
South Korea
6.5%
5.5%
Taiwan
5.4%
Turkey
Russia
4.8%
Exports $29.88 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)Imports $25.26 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)(2003)

Budget

Revenues
$40.38 billionExpenditures
$40.29 billion (2003 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion

Electricity

Electricity production
124.6 billion (2001)Electricity consumption
115.9 billion (2001)

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 $22 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. In December 2003 a major earthquake devastated the city of Bam in southeastern Iran, killing more than 30,000 people.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $478.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

28.6% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

22.32 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Public debt

28.2% of GDP (2003)

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 fabricating, armaments

Oil - production

3.804 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

1.277 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

2.2 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves

94.39 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production

61.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

65.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

4.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

24.8 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance

$3.935 billion (2003)

Exports

$29.88 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets

Imports

$25.26 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies

Debt - external

$10.96 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$408 million (2002 est.)

Currency

Iranian rial (IRR)

Exchange rates

rials per US dollar - 8,193.89 (2003), 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,752.93 (1999) 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

8 fields
Mobile cellular
3,376,500
(2003)
Internet users
5,269
(2004)
Fixed lines
14,571,100
(2003) · country code .ir

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)

Television broadcast stations

28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Internet users

4.3 million (2003)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

39
over 3,047 m
1
25
2,438 to 3,047 m
26
1,524 to 2,437 m
9
32
914 to 1,523 m
129
5
under 914 m
39
Paved 127Unpaved 178

Networkskm

Highways
167,157Railways
7,203Waterways
850 (2004)
Highways: paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways) · unpaved: 73,048 km (1998) · Railways: broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge · standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2003) · Waterways: (on Karun River and Lake Urmia)

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) (2003)

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

Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine

total:
134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
by type:
bulk 40, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 5, petroleum tanker 33, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1
registered in other countries:
10 (2004 est.)

Airports

303 (2003 est.)

Heliports

13 (2003 est.)

Military

7 fields

Military branches

Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods Force [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army]), Law Enforcement Forces

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 15-49: 20,937,348 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 12,434,810 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - international

  • Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on Helmand River tributaries in periods of drought;
  • thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran;
  • creation of a maritime boundary with Iraq remains in hiatus until full sovereignty is restored in Iraq;
  • 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 2 million drug users in the country;
  • lax anti-money-laundering regulations

Central Intelligence Agency. “Iran.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/iran/2004.

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