2024 Edition Primary

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 religious scholar known as the Supreme Leader, who is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts -- an elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iran relations became strained when Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostage until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. From 1980 to 1988, 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 since 1984. After the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a political reform campaign in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated, but conservative politicians blocked reform measures while increasing repression. Municipal and legislative elections in 2003 and 2004 saw conservatives reestablish control over Iran's elected government institutions, culminating in the 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His reelection in 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, and the protests persisted until 2011. In 2013, Iranians elected to the presidency centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI, a longtime senior regime member who promised to reform society and foreign policy. In 2019, Tehran's sudden decision to increase the gasoline price sparked nationwide protests, which the regime violently suppressed. Conservatives won the majority in Majles elections in 2020, and hardline cleric Ebrahim RAISI was elected president in 2021, resulting in a conservative monopoly across the regime's elected and unelected institutions.Iran continues to be subject to a range of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in terrorism, weapons proliferation, human rights abuses, and concerns over the nature of its nuclear program. Iran received nuclear-related sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear concessions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action's (JCPOA) Implementation Day beginning in 2016. However, the US reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran after it unilaterally terminated its JCPOA participation in 2018. In October 2023, the EU and the UK also decided to maintain nuclear-proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, in response to Iran's non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments.As president, RAISI has concentrated on deepening Iran's foreign relations with anti-US states -- particularly China and Russia -- to weather US sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while supporting negotiations to restore a nuclear deal that began in 2021. RAISI contended with nationwide protests that began in September 2022 and persisted for over three months after the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa AMINI, in morality police custody. Young people and women led the protests, and demands focused on regime change.

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

highest point

Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m

lowest point

Caspian Sea -28 m

mean elevation

1,305 m

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

79,721 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Afghanistan 921 km; Armenia 44 km; Azerbaijan 689 km; Iraq 1,599 km; Pakistan 959 km; Turkey 534 km; Turkmenistan 1,148 km

total

5,894 km

Land use

agricultural land

30.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.1% (2018 est.)

forest

6.8% (2018 est.)

other

63.1% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

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

23.3% (male 10,512,797/female 10,040,282)

15-64 years

69.8% (male 31,413,125/female 30,267,241)

65 years and over

7% (2024 est.) (male 2,869,617/female 3,283,875)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.3% (2017)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

5.3% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

70.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.7

potential support ratio

9.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.3

youth dependency ratio

34.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98.1% of population

improved: total

total: 99.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.93 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.1 years

male

74.3 years

total population

75.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88.7% (2021)

male

92.4%

total population

88.7%

Major urban areas - population

9.500 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.368 million Mashhad, 2.258 million Esfahan, 1.721 million Shiraz, 1.661 million Tabriz, 1.594 million Karaj (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

22 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

34.1 years

male

33.6 years

total

33.8 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Iranian

noun

Iranian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.8% (2016)

Physician density

1.58 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

43,591,398 (2024 est.)

male

44,795,539

total

88,386,937

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

Population growth rate

0.88% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2020)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

3.1% (2020 est.)

male

24.1% (2020 est.)

total

13.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.91 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

77.3% of total population (2023)

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

does not observe daylight savings time

etymology

various explanations of the city's name have been proffered, but the most plausible states that it derives from the Persian words tah meaning "end or bottom" and ran meaning "[mountain] slope" to signify "bottom of the mountain slope"; Tehran lies at the bottom slope of the Elburz Mountains

geographic coordinates

35 42 N, 51 25 E

name

Tehran

time difference

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

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

history

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

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

embassy

none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran

Diplomatic representation in the US

none Note:  Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Embassy of Pakistan, 1250 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073; email:  requests@daftar.org; info@daftarwashington.com; website:  https://daftar.org/

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

2024: first round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN (independent) 44.4%, Saeed JALILI (Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) 40.4%, Mohammad Baqer QAKIBAF (Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran) 14.3%, other 0.9%; second round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN elected; Masoud PEZESHKIAN 54.8%, Saeed JALILI 45.2%2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (independent) 72.4%, Mohsen REZAI (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir-Hosein Qazizadeh-HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4%

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 28 June 2024 first round (runoff held on 5 July 2024)

head of government

President Masoud PEZESHKIAN (assumed office on 30 July 2024)

note

Note: presidential election held early due to the death of President Ebrahim RAISI in a helicopter accident in May 2024

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

BRICS, 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge)

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 single, renewable 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 multiple non-transferable vote in 2 rounds, 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)

election results

percent of vote by coalition in first round - NA; seats by coalition in first round - conservatives and hardliners 200, other 45; composition - NA

elections

first round held on 1 March 2024 for 245 seats; second round for 45 remaining seats to be held on 10 May 2024 (next full Majles election to be held in 2028)

note

note: all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians, 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

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

note 1: adopted 1990; Iran has had six national anthems; the first, entitled "Salam-e Shah" (Royal Salute) was in use from 1873-1909; next came "Salamati-ye Dowlat-e Elliye-ye Iran" (Salute of the Sublime State of Persia, 1909-1933); it was followed by "Sorud-e melli" (The Imperial Anthem of Iran; 1933-1979), which chronicled the exploits of the Pahlavi Dynasty; "Ey Iran" (Oh Iran) functioned unofficially as the national anthem for a brief period between the ouster of the Shah in 1979 and the early days of the Islamic Republic in 1980; "Payandeh Bada Iran" (Long Live Iran) was used between 1980 and 1990 during the time of Ayatollah KHOMEINInote 2: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable since the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Persepolis (c); Tchogha Zanbil (c); Bam and its Cultural Landscape (c); Golestan Palace (c); Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (c); Pasargadae (c); Hyrcanian Forests (n); Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (c); Meidan Emam, Esfahan (c); Bisotun (c); Takht-e Soleyman (c); Soltaniyeh(c); Bisotun (c); Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran(c); Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (c); The Persian Garden (c); Gonbad-e Qābus (c); Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (c); Shahr-i Sokhta (c); Cultural Landscape of Maymand (c); Susa (c); Lut Desert (n);The Persian Qanat (c); Historic City of Yazd (c); Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region (c); Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat (c); Trans-Iranian Railway (c); The Persian Caravanserai (c); Hegmataneh (c)

total World Heritage Sites

28 (26cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, white, red

Political parties

Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group)Executives of Construction PartyFront of Islamic Revolutionary StabilityIslamic Coalition PartyProgress and Justice Population of Islamic IranMilitant Clerics Society (Majma-e Ruhaniyoun-e Mobarez) or MRMModeration and Development PartyNational Trust Party (Hezb-e E'temad-eMelli) or HEMProgress and Justice SocietyUnion of Islamic Iran People's Party (Hezb-e Ettehad-e Iran-e Eslami)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, sugarcane, milk, sugar beets, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, vegetables, oranges, chicken (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

28.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$90.238 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$60.714 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$16.28 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$9.491 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$269.852 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

traditionally state-controlled economy but reforming state-owned financial entities; strong oil/gas, agricultural, and service sectors; recent massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty; increasing poverty

Exchange rates

Currency

Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

42,000 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

42,000 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

42,000 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

42,000 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

42,000 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$46.568 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$82.015 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$110.882 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

ethylene polymers, refined copper, acyclic alcohols, aluminum, natural gas (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 36%, Turkey 20%, Kuwait 6%, Pakistan 5%, India 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

28.6% (2023 est.)

government consumption

13.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

47.2% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-26.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

26.9% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

9.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

13% (2023 est.)

industry

41.8% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

42.7% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$401.505 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

34.8 (2022 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

26.8% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.8% (2022 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2020

$58.461 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$77.33 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$102.47 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, corn, soybeans, vehicle parts/accessories, rice (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 28%, UAE 19%, Brazil 13%, Turkey 9%, India 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

8.84% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

43.39% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

43.49% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

44.58% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

29.159 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

note

note: includes publicly guaranteed debt

Public debt 2017

39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.323 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.373 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.44 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.72% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.78% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.95% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$15,000 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$15,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$16,200 (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2018

0.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

Remittances 2019

0.47% of GDP (2019 est.)

Remittances 2020

0.55% of GDP (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

9.28% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

9.09% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

9.1% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

35.5% (2023 est.)

male

20% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

22.8% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

6.714 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

484.541 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

259.198 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

750.453 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

3.531 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

261,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

852,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

2.791 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

1.203 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

315.843 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

9.47 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

2.273 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

80.74 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

37.65 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

93.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

4.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

1.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

152.479 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

244.89 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

19.251 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

2.788 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

263.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

33.987 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

0.92GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

1 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

1.7% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

2.136 million bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

3.985 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2020 est.)

total

9,564,195 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates more than 60 television channels, more than 50 radio stations, and dozens of newspapers and websites; 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; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2023)

Internet country code

.ir

Internet users

percent of population

79% (2021 est.)

total

69.52 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

approximately 33 per 100 for fixed-line and 155 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)

general assessment

Iran’s telecom infrastructure has suffered from sanctions in recent years, which prevented the import of equipment and devices and encouraged widespread smuggling, with a consequent loss of tax revenue; to address this, the government introduced a device registration scheme, and bolstered the capacity for domestically manufactured mobile phones; companies have invested in broadening the reach of their LTE networks, which has increased network capacity and improved the quality of mobile broadband services; the country is also looking to 5G; the sector is still limited by low frequency bands; the government is addressing this with plans to reallocate the 3.5GHz band for 5G use; Iran is keen to grow its digital economy; Iran offers significant opportunities for growth in the telecoms sector; the country has one of the largest populations in the Middle East, and there is a high proportion of youthful, tech savvy users having considerable demand for both fixed and mobile telecom services; companies are offering national roaming to improve services in rural areas (2022)

international

country code - 98; landing points for Kuwait-Iran, GBICS & MENA, FALCON, OMRAN/3PEG Cable System, POI and UAE-Iran submarine fiber-optic cable to the Middle East, Africa and India; (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) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

29.342 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

165 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

145.668 million (2022 est.)

Airports

173 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EP

Heliports

89 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421

total

965 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

290.74 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

25,604,871 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

237

number of registered air carriers

22 (2020)

Pipelines

7 km condensate, 973 km condensate/gas, 20,794 km gas, 570 km liquid petroleum gas, 8,625 km oil, 7,937 km refined products (2013)

Ports

key ports

Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Khorramshahr

medium

4

ports with oil terminals

13

small

6

total ports

18 (2024)

very small

8

Railways

broad gauge

94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge

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

total

8,483.5 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

195,618 km

total

223,485 km

unpaved

27,867 km (2016)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the IRGC played a critical role in helping KHOMEINI consolidate power in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, and it ensured that KHOMEINI's Islamic revolutionary vision prevailed against domestic challenges from nationalists and leftist factions in the scramble for control after the Shah's departurethe Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; today, the IRGC is a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it is heavily involved in internal security and has significant influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; on the economic front, it owns factories and corporations and subsidiaries in banking, infrastructure, housing, airlines, tourism and other sectors; its special operations forces, known as the Qods/Quds Force, specialize in foreign missions and have provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; the Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations; note - both the IRGC and the Qods Force have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forcesthe Iranian Armed Forces are divided between the regular forces (Artesh) and the IRGC; the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat; in 1989, Iran established the Armed Forces General Staff to coordinate military action across both the Artesh and the IRGC; Iran also has a joint military headquarters, the Khatam ol-Anbia Central Headquarters, to command the Artesh and IRGC in wartime (2024)

Military and security forces

the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah):Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces or Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense ForcesIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (aka Quds Force; special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary ForcesMinistry of Interior: Law Enforcement CommandMinistry of Intelligence and Security (2024)

note

note 1: the Artesh Navy operates Iran’s larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in waters of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuznote 2: the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group under the IRGC with local organizations across the country, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit for the IRGC; it is formally known as the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed and also known as the Popular Mobilization Armynote 3: the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and law enforcement forces under the Interior Ministry, which report to the president, and the IRGC, which reports to the supreme leader, share responsibility for law enforcement and maintaining ordernote 4: the Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) is the uniformed police of Iran and includes branches for public security, traffic control, anti-narcotics, special forces (riot control, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), intelligence, and criminal investigations; it has responsibility for border security (Border Guard Command)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; up to 600,000 active armed forces personnel; approximately 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); approximately 150-190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5-15,000 Qods Force); estimated 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2023)

Military deployments

continues to maintain a military presence in Syria reportedly of a few thousand personnel, mostly of special operations and IRGC forces (2024)

note

note: Iran has recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and mostly older foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian, Soviet, and US origin (US equipment acquired prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979); it also has some military equipment from North Korea, including midget submarines and ballistic missiles; in recent years, Iran has received some newer equipment from Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

2.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

military service is compulsory for all Iranian men 18-19 to approximately age 40; 16 for voluntary military service (may be as low as 15 for the Basij); conscript military service obligation is up to 24 months, depending on the location of service (soldiers serving in places of high security risk and deprived areas serve shorter terms); women exempted from military service (2023)

note

note: conscripts serve in the Artesh, IRGC, and Law Enforcement, while Navy and Air/Air Defense Force personnel are primarily volunteers

Illicit drugs

significant transit and destination country for opiates and cannabis products mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan; produces and consumes methamphetamine and traffics it to  international markets; one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; opium and cannabis most widely used drugs domestically along with increase in crystal methamphetamine

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

500,000 undocumented Afghans, 750,000 Afghan refugee card holders, 12,000 Iraqi refugee card holders (2022)

stateless persons

34 (mid-year 2021)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Iran remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/iran/

Space agency/agencies

Iranian Space Agency (ISA; created in 2003 from merging the activities of the Iranian Remote Sensing Center and some of the activities of the Telecommunications Company of Iran); Iran Space Research Center (established, 2000); Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics; Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO; under the Ministry of Defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Space Command (formed in 2020) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Imam Khomeini Space Center (aka Semnan Space Center; Semnan province); Shahroud Space Center (IGRC military base; Semnan Province); Qom Space Center (Qom Province); inaugurated its first space monitoring center located near Delijan (Markazi Province) in 2013 (2024)

Space program overview

has an ambitious civil and military space program focused on acquiring and operating satellites and developing indigenous satellite/space launch vehicles (SLV); designs, builds, and operates satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific; manufactures and operates SLVs; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies in such areas as telecommunications, RS, navigation, and space situational awareness; UN Security Council and other international sanctions against Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program have severely limited Iran’s cooperation with foreign space agencies and commercial space industries; in recent years, however, it has cooperated with North Korea and Russia on space issues; Iran has also had relations with regional and international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization; it was a founding member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) established in 1958 (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa’ida

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

661.71 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

158.71 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

31.62 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

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-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Aras; Qeshm Island; Tabas (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

3

Land use

agricultural land

30.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.1% (2018 est.)

forest

6.8% (2018 est.)

other

63.1% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.01% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources

137.05 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

86 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

1.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

6.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

77.3% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

17.885 million tons (2017 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

894,250 tons (2017 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

5% (2017 est.)