2012 Edition

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 - a popularly elected 86-member body of clerics. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostages 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 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, 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. His controversial reelection in June 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud. 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 and 1929 in June 2010) calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities. Resolutions 1737, 1747, 1803, and 1929 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 13224 designation for support of terrorism and Executive Order 13382 designation for proliferation activities. In mid-February 2011, opposition activists conducted the largest antiregime rallies since December 2009, spurred by the success of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. Protester turnout probably was at most tens of thousands and security forces were deployed to disperse protesters. Additional protests in March 2011 failed to elicit significant participation largely because of the robust security response, although discontent still smolders. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically-based protests in July and October 2012.

Area

1,648,195 sq km 1,531,595 sq km 116,600 sq km

total

1,648,195 sq km

water

116,600 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller 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

Caspian Sea -28 m Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

total

72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)

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

Irrigated land

89,930 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

5,440 km 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

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

9.78% 1.29% 88.93% (2005)

arable land

9.78%

other

88.93% (2005)

permanent crops

1.29%

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

12 nm 24 nm bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf natural prolongation

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

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

Total renewable water resources

137.5 cu km (1997)

Age structure

23.9% (male 9,654,957/ female 9,174,944) 71.1% (male 28,498,325/ female 27,556,750) 5.1% (male 1,871,299/ female 2,112,436) (2012 est.)

0-14 years

23.9% (male 9,654,957/ female 9,174,944)

15-64 years

71.1% (male 28,498,325/ female 27,556,750)

65 years and over

5.1% (male 1,871,299/ female 2,112,436) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

18.52 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Death rate

5.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

6,400 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

92,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.38 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

41.11 deaths/1,000 live births 41.61 deaths/1,000 live births 40.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

female

40.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

total

41.11 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

70.35 years 68.84 years 71.93 years (2012 est.)

female

71.93 years (2012 est.)

total population

70.35 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 77% 83.5% 70.4% (2002 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

70.4% (2002 est.)

male

83.5%

total population

77%

Major cities - population

TEHRAN (capital) 7.19 million; Mashhad 2.592 million; Esfahan 1.704 million; Karaj 1.531 million; Tabriz 1.459 million (2009)

Major infectious diseases

intermediate bacterial diarrhea Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

degree of risk

intermediate

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria

Maternal mortality rate

21 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

Median age

27.4 years 27.1 years 27.6 years (2012 est.)

female

27.6 years (2012 est.)

male

27.1 years

total

27.4 years

Nationality

Iranian(s) Iranian

adjective

Iranian

noun

Iranian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

14.2% (2005)

Physicians density

0.89 physicians/1,000 population (2005)

Population

78,868,711 (July 2012 est.)

Population growth rate

1.247% (2012 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 86% of population rural: 78% of population total: 83% of population urban: 14% of population rural: 22% of population total: 17% of population

rural

22% of population

total

17% of population

urban

14% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

13 years 13 years 13 years (2009)

female

13 years (2009)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

1.05 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female 0.89 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.89 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.87 children born/woman (2012 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

23% 20.2% 34% (2008)

female

34% (2008)

total

23%

Urbanization

71% of total population (2010) 1.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

71% of total population (2010)

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

Capital

Tehran 35 42 N, 51 25 E UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) +1hr, begins fourth Tuesday in March; ends fourth Thursday in September

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins fourth Tuesday in March; ends fourth Thursday in September

geographic coordinates

35 42 N, 51 25 E

name

Tehran

time difference

UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

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

Country name

Islamic Republic of Iran Iran Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran Iran Persia

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

Diplomatic representation 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 2254 2178/2256 5273; FAX [98] 21 2258 0432

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

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

Executive branch

Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Mohammad Reza RAHIMI (since 13 September 2009) Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khoebregan), 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-ye- Tashkhis-e -Maslahat-e- Nezam) exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues when 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 Negban-e Qanon-e Asasi) determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates in popular elections for suitability, and supervises national 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 2009 (next presidential election slated for June 2013) 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% (according to official figures published by the government)

also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies

1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khoebregan), 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-ye- Tashkhis-e -Maslahat-e- Nezam) exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues when 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 Negban-e Qanon-e Asasi) determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates in popular elections for suitability, and supervises national elections

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 Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)

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% (according to official figures published by the government)

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 2009 (next presidential election slated for June 2013)

head of government

President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Mohammad Reza RAHIMI (since 13 September 2009)

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

Government type

theocratic republic

Independence

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 625 B.C. (unification of Iran under the Medes); ca. A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavids); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the Pahlavis)

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates

ca. 625 B.C. (unification of Iran under the Medes); ca. A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavids); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the Pahlavis)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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)

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

Legal system

religious legal system based on sharia law

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) last held on 2 March 2012 (first round); second round held on 4 May 2012; (next election to be held in 2016) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

elections

last held on 2 March 2012 (first round); second round held on 4 May 2012; (next election to be held in 2016)

National anthem

"Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran) multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI adopted 1990

lyrics/music

multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI

name

"Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran)

National holiday

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

National symbol(s)

lion

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 (MCS; Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004 but boycotted them after 80 incumbent reformists were disqualified; 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; ahead of the 2008 Majles elections, traditional and hardline conservatives attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists and the Broad Popular Coalition of Principlists; several reformist groups, such as the MIRO and the IIPF, also 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 were unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections

Note

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 (MCS; Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004 but boycotted them after 80 incumbent reformists were disqualified; 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; ahead of the 2008 Majles elections, traditional and hardline conservatives attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists and the Broad Popular Coalition of Principlists; several reformist groups, such as the MIRO and the IIPF, also 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 were unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections

Political pressure groups and leaders

Ansar-e Hizballah-; Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader; Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh); Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran Militant Clergy Association (MCA; Ruhaniyat) Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU) Freedom Movement of Iran; Green Path movement [Mehdi KARUBI, Mir-Hosein MUSAVI]; Marz-e Por Gohar; National Front; various ethnic and monarchist organizations Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI); Jundallah; Komala; Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO); People's Fedayeen; People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK)

active pro-reform student group

Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU)

armed political groups repressed by the government

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI); Jundallah; Komala; Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO); People's Fedayeen; People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK)

groups that generally support the Islamic Republic

Ansar-e Hizballah-; Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader; Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh); Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran Militant Clergy Association (MCA; Ruhaniyat)

opposition groups

Freedom Movement of Iran; Green Path movement [Mehdi KARUBI, Mir-Hosein MUSAVI]; Marz-e Por Gohar; National Front; various ethnic and monarchist organizations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$131.2 billion $92.63 billion (2011 est.)

expenditures

$92.63 billion (2011 est.)

revenues

$131.2 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5% of GDP (2012 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

16% (31 December 2012 est.) 12.5% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$9.078 billion (2012 est.) $26.19 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$9.452 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $17.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

44.5 (2006)

Economy - overview

Iran's economy is marked by statist policies and an inefficient state sector, which create major distortions throughout the system, and reliance on oil, which provides the majority of government revenues. Price controls, subsidies, and other rigidities weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Private sector activity is typically limited to small-scale workshops, farming, and services. Significant informal market activity flourishes and corruption is widespread. Tehran since the early 1990s has recognized the need to reduce these inefficiencies, and in December 2010 the legislature passed President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD's Targeted Subsidies Law (TSL) to reduce state subsidies on food and energy. This was the most extensive economic reform since the government implemented gasoline rationing in 2007. Over a five-year period the bill will phase out subsidies that previously cost Tehran $60-$100 billion annually and mostly benefited Iran's upper and middle classes. Cash payouts of $45 per person to more than 90% of Iranian households mitigated initial widespread resistance to the TSL program, though popular acceptance remains vulnerable to rising inflation. A rise in world oil prices in 2011 increased Iran's oil export revenue by roughly $28 billion over 2010, easing some of the financial impact of international sanctions. However, expansionary fiscal and monetary policies, government mismanagement, the sanctions, and a depreciating currency are fueling inflation, and GDP growth remains stagnant. Iran also continues to suffer from double-digit unemployment and underemployment. Underemployment among Iran's educated youth has convinced many to seek jobs overseas, resulting in a significant "brain drain."

Exchange rates

Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 12,260 (2012 est.) 10,616.3 (2011 est.) 10,254.18 (2010 est.) 9,864.3 (2009) 9,142.8 (2008)

Exports

$66.37 billion (2012 est.) $109.5 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

China 21.4%, Japan 9.1%, Turkey 8.8%, India 8.1%, South Korea 8%, Italy 5.3% (2011)

Fiscal year

21 March - 20 March

GDP - composition by sector

11% 38.4% 50.6% (2012 est.)

agriculture

11%

industry

38.4%

services

50.6% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$13,100 (2012 est.) $13,400 (2011 est.) $13,300 (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-0.9% (2012 est.) 2% (2011 est.) 5.9% (2010 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$483.8 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$997.4 billion (2012 est.) $1.007 trillion (2011 est.) $986.8 billion (2010 est.) data in US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.6% 29.6% (2005)

highest 10%

29.6% (2005)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

$66.97 billion (2012 est.) $74.41 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

industrial supplies, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services

Imports - partners

UAE 30.9%, China 17.4%, South Korea 7.1%, Germany 4.8%, Turkey 4.2% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.7% (2011 est.) (2011 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

23.6% (2012 est.) 20.6% (2011 est.) official Iranian estimate

Investment (gross fixed)

31.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

Labor force

27.05 million shortage of skilled labor (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

25% 31% 45% (June 2007)

agriculture

25%

industry

31%

services

45% (June 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$107.2 billion (31 December 2011) $86.62 billion (31 December 2010) $63.3 billion (31 December 2009)

Population below poverty line

18.7% (2007 est.)

Public debt

18.8% of GDP (2012 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2011 est.) includes publicly guaranteed debt

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$69.86 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $109.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$199.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $183.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$2.881 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $2.531 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$24.76 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $23.61 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$138.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $138.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$58.77 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $54.88 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

13.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

15.5% (2012 est.) 15.3% (2011 est.) data are according to the Iranian Government

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

560.3 million Mt (2010 est.)

Crude oil - exports

2.295 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - production

4.231 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

151.2 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

Electricity - consumption

173.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports

6.154 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

86.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

13.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

2.068 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

56.17 million kW (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

213.7 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

144.6 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

8.42 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - imports

6.85 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - production

146.1 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

33.07 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1.694 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

246,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

187,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

1.801 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

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

Internet hosts

197,804 (2012)

Internet users

8.214 million (2009)

Telephone system

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 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 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)

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

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

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

27.767 million (2011)

Telephones - mobile cellular

56.043 million (2011)

Airports

324 (2012)

Airports - with paved runways

7 (2012)

1,524 to 2,437 m

24

2,438 to 3,047 m

29

914 to 1,523 m

34

over 3,047 m

42

total

136

under 914 m

7 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

34 (2012)

1,524 to 2,437 m

10

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

142

over 3,047 m

1

total

188

under 914 m

34 (2012)

Heliports

21 (2012)

Merchant marine

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 2 (UAE 2) 71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)

foreign-owned

2 (UAE 2)

registered in other countries

71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)

total

76

Pipelines

condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 12 km; gas 20,155 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 7,123 km; refined products 7,937 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni

Railways

8,442 km 94 km 1.676-m gauge 8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)

standard gauge

8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)

total

8,442 km

Roadways

172,927 km 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways) 47,019 km (2006)

total

172,927 km

unpaved

47,019 km (2006)

Waterways

850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

23,619,215 22,628,341 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

22,628,341 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

23,619,215

Manpower fit for military service

20,149,222 19,417,275 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

19,417,275 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

20,149,222

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

715,111 677,372 (2010 est.)

female

677,372 (2010 est.)

male

715,111

Military branches

Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (IRIAF), Khatemolanbia Air Defense Headquarters; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Resistance Forces, Navy, Aerospace Force, Quds Force (special operations); Law Enforcement Forces (2011)

Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh)

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (IRIAF), Khatemolanbia Air Defense Headquarters; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Resistance Forces, Navy, Aerospace Force, Quds Force (special operations); Law Enforcement Forces (2011)

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2006)

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)

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

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

1,027,577 (Afghanistan); 3,511 (Iraq) (2012)

refugees (country of origin)

1,027,577 (Afghanistan); 3,511 (Iraq) (2012)

Trafficking in persons

Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to settle debts; Iranian and Afghan children living in Iran are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced marriages, commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude as beggars or laborers to pay debts, provide income, or support drug addiction of their families; press reports indicate that criminal organizations play a significant role in human trafficking to and from Iran, in connection with smuggling of migrants, drugs, and arms; Iranian women and children are also subjected to sex trafficking in Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom Tier 3 - Iran did not report any law enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenders and continues to lack any semblance of victim protection measures; victims of trafficking are, by government policy, detained and deported if foreign, or simply jailed or turned away if Iranian; lack of access to Iran by US Government officials impedes the collection of information on the country's human trafficking problem and the government's efforts to curb it (2009)

current situation

Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to settle debts; Iranian and Afghan children living in Iran are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced marriages, commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude as beggars or laborers to pay debts, provide income, or support drug addiction of their families; press reports indicate that criminal organizations play a significant role in human trafficking to and from Iran, in connection with smuggling of migrants, drugs, and arms; Iranian women and children are also subjected to sex trafficking in Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom

tier rating

Tier 3 - Iran did not report any law enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenders and continues to lack any semblance of victim protection measures; victims of trafficking are, by government policy, detained and deported if foreign, or simply jailed or turned away if Iranian; lack of access to Iran by US Government officials impedes the collection of information on the country's human trafficking problem and the government's efforts to curb it (2009)