2018 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 led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI 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 (AOE) - a popularly elected 86-member body of clerics. US-Iranian relations became strained when a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostages until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. During the period 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. 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 concerns over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program. 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, supported by the Supreme Leader, unelected institutions of authority like the Council of Guardians, and the security services reversed and blocked reform measures while increasing security repression.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, but the protests were quickly suppressed. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and October 2012, but Iran's internal security situation remained stable. President AHMADI-NEJAD's independent streak angered regime establishment figures, including the Supreme Leader, leading to conservative opposition to his agenda for the last year of his presidency, and an alienation of his political supporters. In June 2013 Iranians elected a moderate conservative cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI to the presidency. He is a longtime senior member in the regime, but has made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities, and in July 2015 Iran and the five permanent members, plus Germany (P5+1) signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under which Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran held elections in 2016 for the AOE and Majles, resulting in a conservative-controlled AOE and a Majles that many Iranians perceive as more supportive of the RUHANI administration than the previous, conservative-dominated body. RUHANI was reelected president in May 2017.

Area

land

1,531,595 sq km

total

1,648,195 sq km

water

116,600 sq km

Area Comparative

almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; 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

elevation extremes

-28 m lowest point: Caspian Sea

mean elevation

1,305 m

note

5625 highest point: Kuh-e Damavand

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, 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

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

95,530 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (7)

Afghanistan 921 km, Armenia 44 km, Azerbaijan 689 km, Iraq 1599 km, Pakistan 959 km, Turkey 534 km, Turkmenistan 1148 km

total

5,894 km

Land Use

arable land: 10.8% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 18.1% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

30.1% (2011 est.)

forest

6.8% (2011 est.)

other

63.1% (2011 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

Natural Resources

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Population Distribution

population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

24.23% (male 10,291,493 /female 9,823,838)

15-24 years

14.05% (male 5,973,320 /female 5,689,501)

25-54 years

48.86% (male 20,698,748 /female 19,863,223)

55-64 years

7.39% (male 3,022,134 /female 3,113,443)

65 years and over

5.48% (male 2,111,390 /female 2,437,655) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

17.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

4.1% (2011)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

77.4% (2010/11)

Death Rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.1 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

14.2 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

40.2 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

33.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 97.7% of population

rural: 92.1% of population

total: 96.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population

rural: 7.9% of population

total: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes

Health Expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

3,500 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

60,000 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

0.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

16.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

15.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Persian (official), Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic, other

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

75.6 years (2018 est.)

male

72.8 years (2018 est.)

total population

74.2 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

82.5% (2015 est.)

male

91.2% (2015 est.)

total population

86.8% (2015 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea (2016)

vectorborne diseases

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

8.896 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.097 million Mashhad, 2.041 million Esfahan, 1.605 million Shiraz, 1.585 million Karaj, 1.582 million Tabriz (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

25 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

31 years (2018 est.)

male

30.5 years

total

30.8 years

Nationality

adjective

Iranian

noun

Iranian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

25.8% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.49 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

83,024,745 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.19% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 92.8% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 82.3% of population (2015 est.)

total: 90% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 7.2% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 17.7% of population (2015 est.)

total: 10% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

15 years (2015)

male

15 years (2015)

total

15 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.96 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

44.2% (2016 est.)

male

25.4% (2016 est.)

total

29.2% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

74.9% of total population (2018)

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

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins fourth Wednesday in March; ends fourth Friday 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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Iran

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the "Council for Revision of the Constitution," a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran’s political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended; amended 1989 (2016)

history

previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979 (2016)

Country Name

conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Iran

conventional short form

Iran

etymology

name derives from the Avestan term "aryanam" meaning "Land of the noble [ones]"

former

Persia

local long form

Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form

Iran

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

note

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

note

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

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries

chief of state

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

election results

Hasan Fereidun RUHANI reelected president; percent of vote - Hasan Fereidun RUHANI (Moderation and Development Party) 58.8%, Ebrahim RAISI (Combat Clergy Association) 39.4% , Mostafa Mir-SALIM Islamic Coalition Party) 1.2%, Mostafa HASHEMI-TABA(Executives of Construction Party) 0.5%

elections/appointments

supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term); election last held on 19 May 2017 (next to be held in 2021)

head of government

President Hasan Fereidun RUHANI (since 3 August 2013); First Vice President Eshaq JAHANGIRI (since 5 August 2013)

note

3 oversight bodies are also considered part of the executive branch of government

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. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid (Persian) Empire established); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid Dynasty); 1794 (beginning of Qajar Dynasty); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI Dynasty)

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

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of the president and NA judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts

Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts

Legal System

religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami or Majles (290 seats; 285 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by 2-round vote, and 1 seat each for Zoroastrians, Jews, Assyrian and Chaldean Christians, Armenians in the north of the country and Armenians in the South; members serve 4-year terms); note - all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Guardians Council, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles

election results

percent of vote by coalition - List of Hope 37.2%, Principlists Grand Coalition 25.9%, People's Voice Coalition 4.5%, joint Hope/People's Voice 4.1%, joint People's Voice/Principlist 0.3%, religious minorities 1.7%, independent 26.4%; seats by coalition - List of Hope 108, Principlists Grand Coalition 75, People's Voice Coalition 13, joint Hope/People's Voice 12, joint People's Voice/Principlist 1, religious minorities 5, independent 76; composition - men 273, women 17, percent of women 5.9%

elections

first round held on 26 February 2016 and second round for 68 remaining seats held on 29 April 2016; (next full Majles election to be held in 2020)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI

name

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

note

adopted 1990

National Holiday

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

National Symbol S

lion; national colors: green, white, red

Political Parties And Leaders

Combat Clergy AssociationCouncil for Coordinating the Reforms FrontExecutives of Construction PartyFollowers of Walayat [Ali LARIJANI]Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Morteza AGHA-TEHRANI, general secretary]Islamic Coalition PartyModeration and Development PartyNational Trust PartyPervasive Coalition of Reformists [Ali SOUFI, chairman] (includes Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front, National Trust Party, Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Moderation and Development Party)Principlists Grand Coalition [Alireza ZAKANI] (includes Combatant Clergy Association and Islamic Coalition Party, Society of Devotees and Pathseekers of the Islamic Revolution, Front of Islamic Revolution Stability)Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran or PJP [Hossein GHORBANZADEH, General Secretary]Resistance Front of Islamic Iran [Yadollah HABIBI, general secretary]Union of Islamic Iran People's Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

84.45 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

74.4 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

note

NA

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

18% (31 December 2017 est.)

18% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

$9.491 billion (2017 est.)

$16.28 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$7.995 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.196 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

44.5 (2006)

Economy Overview

Iran's economy is marked by statist policies, inefficiencies, and reliance on oil and gas exports, but Iran also possesses significant agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. The Iranian government directly owns and operates hundreds of state-owned enterprises and indirectly controls many companies affiliated with the country's security forces. Distortions - including corruption, price controls, subsidies, and a banking system holding billions of dollars of non-performing loans - weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth.Private sector activity includes small-scale workshops, farming, some manufacturing, and services, in addition to medium-scale construction, cement production, mining, and metalworking. Significant informal market activity flourishes and corruption is widespread.The lifting of most nuclear-related sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in January 2016 sparked a restoration of Iran’s oil production and revenue that drove rapid GDP growth, but economic growth declined in 2017 as oil production plateaued. The economy continues to suffer from low levels of investment and declines in productivity since before the JCPOA, and from high levels of unemployment, especially among women and college-educated Iranian youth.In May 2017, the re-election of President Hasan RUHANI generated widespread public expectations that the economic benefits of the JCPOA would expand and reach all levels of society. RUHANI will need to implement structural reforms that strengthen the banking sector and improve Iran’s business climate to attract foreign investment and encourage the growth of the private sector. Sanctions that are not related to Iran’s nuclear program remain in effect, and these—plus fears over the possible re-imposition of nuclear-related sanctions—will continue to deter foreign investors from engaging with Iran.

Exchange Rates

Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -

32,769.7 (2017 est.)

30,914.9 (2016 est.)

30,914.9 (2015 est.)

29,011.5 (2014 est.)

25,912 (2013 est.)

Exports

$101.4 billion (2017 est.)

$83.98 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

petroleum 60%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets, cement, ore

Exports Partners

China 27.5%, India 15.1%, South Korea 11.4%, Turkey 11.1%, Italy 5.7%, Japan 5.3% (2017)

Fiscal Year

21 March - 20 March

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

26% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14% (2017 est.)

household consumption

49.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-24.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

14.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

9.6% (2016 est.)

industry

35.3% (2016 est.)

services

55% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$430.7 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$20,100 (2017 est.)

$19,600 (2016 est.)

$17,700 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$1.64 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.581 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.405 trillion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

3.7% (2017 est.)

12.5% (2016 est.)

-1.6% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

37.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

37.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

35.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

29.6% (2005)

lowest 10%

29.6% (2005)

Imports

$76.39 billion (2017 est.)

$63.14 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

UAE 29.8%, China 12.7%, Turkey 4.4%, South Korea 4%, Germany 4% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3% (2017 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, gas, fertilizer, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and nonferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

9.6% (2017 est.)

9.1% (2016 est.)

note

official Iranian estimate

Labor Force

30.5 million (2017 est.)

note

shortage of skilled labor

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

16.3%

industry

35.1%

services

48.6% (2013 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$89.43 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$116.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$345.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

18.7% (2007 est.)

Public Debt

39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note

includes publicly guaranteed debt

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$48.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$47.59 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$5.226 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.656 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$50.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$46.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$348.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$315.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$48.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$47.59 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

11.8% (2017 est.)

12.4% (2016 est.)

note

data are Iranian Government numbers

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

638.3 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

750,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

4.469 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

157.2 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

95% (2013)

electrification - total population

98.6% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2013)

population without electricity

1.1 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

236.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

6.822 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

84% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

15% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

4.221 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

77.6 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

272.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

206.9 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

11.64 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

3.993 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

214.5 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

33.72 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

1.804 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

397,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

64,160 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

1.764 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12 (2017 est.)

total

10,057,769 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates 19 nationwide channels including a news channel, about 34 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 is subjectively tolerated, authorities confiscate satellite dishes from time to time; IRIB operates 16 nationwide radio networks, a number of provincial stations, and an external service; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2018)

Internet Country Code

.ir

Internet Users

percent of population

44.1% (July 2016 est.)

total

36.07 million (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

38 per 100 for fixed-line and 106 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions; heavy investment by Iran's state-owned telecom company has greatly improved and expanded both the fixed-line and mobile cellular networks; a huge percentage of the cell phones in the market have been smuggled into the country (2017)

general assessment

opportunities for telecoms growth, but the disadvantage of lack of significant investment which may change with sanctions being lifted; one of the largest populations in the Middle East with a huge demand for services; mobile penetration is high with over 125% accessing 2G & 3G; 4G LTE becoming available; Iranian-net, is currently expanding a fiber network to have 8 million customers by 2020 (2017)

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) (2015)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

38 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

31,182,812 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

106 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

87,106,508 (2017 est.)

Airports

319 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

26 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

29 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

36 (2017)

over 3,047 m

42 (2017)

total

140 (2017)

under 914 m

7 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

9 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

2 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

135 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1 (2013)

total

179 (2013)

under 914 m

32 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

EP (2016)

Heliports

26 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 340, oil tanker 26, other 313 (2017)

total

739 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

107,184,869 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

15,003,958 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

228 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

15 (2015)

Pipelines

7 km condensate, 973 km condensate/gas, 20794 km gas, 570 km liquid petroleum gas, 8625 km oil, 7937 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Bandar Abbas (2,130,000) (2016)

major seaport(s)

Bandar-e Asaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar Emam

Railways

broad gauge

94 km 1.676-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

8,389.5 km 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified) (2014)

total

8,484 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

160,366 km (includes 1,948 km of expressways) (2010)

total

198,866 km (2010)

unpaved

38,500 km (2010)

Waterways

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

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, Qods Force (special operations); Law Enforcement Forces (2015)

Military Expenditures

2.69% of GDP (2015)

2.33% of GDP (2014)

2.35% of GDP (2013)

2.81% of GDP (2012)

2.41% of GDP (2011)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18 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 is 18 months; women exempt from military service (2012)

Disputes International

Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during droughtIraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian GulfIran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by IranAzerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the seaAfghan 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; regularly enforces the death penalty for drug offences; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

refugees (country of origin)

28,268 (Iraq), 2.5-3.0 (1 million registered, 1.5-2.0 million undocumented) (Afghanistan) (2017)

Trafficking In Persons

current situation

Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; organized groups sex traffic Iranian women and children in Iran and to the UAE and Europe; the transport of girls from and through Iran en route to the Gulf for sexual exploitation or forced marriages is on the rise; Iranian children are also forced to work as beggars, street vendors, and in domestic workshops; Afghan boys forced to work in construction or agriculture are vulnerable to sexual abuse by their employers; Pakistani and Afghan migrants being smuggled to Europe often are subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage

tier rating

Tier 3 – Iran does not comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not share information on its anti-trafficking efforts, but publically available information from NGOs, the media, and international organizations indicates that Iran is not taking adequate measures to address its trafficking problems, particularly protecting victims; Iranian law does not prohibit all forms of human trafficking; female victims find it extremely difficult to get justice because Iranian courts accord women’s testimony half the weight of men's, and female victims of sexual abuse, including trafficking, are likely to be prosecuted for adultery; the government did not identify or provide protection services to any victims and continued to punish victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; the government made some effort to cooperate with neighboring governments and an international organization to combat human trafficking and other crimes (2015)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

al-Qa'ida (AQ)

aim(s): unite the worldwide Muslim community, overthrow governments perceived as un-Islamic, and, ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia (April 2018)

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

aim(s): advance Kurdish autonomy, political, and cultural rights in Iran, Turkey, Iraq, and Syriaarea(s) of operation: operational in the northwest; majority of members inside Iran are Iranian Kurds, along with Kurds from Iraq, Syria, and Turkey (April 2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

Jaysh al Adl

note(s): formerly known as Jundallah (April 2018)