Iran Population: 79,853,900


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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 - 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 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 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 calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities. 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.

Strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Area: total: 1,648,195 sq km land: 1,531,595 sq km water: 116,600 sq km

Size comparison: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land Boundaries: total: 5,440 km border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
Coastline: 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation
Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Land use: arable land: 9.78% permanent crops: 1.29% other: 88.93% (2005)
Irrigated land: 89,930 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
Current Environment 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
International Environment 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
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Population: 79,853,900 (July 2013 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.8% (male 9,733,762/female 9,251,929) 15-24 years: 19.8% (male 8,116,169/female 7,671,139) 25-54 years: 45.3% (male 18,380,525/female 17,766,409) 55-64 years: 6.1% (male 2,383,360/female 2,472,140) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 1,902,743/female 2,175,724) (2013 est.) population pyramid:
Median age: total: 27.4 years male: 27.1 years female: 27.6 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.247% (2012 est.)
Birth rate: 18.52 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Death rate: 5.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 41.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.35 years male: 68.84 years female: 71.93 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2013 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 92,000 (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 6,400 (2009 est.)
Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian
Ethnic groups: Persian 61%, Azeri 16%, Kurd 10%, Lur 6%, Baloch 2%, Arab 2%, Turkmen and Turkic tribes 2%, other 1%
Religions: Muslim (official) 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Languages: Persian (official) 53%, Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects 18%, Kurdish 10%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 7%, Luri 6%, Balochi 2%, Arabic 2%, other 2%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77% male: 83.5% female: 70.4% (2002 est.)
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Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia
Government type: theocratic republic
Capital: name: Tehran geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 E time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Tuesday in March; ends fourth Thursday in September
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
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)
National holiday: Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 note: the revision in 1989 expanded powers of the presidency and eliminated the prime ministership
Legal system: religious legal system based on sharia law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Mohammad Reza RAHIMI (since 13 September 2009) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) note: 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 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) 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)
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) elections: last held on 2 March 2012 (first round); second round held on 4 May 2012; (next election to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
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
Political parties and leaders: 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: 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) active pro-reform student group: Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU) 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 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)
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)
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
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
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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 a large share 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, some manufacturing, 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 Majles 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 legislation sought to 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. However, inflation in 2012 reached its highest level in four years, eroding the value of these cash payouts and motivating the Majles to halt planned price increases for the second half of 2012 through at least March 2013. New fiscal and monetary constraints on Tehran, following international sanctions in January against Iran's Central Bank and oil exports, significantly reduced Iran's oil revenue, forced government spending cuts, and fueled a 50% currency depreciation. Economic growth turned negative for the first time in two decades. 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."
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (purchasing power parity): $997.4 billion (2012 est.) $1.007 trillion (2011 est.) $986.8 billion (2010 est.) note: data in US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): GDP (official exchange rate): $483.8 billion (2012 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.9% (2012 est.) 2% (2011 est.) 5.9% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): GDP - per capita (PPP): $13,100 (2012 est.) $13,400 (2011 est.) $13,300 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 38.4% services: 50.6% (2012 est.)
Labor force: 27.05 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2012 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 25% industry: 31% services: 45% (June 2007)
Unemployment rate: 15.5% (2012 est.) 15.3% (2011 est.) note: data are according to the Iranian Government
Population below poverty line: 18.7% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 29.6% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 44.5 (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.2% (2012 est.) 21.5% (2011 est.) note: official Iranian estimate
Investment (gross fixed): Investment (gross fixed): 31.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
Budget: revenues: $131.2 billion expenditures: $92.63 billion (2011 est.)
Public debt: 18.8% of GDP (2012 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2011 est.) note: includes publicly guaranteed debt
Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugarcane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments
Industrial production growth rate: -2.7% (2011 est.)
Electricity - production: 213.7 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Electricity - consumption: 173.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - exports: 6.154 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports: 2.068 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Natural gas - production: 146.1 billion cu m (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 - proved reserves: 33.07 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
Current account balance: -$7.215 billion (2012 est.) $45 billion (2011 est.)
Exports: $66.37 billion (2012 est.) $128.6 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)
Imports: $66.97 billion (2012 est.) $93.57 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)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $69.86 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $109.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Debt - external: $9.452 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $17.9 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 direct foreign investment - abroad: $2.881 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $2.531 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: $107.2 billion (31 December 2011) $86.62 billion (31 December 2010) $63.3 billion (31 December 2009)
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)
Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
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Telephones in use: 27.767 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 12
Cellular Phones in use: 56.043 million (2011)
Telephone system: 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 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 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) (2011)
Radio broadcast stations:
Television broadcast stations:
Internet country code: .ir
Internet hosts: 197,804 (2012)
Internet users: 8.214 million (2009)
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Airports: 324 (2012) country comparison to the world: 23
Airports (paved runways): total: 136 over 3,047 m: 42 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 7 (2012)
Airports (unpaved runways): total: 188 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 142 under 914 m: 34 (2012)
Heliports: 21 (2012)
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)
Railways: total: 8,442 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways: total: 172,927 km paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways) unpaved: 47,019 km (2006)
Waterways: 850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)
Merchant marine: total: 76 by type: 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 foreign-owned: 2 (UAE 2) registered in other countries: 71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)
Ports and terminals: Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni
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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)
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)
Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 23,619,215 females age 16-49: 22,628,341 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 20,149,222 females age 16-49: 19,417,275 (2010 est.)
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Source: CIA - The World Factbook

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