Middle East :: Iran

- Introduction :: Iran
- 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.

- Geography :: Iran
- 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: 1,648,195 sq km
  land: 1,531,595 sq km
  water: 116,600 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Area - comparative:
  almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska
  Area comparison map:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Middle East :: Iran Print
  Image Description

  almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska

  Land boundaries:
  total: 5,894 km
  border countries (7): Afghanistan 921 km, Armenia 44 km, Azerbaijan 689 km, Iraq 1599 km, Pakistan 959 km, Turkey 534 km, Turkmenistan 1148 km
  Coastline:
  2,440 km - note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  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:
  mean elevation: 1,305 m
  elevation extremes: -28 m lowest point: Caspian Sea
  5625 highest point: Kuh-e Damavand
  Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 30.1% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 10.8% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 18.1% (2011 est.)
  forest: 6.8% (2011 est.)
  other: 63.1% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  95,530 sq km (2012)
  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
  Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
  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
  Geography - note:
  strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
- People and Society :: Iran
- Population:
  83,024,745 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Nationality:
  noun: Iranian(s)
  adjective: Iranian
  Ethnic groups:
  Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes
  Languages:
  Persian (official), Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic, other
  Religions:
  Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.)
  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.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Middle East :: Iran Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Iran. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 40.2 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 33.1 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 7.1 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 14.2 (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 30.8 years
  male: 30.5 years
  female: 31 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 114
  Population growth rate:
  1.19% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 92
  Birth rate:
  17.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Death rate:
  5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 186
  Net migration rate:
  -0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  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
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 74.9% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 1.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  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)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  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.)
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate:
  25 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 123
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.2 years (2018 est.)
  male: 72.8 years (2018 est.)
  female: 75.6 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 127
  Total fertility rate:
  1.96 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 124
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  77.4% (2010/11)
  Health expenditures:
  6.9% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Physicians density:
  1.49 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
  Hospital bed density:
  0.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)
  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.)
  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.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  60,000 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 56
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,500 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea (2016)
  vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (2016)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  25.8% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 47
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  4.1% (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 86
  Education expenditures:
  3.4% of GDP (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
  total population: 86.8% (2015 est.)
  male: 91.2% (2015 est.)
  female: 82.5% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 15 years (2015)
  male: 15 years (2015)
  female: 15 years (2015)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 29.2% (2016 est.)
  male: 25.4% (2016 est.)
  female: 44.2% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
- Government :: Iran
- 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
  etymology: name derives from the Avestan term "aryanam" meaning "Land of the noble [ones]"
  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 Wednesday in March; ends fourth Friday 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. 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)
  National holiday:
  Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
  Constitution:
  history: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979 (2016)
  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)
  Legal system:
  religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law
  International law organization participation:
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
  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
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  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
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
  head of government: President Hasan Fereidun RUHANI (since 3 August 2013); First Vice President Eshaq JAHANGIRI (since 5 August 2013)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries
  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)
  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%

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

  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
  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)
  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%
  Political parties and leaders:
  Combat Clergy Association
  Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front
  Executives of Construction Party
  Followers of Walayat [Ali LARIJANI]
  Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Morteza AGHA-TEHRANI, general secretary]Islamic Coalition Party
  Moderation and Development Party
  National Trust Party
  Pervasive 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
  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
  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
  National symbol(s):
  lion; national colors: green, white, red
  National anthem:
  name: "Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran)
  lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI

  note: adopted 1990

- Economy :: Iran
- 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.

  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

  country comparison to the world: 18
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $430.7 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2017 est.)
  12.5% (2016 est.)
  -1.6% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 89
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $20,100 (2017 est.)
  $19,600 (2016 est.)
  $17,700 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 89
  Gross national saving:
  37.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
  37.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
  35.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 49.7% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 14% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 14.5% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 26% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -24.9% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 9.6% (2016 est.)
  industry: 35.3% (2016 est.)
  services: 55% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugarcane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
  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
  Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Labor force:
  30.5 million (2017 est.)

  note: shortage of skilled labor

  country comparison to the world: 21
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 16.3%
  industry: 35.1%
  services: 48.6% (2013 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  11.8% (2017 est.)
  12.4% (2016 est.)

  note: data are Iranian Government numbers

  country comparison to the world: 157
  Population below poverty line:
  18.7% (2007 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 29.6% (2005)
  highest 10%: 29.6% (2005)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.5 (2006)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Budget:
  revenues: 74.4 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 84.45 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Public debt:
  39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
  47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

  note: includes publicly guaranteed debt

  country comparison to the world: 132
  Fiscal year:
  21 March - 20 March
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.6% (2017 est.)
  9.1% (2016 est.)

  note: official Iranian estimate

  country comparison to the world: 202
  Central bank discount rate:

  NA

  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  18% (31 December 2017 est.)
  18% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Stock of narrow money:
  $48.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $47.59 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Stock of broad money:
  $48.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $47.59 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $348.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $315.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  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.)
  country comparison to the world: 42
  Current account balance:
  $9.491 billion (2017 est.)
  $16.28 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Exports:
  $101.4 billion (2017 est.)
  $83.98 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  Exports - partners:
  China 27.5%, India 15.1%, South Korea 11.4%, Turkey 11.1%, Italy 5.7%, Japan 5.3% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  petroleum 60%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets, cement, ore
  Imports:
  $76.39 billion (2017 est.)
  $63.14 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  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)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Debt - external:
  $7.995 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $8.196 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $50.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $46.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $5.226 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $4.656 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 76
  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.)
- Energy :: Iran
- Electricity access:
  population without electricity: 1.1 million (2013)
  electrification - total population: 98.6% (2013)
  electrification - urban areas: 100% (2013)
  electrification - rural areas: 95% (2013)
  Electricity - production:
  272.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Electricity - consumption:
  236.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Electricity - exports:
  6.822 billion kWh (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  Electricity - imports:
  4.221 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  77.6 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  84% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  15% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 193
  Crude oil - production:
  4.469 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Crude oil - exports:
  750,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  157.2 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  1.764 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  1.804 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  397,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  64,160 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Natural gas - production:
  214.5 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Natural gas - consumption:
  206.9 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Natural gas - exports:
  11.64 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Natural gas - imports:
  3.993 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  33.72 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  638.3 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
- Communications :: Iran
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 31,182,812 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 87,106,508 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Telephone system:
  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)
  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)
  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)
  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:
  total: 36.07 million (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 44.1% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
  total: 10,057,769 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
- Transportation :: Iran
- National air transport system:
  number of registered air carriers: 15 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 228 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 15,003,958 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 107,184,869 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  EP (2016)
  Airports:
  319 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 140 (2017)
  over 3,047 m: 42 (2017)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 (2017)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 (2017)
  914 to 1,523 m: 36 (2017)
  under 914 m: 7 (2017)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 179 (2013)
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 135 (2013)
  under 914 m: 32 (2013)
  Heliports:
  26 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  7 km condensate, 973 km condensate/gas, 20794 km gas, 570 km liquid petroleum gas, 8625 km oil, 7937 km refined products (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 8,484 km (2014)
  standard gauge: 8,389.5 km 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified) (2014)
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Roadways:
  total: 198,866 km (2010)
  paved: 160,366 km (includes 1,948 km of expressways) (2010)
  unpaved: 38,500 km (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Waterways:
  850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Merchant marine:
  total: 739 (2017)
  by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 340, oil tanker 26, other 313 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 30
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Bandar-e Asaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar Emam
  container port(s) (TEUs): Bandar Abbas (2,130,000) (2016)
- Military and Security :: Iran
- 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)
  country comparison to the world: 35
  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 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)
- Terrorism :: Iran
- Terrorist groups - home based:
  Jaysh al Adl:
  note(s): formerly known as Jundallah (April 2018)
  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 Syria
  area(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)
- Transnational Issues :: Iran
- 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
  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)
  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