From Wikitravel

This article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and edit the Iran article.

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces subsequently crushed westernizing liberal elements. Militant Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed territory. Key current issues affecting the country include the pace of accepting outside modernizing influences and reconciliation between clerical control of the regime and popular government participation and widespread demands for reform.

Contents 1 Geography 2 People 3 Government 4 Economy 5 Communications 6 Transportation 7 Military 8 Transnational Issues

Geography

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

Map references 

Middle East

Area 

total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative 

slightly larger 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 

contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: natural prolongation
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf

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: 10.17%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 88.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast

Environment - current issues 

air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note 

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

People

Population 

66,622,704 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 31.6% (male 10,753,218; female 10,273,015)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 21,383,542; female 21,096,307)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,633,016; female 1,483,606) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

0.77% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

-4.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

28.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 70.25 years
female: 71.69 years (2002 est.)
male: 68.87 years

Total fertility rate 

2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

NA

Nationality 

noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups 

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

Religions 

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

Languages 

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

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.1%
male: 78.4%
female: 65.8% (1994 est.)

Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
former: Persia

Government type 

theocratic republic

Capital 

Tehran

Administrative divisions 

28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence 

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday 

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Constitution 

2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system 

the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage 

15 years of age; universal

Executive branch 

chief of state: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval
head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-YAZDI (since 26 August 2001)

Legislative branch 

unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 February-NA April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers 170, conservatives 45, and independents 10, 65 seats up for runoff; note - election on 5 May 2000 (reformers 52, conservatives 10, independents 3)

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders 

the following organizations appeared to have achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majlis in early 2000: Assembly of the Followers of the Imam's Line, Freethinkers' Front, Islamic Iran Participation Front, Moderation and Development Party, Servants of Construction Party, Society of Self-sacrificing Devotees

Political pressure groups and leaders 

active student groups include the pro-reform "Organization for Strengthening Unity" and "the Union of Islamic Student Societies'; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; the Society for the Defense of Freedom

International organization participation 

CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US 

none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description 

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band

Economy

Economy - overview 

Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made little progress toward that goal. The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments. Iran's financial situation tightened in 1997 and deteriorated further in 1998 because of lower oil prices. Subsequent rises in oil prices have afforded Iran fiscal breathing room but do not solve Iran's structural economic problems, including the encouragement of foreign investment and the containment of inflation.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $456 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 19%
industry: 26%
services: 55% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line 

53% (1996 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

17.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force 

18 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)

Labor force - by occupation 

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

Unemployment rate 

14% (1999 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $24 billion
expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries 

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

Industrial production growth rate 

5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.)

Electricity - production 

120.33 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 94%
hydro: 6%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

111.907 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

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

Exports 

$24 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities 

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

Exports - partners 

Japan 20.5%, Italy 7%, UAE 5.9%, France 4.7%, China 4.1% (1999)

Imports 

$19.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities 

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

Imports - partners 

Germany 11%, Italy 8.3%, China 6.1%, Japan 5.3%, UAE 5% (1999)

Debt - external 

$8.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$129 million (1995) (2000 est.)

Currency 

Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code 

IRR

Exchange rates 

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

Fiscal year 

21 March - 20 March

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

6.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

265,000 (August 1998)

Telephone system 

general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches
international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat; Internet service available but limited to electronic mail to promote Iranian culture

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios 

17 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

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

Televisions 

4.61 million (1997)

Internet country code 

.ir

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

8 (2000)

Internet users 

420,000 (2002)

Transportation

Railways 

total: 6,130 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 6,036 km 1.435-m gauge (187 km electrified)
note: broad-gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems; 41 km of the standard-gauge, electrified track is in suburban service at Tehran (2001)

Highways 

total: 140,200 km
paved: 49,440 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)

Waterways 

904 km
note: the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use

Pipelines 

crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km

Ports and harbors 

Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine 

total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,136,971 GRT/7,166,703 DWT
ships by type: bulk 48, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports 

322 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 122
over 3,047 m: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 27

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 187
under 914 m: 39 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 138
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

Heliports 

13 (2002)

Military

Military branches 

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

Military manpower - military age 

21 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 18,868,571 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 11,192,731 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 823,041 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$9.7 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, Iran lacks maritime boundary with Iraq and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran); Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; Iran threatens to conduct oil exploration in Azerbaijani-claimed waters, while interdicting Azerbaijani activities

Illicit drugs 

despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and Iranian press reports estimate at least 1.8 million drug users in the country