Introduction
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 88-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 and was 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 until Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Implementation Day in 2016. The US began gradually re-imposing sanctions on Iran after the US withdrawal from JCPOA in May 2018.
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 centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun ROHANI 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 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 ROHANI administration than the previous, conservative-dominated body. ROHANI was reelected president in May 2017. Economic concerns once again led to nationwide protests in December 2017 and January 2018 but they were contained by Iran's security services. Additional widespread economic protests broke out in November 2019 in response to the raised price of subsidized gasoline.
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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 km
land: 1,531,595 sq km
water: 116,600 sq km
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
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
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
mean elevation: 1,305 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Land use
agricultural land: 30.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 6.8% (2018 est.)
other: 63.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
95,530 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
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
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, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes
Languages
Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic
major-language sample(s):
چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Muslim (official) 99.6% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2016 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 24.11% (male 10,472,844/female 10,000,028)
15-24 years: 13.36% (male 5,806,034/female 5,537,561)
25-54 years: 48.94% (male 21,235,038/female 20,327,384)
55-64 years: 7.72% (male 3,220,074/female 3,337,420)
65 years and over: 5.87% (male 2,316,677/female 2,670,254) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.6
youth dependency ratio: 36
elderly dependency ratio: 9.6
potential support ratio: 14.2 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 31.7 years
male: 31.5 years
female: 32 years (2020 est.)
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: 76.3% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
9.259 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.264 million Mashhad, 2.177 million Esfahan, 1.675 million Shiraz, 1.627 million Tabriz, 1.582 million Karaj (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135Infant mortality rate
total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.06 years
male: 73.71 years
female: 76.48 years (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
77.4% (2010/11)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.6% of population
rural: 93.1% of population
total: 97.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population
rural: 6.9% of population
total: 2.8% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
8.7% (2018)
Physicians density
1.58 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 95.7% of population
total: 98.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 4.3% of population
total: 1.9% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
<.1% (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
note: a new coronavirus is causing sustained community spread of respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Iran; sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they became infected is not known, and the spread is ongoing; illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe with fatalities reported; as of 6 October 2021, Iran has reported a total of 5,651,961 cases of COVID-19 or 6,729.09 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 144.73 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 27 September 2021, 42.69% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.5%
male: 90.4%
female: 80.8% (2016)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 23.7%
male: 21.2%
female: 36% (2020 est.)
Environment
Environment - current issues
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 35.09 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 661.71 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 158.71 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Land use
agricultural land: 30.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 6.8% (2018 est.)
other: 63.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 76.3% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
note: a new coronavirus is causing sustained community spread of respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Iran; sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they became infected is not known, and the spread is ongoing; illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe with fatalities reported; as of 6 October 2021, Iran has reported a total of 5,651,961 cases of COVID-19 or 6,729.09 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 144.73 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 27 September 2021, 42.69% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 17.885 million tons (2017 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 894,250 tons (2017 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5% (2017 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 6.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
137.045 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
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
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
etymology: various explanations of the city's name have been proffered, but the most plausible states that it derives from the Persian words "tah" meaning "end or bottom" and "ran" meaning "[mountain] slope" to signify "bottom of the mountain slope"; Tehran lies at the bottom slope of the Elburz Mountains
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
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
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
Executive branch
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President-elect Ebrahim RAISI (since 18 June 2021); First Vice President Eshagh 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 18 June 2012 (next to be held in June 2025)
election results:
2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (CCA) 72.4%, Mohsen Rezaee MIRGHA'ED (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir Hossein Hossein Ghazizadegh HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4%
2017: 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 Council of Guardians, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles
elections: first round held on 21 February 2020 and second round for 11 remaining seats held on 11 September 2020 (next full Majles election to be held in 2024)
election results: percent of vote by coalition (first round) - NA; seats by coalition (first round) - conservatives 219, reformists 20, independents 35, religious minorities 5; remaining 11 seats to be decided in April 2020
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a single, renewable 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts
Political parties and leaders
Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group)
Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front
Executives of Construction Party
Followers of the Guardianship of the Jurisprudent [Ali LARIJANI]
Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Morteza AGHA-TEHRANI, general secretary]
Islamic Coalition Party
Islamic Iran Participation Front [associated with former President Mohammed KHATAMI]
Islamic Law Party
Militant Clerics Society
Moderation and Development Party
National Trust Party
National Unity Party
Pervasive Coalition of Reformists [Ali SUFI, chairman] (includes Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front, National Trust Party, Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Moderation and Development Party)
Principlists Grand Coalition [Ali Reza ZAKANI] (includes Combatant Clergy Association and Islamic Coalition Party, Society of Devotees and Pathseekers of the Islamic Revolution, Front of Islamic Revolution Stability)
Progress, Welfare, and Justice Front
Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran or PJP [Hosein GHORBANZADEH, general secretary]
Resistance Front of Islamic Iran [Yadollah HABIBI, general secretary]
Steadfastness Front
Union of Islamic Iran People's Party
Wayfarers of the Islamic Revolution
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
chief of mission: none; Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Embassy of Pakistan, 1250 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073; info@daftar.org
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran
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 1: adopted 1990; Iran has had six national anthems; the first, entitled Salam-e Shah (Royal Salute) was in use from 1873-1909; next came Salamati-ye Dowlat-e Elliye-ye Iran (Salute of the Sublime State of Persia, 1909-1933); it was followed by Sorud-e melli (The Imperial Anthem of Iran; 1933-1979), which chronicled the exploits of the Pahlavi Dynasty; Ey Iran (Oh Iran) functioned unofficially as the national anthem for a brief period between the ouster of the Shah in 1979 and the early days of the Islamic Republic in 1980; Payandeh Bada Iran (Long Live Iran) was used between 1980 and 1990 during the time of Ayatollah KHOMEINI
note 2: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable since the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran
Economy
Economic 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.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1,044,310,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$1,027,240,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$1.102 trillion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
3.7% (2017 est.)
12.5% (2016 est.)
-1.6% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$12,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$12,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$13,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$581.252 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
10% (2017 est.)
9.6% (2017 est.)
9.1% (2016 est.)
note: official Iranian estimate
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 9.6% (2016 est.)
industry: 35.3% (2016 est.)
services: 55% (2017 est.)
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.)
Agricultural products
wheat, sugar cane, milk, sugar beet, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, poultry, apples
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
Labor force
30.5 million (2017 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor
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
Population below poverty line
18.7% (2007 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
40.8 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 29.6% (2005)
Budget
revenues: 74.4 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 84.45 billion (2017 est.)
Public debt
39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: includes publicly guaranteed debt
Fiscal year
21 March - 20 March
Current account balance
$9.491 billion (2017 est.)
$16.28 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners
China 48%, India 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, polymers, industrial alcohols, iron, pistachios (2019)
Imports - partners
China 28%, United Arab Emirates 20%, India 11%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6%, Germany 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
rice, corn, broadcasting equipment, soybean products, beef (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$7.995 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$8.196 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
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.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 23.7%
male: 21.2%
female: 36% (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
77.6 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16Electricity - from fossil fuels
84% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75Electricity - from nuclear fuels
1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
15% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192Crude oil - proved reserves
157.2 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4Refined petroleum products - production
1.764 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11Refined petroleum products - consumption
1.804 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12Natural gas - proved reserves
33.72 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 29,093,587 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34.64 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 127,624,951 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: challenged by censorship and international sanctions; large, youthful, tech-savvy demographic with unmet demand; state-owned operators provided special offerings for services during pandemic, driving mobile broadband and deployment of 4G to nearly all of the population; government expanding fiber network and preparing for 5G to grow digital economy and smart city infrastructure; importer of broadcasting and computer equipment from UAE and China (2020)
domestic: 35 per 100 for fixed-line and 142 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions; 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 (2019)
international: country code - 98; landing points for Kuwait-Iran, GBICS & MENA, FALCON, OMRAN/3PEG Cable System, POI and UAE-Iran submarine fiber-optic cable to the Middle East, Africa and India; (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
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 (2019)
Internet users
total: 59.16 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 84.11% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 9,564,195 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.39 (2020 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 22 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 237
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 25,604,871 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 290.74 million mt-km (2018)
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 (2019)
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
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)
Roadways
total: 223,485 km (2018)
paved: 195,485 km (2018)
unpaved: 28,000 km (2018)
Waterways
850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 69Merchant marine
total: 893
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, general cargo 371, oil tanker 84, other 375 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Bandar-e Asaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni
container port(s) (TEUs): Bandar Abbas
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (border and security troops, assigned to the armed forces in wartime) (2021)
note(s) - the Artesh Navy operates Iran’s larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz; the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group with local organizations across the country, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit subordinate to Revolutionary Guard ground forces
Military expenditures
2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.8% of GDP (2019 est.)
6.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
5.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
4.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 550-600,000 total active personnel; approximately 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); approximately 150-190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5-15,000 Qods Force); est. 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian, Soviet, and US origin (US equipment acquired prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979); weapons imports from Western countries are restricted by international sanctions; since 2010, Iran has received equipment from Belarus, China, and Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2021)
Military deployments
est. 1,000 Syria (2021)
note - Iran has recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war
Maritime threats
the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-003A Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 26 February 2021, which states in part that "heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region;" Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel has been established to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman
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 18-24 months; women exempt from military service (2021)
Military - note
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; as of 2021, the IRGC was a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it was heavily involved in internal security and had significant influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; its special operations forces, known as the Qods Force, specialized in foreign missions and has provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad (see Appendix-T for additional details on the IRGC and Qods Force)
the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party; al-Qa’ida
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
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): 2.6 million undocumented Afghans, 780,000 Afghan refugee card holders, 20,000 Iraqi refugee card holders (2020)
stateless persons: 34 (2020)
Trafficking in persons
current situation: Iran is a presumed source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Iranian and Afghan boys and girls are forced into prostitution domestically; Iranian women are subjected to sex trafficking in Iran, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, and Europe; Azerbaijani women and children are also sexually exploited in Iran; Afghan migrants and refugees and Pakistani men and women are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Iran; NGO reports indicate that criminal organizations play a significant role in human trafficking in Iran
tier rating: Tier 3 — Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; therefore, Iran remained in Tier 3; the government continued a policy of recruiting and using child soldiers, government officials perpetrated sex trafficking of adults and children and continued trafficking both in Iran and overseas; the government continued to force or coerce children and adults to fight for Iranian-led militias operating in Syria and provided financial support to militias fighting in armed conflicts in the region using child soldiers; authorities failed to identify and protect trafficking victims among vulnerable populations; law enforcement treated trafficking victims as criminals, facing severe punishment or death for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit (2020)
Illicit drugs
significant transit and destination country for opiates and cannabis products mainly from Afghanistan; produces and consumes methamphetamine and traffics it to international markets; one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe