1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq km water: 12,000 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly larger than Alaska
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Coastline
2,440 km note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m
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; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geographic coordinates
32 00 N, 53 00 E
Irrigated land
94,000 sq km (1993 est.)
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
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 27% forests and woodland: 7% other: 55% (1993 est.)
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Map references
Middle East
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements, or median lines in the Persian Gulf territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Terrain
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 36% (male 11,963,438; female 11,447,191) 15-64 years: 60% (male 19,549,935; female 19,276,784) 65 years and over: 4% (male 1,561,877; female 1,380,527) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
20.71 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Infant mortality rate
29.73 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 69.76 years male: 68.43 years female: 71.16 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.1% male: 78.4% female: 65.8% (1994 est.)
Nationality
noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian
Net migration rate
-4.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
65,179,752 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.07% (1999 est.)
Religions
Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
25 provinces (ostanha, singular--ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshahan, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan note: there may be three new provinces named Golestan, Qom, and Qazvin
Capital
Tehran
Constitution
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
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
Data code
IR
Executive branch
chief of state: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA August 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval 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 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 2001) election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani elected president; percent of vote--(Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 69%
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) 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
Government type
theocratic republic
Independence
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
International organization participation
CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy, headed by Fariborz JAHANSUZAN; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 965-4990 Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note--protecting power in Iran is Switzerland
Judicial branch
Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: since President KHATAMI's election in May 1997, several political parties have been licensed including Executives of Construction, Islamic Iran Solidarity Party, and Islamic Partnership Front; other important political groupings are: MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA]; Islamic Political pressure groups and leaders: groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; the Society for the Defense of Freedom
Legal system
the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Legislative branch
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (270 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 March and 19 April 1996 (next to be held NA March 2000) election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--NA
National holiday
Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
Suffrage
15 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Budget
revenues: $34.6 billion expenditures: $34.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.8 billion (FY96/97)
Currency
10 Iranian rials (IR) = 1 toman; note--domestic figures are generally referred to in terms of the toman
Debt--external
$21.9 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$116.5 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made little progress toward that goal. In the early 1990s, Iran experienced a financial crisis and was forced to reschedule $15 billion in debt. The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments. Iran's financial situation tightened in 1997 and deteriorated further in 1998 because of lower oil prices. As a result Iran has begun to cut imports and fall into arrears on its debt payments.
Electricity--consumption
79.5 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
79.5 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 90.57% hydro: 9.43% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Iranian rials (IR) per US$1--1,754.63 (January 1999), 1,751.86 (1998), 1,752.92 (1997), 1,750.76 (1996), 1,747.93 (1995), 1,748.75 (1994); black market rate: 7,000 rials per US$1 (December 1998); note--as of May 1995, the "official rate" of 1,750 rials per US$1 is used for imports of essential goods and services and for oil exports, whereas the "official export rate" of 3,000 rials per US$1 is used for non-oil exports and imports not covered by the official rate
Exports
$12.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
petroleum 80%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hides, iron, steel
Exports--partners
Japan, Italy, Greece, France, Spain, South Korea
Fiscal year
21 March--20 March
GDP
purchasing power parity--$339.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$5,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
-2.1% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$13.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products
Imports--partners
Germany, Italy, Japan, UAE, UK, Belgium
Industrial production growth rate
5.7% (FY95/96 est.)
Industries
petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
24% (1998 est.)
Labor force
15.4 million note: shortage of skilled labor
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21% (1988 est.)
Population below poverty line
53% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate
more than 30% (January 1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 72, FM 6, shortwave 5 (1998 est.)
Radios
13 million (1999 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: 25 regional telecommunications authorities created in 1996; these authorities are responsible for implementing paging services and cellular systems; microwave radio relay extends throughout the country with the system centered in Tehran; system is moving toward digitization and direct-dial capability; 255 long-distance circuits (1999 est.); 366 telephone exchanges (1995 est.); 204,400 microwave channels (1996 est.); 230,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1997 est.); 3,930 pager subscribers (1995 est.) international: 13,985 international circuits (1999 est.) with a plan to reach 14,000 by March 1999; satellite earth stations--9 Intelsat (with 50 terminals) and 4 Inmarsat; 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; four Internet service providers as of 1997 with the number increasing (service limited to electronic mail to promote Iranian culture)
Telephones
8,991,797 (1997 est.)
Television broadcast stations
28 (in addition, there are 450 low-power repeaters, all government controlled) (1997)
Televisions
7 million (1999 est.)
Transportation
Airports
288 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 110 over 3,047 m: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 178 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 126 under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)
Heliports
11 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 162,000 km paved: 81,000 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 81,000 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,238,293 GRT/5,658,259 DWT ships by type: bulk 46, cargo 35, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 10, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km Ports and harbors: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Imam 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
Railways
total: 7,286 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 7,192 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (1996 est.)
Waterways
904 km; the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use
Military and Security
Military branches
Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces), Revolutionary Guards (includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and Basij-mobilization-forces), Law Enforcement Forces
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$5.787 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2.9% (FY98/99)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 17,203,360 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 10,217,269 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
21 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 767,152 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); it jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)--over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan
Illicit drugs
despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic consumption of narcotics remains a persistent problem and Iranian press reports estimate that there are at least 1.2 million drug users in the country