Country Guide

Iran Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military 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:1,648,195 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 18
land:1,531,595 sq km
water:116,600 sq km


Area - comparative:
Area comparison map: '>


Land boundaries:
total:5,894 km
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


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:10.05%
permanent crops:1.08%
other:88.86% (2011)


Irrigated land:
87,000 sq km (2009)


Total renewable water resources:
137 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
137 cu km (2011)

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

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%


Languages:
Persian (official) 53%, Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects 18%, Kurdish 10%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 7%, Luri 6%, Balochi 2%, Arabic 2%, other 2%


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


Population:
80,840,713 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 19


Age structure:
0-14 years:23.7% (male 9,834,866/female 9,350,017)
15-24 years:18.7% (male 7,757,256/female 7,341,309)
25-54 years:46.1% (male 18,955,874/female 18,289,849)
55-64 years:6.3% (male 2,519,630/female 2,603,458)
65 years and over:5.1% (male 1,941,692/female 2,246,762) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:41.5 %
youth dependency ratio:33.9 %
elderly dependency ratio:7.6 %
potential support ratio:13.1 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:28.3 years
male:28 years
female:28.6 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
1.22% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 97


Birth rate:
18.23 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 105


Death rate:
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 168


Net migration rate:
-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 115


Urbanization:
urban population:69.1% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:1.25% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
TEHRAN (capital) 7.304 million; Mashhad 2.713 million; Esfahan 1.781 million; Karaj 1.635 million; Tabriz 1.509 million; Shiraz 1.321 million (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.89 male(s)/female
total population:1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
21 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:39 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 55
male:39.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female:38.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:70.89 yearscountry comparison to the world: 148
male:69.32 years
female:72.53 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 146


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
73.3% (2002)


Health expenditures:
6% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
0.89 physicians/1,000 population (2005)


Hospital bed density:
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 97.7% of population
rural: 91.7% of population
total: 95.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.3% of population
rural: 8.3% of population
total: 4.1% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 92.8% of population
rural: 81.6% of population
total: 89.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 7.2% of population
rural: 18.4% of population
total: 10.6% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 102


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
70,900 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 54


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,600 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 43


Major infectious diseases:


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
19.4% (2008)country comparison to the world: 99


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
4.6% (2004)country comparison to the world: 92


Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2012)country comparison to the world: 119

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:85%
male:89.3%
female:80.7% (2008 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:15 years
male:15 years
female:15 years (2012)


Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:23%country comparison to the world: 48
male:20.2%
female:33.9% (2008)

Government

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: 16 January 1979 (Shah Reza PAHLAVI flees Iran to escape popular political revolt against his rule); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI Dynasty); 1905-1907 (constitutional revolution resulting in establishment of a parliament); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid Dynasty)


National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 April (1979)


Constitution:
previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979; amended 1989 (2013)


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


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


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 the more sensitive ministries
note:also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) 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; 2) Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khoebregan), an elected consultative body of senior clerics constitutionally mandated to select, appoint, supervise, and dismiss the Supreme Leader; 3) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency (Majma-ye- Tashkhis-e -Maslahat-e- Nezam) 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
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 2013 (next presidential election to be held in June 2017)
election results:Hasan Fereidun RUHANI 50.7%, Mohammad Baqer QALIBAF 16.5%, Saeed JALILI 11.4%, Mohsen REZAI 10.6%, Ali Akber VELAYATI 6.2%, other 4.6%


    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:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of a president and NA judges)
judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a 5-year term; other judge appointments and 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


Political parties and leaders:
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:
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

Economy - overview:
Iran's economy is marked by statist policies, an inefficient state sector, and reliance on oil, a major source of government revenues. Price controls, subsidies, and other distortions 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. New fiscal and monetary constraints on Tehran, following the expansion of international sanctions in 2012 against Iran's Central Bank and oil exports, significantly reduced Iran's oil revenue, forced government spending cuts, and fueled a 60% currency depreciation. Economic growth turned negative in 2012 and 2013, for the first time in two decades. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit unemployment and underemployment. Lack of job opportunities has convinced many educated Iranian youth to seek jobs overseas, resulting in a significant 'brain drain.' However, the election of President Hasan RUHANI in June 2013 brought about widespread expectations of economic improvements and greater international engagement among the Iranian public, and early in Ruhani's term the country saw a strengthened national currency and a historic boost to market values at the Tehran Stock Exchange.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$987.1 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
$1.002 trillion (2012 est.)
$1.021 trillion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$411.9 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
-1.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
-1.9% (2012 est.)
3% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,800 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$13,200 (2012 est.)
$13,600 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
30.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
30.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
36.6% of GDP (2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:45.4%
government consumption:14.1%
investment in fixed capital:31.1%
investment in inventories:1.2%
exports of goods and services:20.8%
imports of goods and services:-12.7%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:10.6%
industry:44.9%
services:44.5% (2013 est.)


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:
-5.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191

Labor force:
27.72 million
country comparison to the world: 23
note:shortage of skilled labor (2013 est.)



Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:16.9%
industry:34.4%
services:48.7% (2012 est.)


Unemployment rate:
16% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
15.5% (2012 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)
country comparison to the world: 45

Budget:
revenues:$47.84 billion
expenditures:$66.38 billion (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
11.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160


Public debt:
18.7% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
18.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
note:includes publicly guaranteed debt


Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
42.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221
30.5% (2012 est.)
note:official Iranian estimate


Central bank discount rate:
NA%


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
11% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$26.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
$42.91 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$65.02 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
$104.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$42.32 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
$77.74 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2013 est.)


Current account balance:
-$8.659 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
-$9.333 billion (2012 est.)


Exports:
$61.22 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
$67.04 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets


Exports - partners:
China 22.1%, India 11.9%, Turkey 10.6%, South Korea 7.6%, Japan 7.1% (2012)


Imports:
$64.42 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$70.03 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
industrial supplies, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services


Imports - partners:
UAE 33.2%, China 13.8%, Turkey 11.8%, South Korea 7.4% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$68.06 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
$74.06 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$15.64 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
$17.25 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$41.45 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
$37.31 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.645 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
$3.345 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Exchange rates:
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -
18,517.2 (2013 est.)
12,175.5 (2012 est.)
10,254.18 (2010 est.)
9,864.3 (2009)
9,142.8 (2008)
note:Iran devalued its currency in July 2013

Energy

Electricity - production:
239.7 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18


Electricity - consumption:
199.8 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19


Electricity - exports:
6.707 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25


Electricity - imports:
3.015 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
62.09 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
86.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
13.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96


Crude oil - production:
3.594 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6


Crude oil - exports:
2.445 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3


Crude oil - imports:
15,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
154.6 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4


Refined petroleum products - production:
1.718 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
1.709 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14


Refined petroleum products - exports:
330,800 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21


Refined petroleum products - imports:
180,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29


Natural gas - production:
162.6 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4


Natural gas - consumption:
144.6 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5


Natural gas - exports:
9.05 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26


Natural gas - imports:
10.59 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29


Natural gas - proved reserves:
33.61 trillion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
624.9 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
28.76 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 12


Telephones - mobile cellular:
58.16 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 24


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)



    Broadcast media:
state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates 5 nationwide channels, a news channel, about 30 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 had been tolerated, authorities began confiscating satellite dishes following the unrest stemming from the 2009 presidential election; IRIB operates 8 nationwide radio networks, a number of provincial stations, and an external service; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2009)


Internet country code:
.ir


Internet hosts:
197,804 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 72


Internet users:
8.214 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 35

Transportation

Airports
319 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 22


Airports - with paved runways
total:140
over 3,047 m:42
2,438 to 3,047 m:29
1,524 to 2,437 m:26
914 to 1,523 m:36
under 914 m:7 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:179
over 3,047 m:1
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:9
914 to 1,523 m:135
under 914 m:
32 (2013)


Heliports
26 (2013)


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


Railways
total:8,442 kmcountry comparison to the world: 24
broad gauge:94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge:8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)


    Roadways
total:198,866 kmcountry comparison to the world: 26
paved:160,366 km (includes 1,948 km of expressways)
unpaved:38,500 km (2010)


Waterways
850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 70


Merchant marine
total:76country comparison to the world: 60
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
major seaport(s):Bandar-e Asaluyeh, Bandar Abbas
river port(s):Bandar Emam Khomeyni (Shatt al-Arab)
container port(s) (TEUs):Bandar Abbas (2,752,460)

Military

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
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)


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.)


Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:715,111
female:677,372 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey


    Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):43,268 (Iraq) (2013); 2.4 million (1 million registered, 1.4 million undocumented) (Afghanistan) (2014)


Trafficking in persons



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; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook