2003 Edition

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, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.3% (male 10,279,588; female 9,727,668) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 22,916,431; female 22,095,124) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,625,113; female 1,634,902) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Airports

309 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 27

total

122

under 914 m

4 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

total

187

under 914 m

39 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 138

Area

land

1.636 million sq km

total

1.648 million sq km

water

12,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Alaska

Background

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar. 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 over disputed territory. Over the past decade, popular dissatisfaction with the government, driven by demographic changes, restrictive social policies, and poor economic conditions, has created a powerful and enduring pressure for political reform. Geography Iran

Birth rate

17.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$31.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

revenues

$29.5 billion

Capital

Tehran

Climate

mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Coastline

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

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

former

Persia

local long form

Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form

Iran

Currency

Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code

IRR

Death rate

5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$8.7 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

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

Disputes - international

Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on Helmand River tributaries in response to prolonged drought in region; thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran; despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iraq over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues from eight-year war persist; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran insists on division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors, while other littoral states have generally agreed to equidistant seabed boundaries - Iran has threatened Azerbaijanian hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters

Economic aid - recipient

$408 million (2002 est.)

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. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $15 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not solved Iran's structural economic problems, including high unemployment and inflation.

Electricity - consumption

115.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

124.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

97.1%

hydro

2.9%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

lowest point

Caspian Sea -28 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; 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

rials per US dollar 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,752.93 (1999), 1,751.86 (1998)

note

from 1997 to 2001, Iran had a multi-exchange-rate system; one of these rates, the official floating exchange rate, by which most essential goods were imported, averaged 1,750 rials per US dollar; in March 2002, the multi-exchange-rate system was converged into one rate at about 7,900 rials per US dollar

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries

chief of state

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)

election results

(Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%

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)

head of government

President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-YAZDI (since 26 August 2001)

Exports

$24.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals

Exports - partners

Japan 17.4%, China 8.6%, UAE 7.6%, Italy 6.6%, South Korea 4.9%, South Africa 4.4% (2002)

Fiscal year

21 March - 20 March Communications Iran

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $458.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

19%

industry

26%

services

55% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.6% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

32 00 N, 53 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport People Iran

Government type

theocratic republic

Heliports

13 (2002) Military Iran

Highways

paved

94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)

total

167,157 km

unpaved

73,048 km (1998)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

290 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

20,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

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 Iranian press reports estimate at least 2 million drug users in the country This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$21.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Germany 10.9%, Italy 9%, France 7.9%, China 7.4%, South Korea 6.5%, UAE 4.4%, Japan 4.1%, Russia 4% (2002)

Independence

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

Industrial production growth rate

5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Infant mortality rate

female

44.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

44.31 deaths/1,000 live births

total

44.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15.3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, 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, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Internet country code

.ir

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

100 (2002)

Internet users

1.326 million (2002 est.) Transportation Iran

Irrigated land

75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Labor force

21 million

note

shortage of skilled labor (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

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

total

5,440 km

Land use

arable land

10.17%

other

88.67% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

1.16%

Languages

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

Legal system

the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

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)

election results

percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers 189, conservatives 54, independents 42, seats reserved for religious minorities 5

elections

last held 18 February 2000 with a runoff held 5 May 2000 (next to be held February 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

70.73 years (2003 est.)

male

68.04 years

total population

69.35 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

73% (2003 est.) Government Iran

male

85.6%

total population

79.4%

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

Median age

female

23.2 years (2002)

male

22.7 years

total

22.9 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 43, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

total

139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$9.7 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.1% (FY00) Transnational Issues Iran

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

20,343,063 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

12,094,551 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

870,711 (2003 est.)

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)

Nationality

adjective

Iranian

noun

Iranian(s)

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 - production

61.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

24.8 trillion cu m (37257)

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

Net migration rate

-0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

1.277 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

3.804 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

94.39 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000,

and groups in the coalition include

Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, emerged at the local level in early 2003

Political pressure groups and leaders

active pro-reform student groups include the "Organization for Strengthening Unity"; 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 Association, and Islamic Engineers Society; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various Monarchist organizations; 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, and Komala

Population

68,278,826 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

40% (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

1.08% (2003 est.)

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios

17 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

94 km 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge

7,107 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2002)

total

7,201 km

Religions

Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

Suffrage

15 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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

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

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

6.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

265,000 (August 1998)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

4.61 million (1997)

Terrain

rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Total fertility rate

1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

16.3% (2003 est.)

Waterways

904 km

note

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