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 - 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 hostage 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 Guardians Council, 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, which persisted until early 2011. 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 RUHANI to the presidency. A longtime senior member in the regime, he made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. In July 2015, Iran and the five UNSC permanent members, plus Germany (P5+1) finalized the JCPOA under which Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief; however, the US reimposed sanctions in 2018 dealing a blow to RUHANI's legacy and the Iranian economy. In November 2019, Tehran's decision to increase the price of gasoline overnight sparked nationwide protests, which the regime violently suppressed within a week. Conservatives won the majority of seats in Iranian Majles elections in elections in February 2020 and hardline cleric Ebrahim RAISI - who had a decades-long career in Iran's judiciary - was elected president in June 2021, resulting in a hardline and conservative monopoly across the regime's elected and unelected institutions.
As president, RAISI has concentrated on deepening Iran's foreign relations with anti-US states - particularly China and Russia - to weather US sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while supporting negotiations to restore a nuclear deal that began in 2021. RAISI contended with nationwide protests that began in September 2022 and persisted for over three months following the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa AMINI, in morality police custody. Young people and women led the protests and in contrast to previous periods of unrest, this latest bout focused on demands for regime change rather than reform within the system or the redressal of economic grievances.
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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 - comparative
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 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
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
79,721 sq km (2020)
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)
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: 23.51% (male 10,533,573/female 10,060,225)
15-64 years: 69.82% (male 31,140,117/female 30,014,613)
65 years and over: 6.67% (2023 est.) (male 2,723,298/female 3,119,047)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.3
youth dependency ratio: 34.6
elderly dependency ratio: 10.7
potential support ratio: 9.3 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 33.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 33.1 years
female: 33.5 years
comparison ranking: total 109
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: 77.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
9.500 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.368 million Mashhad, 2.258 million Esfahan, 1.721 million Shiraz, 1.661 million Tabriz, 1.594 million Karaj (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 14.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 98
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.4 years (2023 est.)
male: 74.1 years
female: 76.9 years
comparison ranking: total population 123
Gross reproduction rate
0.94 (2023 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 99.8% of population
rural: 98.1% of population
total: 99.4% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population
rural: 1.9% of population
total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
5.3% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
1.58 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 181
Tobacco use
total: 13.6% (2020 est.)
male: 24.1% (2020 est.)
female: 3.1% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 113
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
70.3% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92.4%
female: 88.7% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2020)
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
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: 77.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 31.62 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 661.71 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 158.71 megatons (2020 est.)
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 (2020 est.)
industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
137.05 billion cubic meters (2020 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 Ebrahim RAISI (since 18 June 2021); First Vice President Mohammad MOKHBER (since 8 August 2021)
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 2021 (next to be held in June 2025)
election results:
2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (independent) 72.4%, Mohsen REZAI (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir-Hosein Qazizadeh-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%
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 and hardliners 226, reformists 19, independents 40, religious minorities 5; as of June 2021 by-elections; composition - men 274, women 16, percent of women 5.6%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): 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 [Mostafa PURMOHAMMADI] (an active political group)
Executives of Construction Party [Hossein MARASHI]
Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Sadegh MAHSULI, secretary general]
Islamic Coalition Party [Asadollah BADAMCHIAN]
Militant Clerics Society (Majma-e Ruhaniyoun-e Mobarez) or MRM [Mohammad Mousavi KHOEINIHA]
Moderation and Development Party [Hassan RUHANI]
National Trust Party (Hezb-e E'temad-eMelli) or HEM [Elias HAZRATI]
Progress and Justice Society [Mohammad Saeed AHADIAN]
Union of Islamic Iran People's Party (Hezb-e Ettehad-e Iran-e Eslami) [Azar MANSURI]
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; email: requests@daftar.org; info@daftarwashington.com; website: https://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
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 27 (25 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Persepolis (c); Tchogha Zanbil (c); Bam and its Cultural Landscape (c); Golestan Palace (c); Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (c); Pasargadae (c); Hyrcanian Forests (n); Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (c); Meidan Emam, Esfahan (c); Bisotun (c)
Economy
Economic overview
traditionally state-controlled economy but reforming state-owned financial entities; strong oil/gas, agricultural, and service sectors; recent massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty; increasing poverty
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.319 trillion (2021 est.)
$1.26 trillion (2020 est.)
$1.219 trillion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 18
Real GDP per capita
$15,000 (2021 est.)
$14,400 (2020 est.)
$14,100 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 106
GDP (official exchange rate)
$581.252 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
43.39% (2021 est.)
30.59% (2020 est.)
39.91% (2019 est.)
note: official Iranian estimate
comparison ranking: 6
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 9.6% (2016 est.)
industry: 35.3% (2016 est.)
services: 55% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 154; industry 45; agriculture 92
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
Unemployment rate
11.46% (2021 est.)
12.17% (2020 est.)
10.74% (2019 est.)
note: data are Iranian Government numbers
comparison ranking: 60
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 27.2% (2021 est.)
male: 24%
female: 41.7%
comparison ranking: total 51
Population below poverty line
18.7% (2007 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 27.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 29.6% (2005)
Budget
revenues: $60.714 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $90.238 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: includes publicly guaranteed debt
comparison ranking: 137
Fiscal year
21 March - 20 March
Exports - partners
China 48%, India 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
ethylene polymers, pistachios, iron, copper, industrial alcohols, aluminum (2021)
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.)
comparison ranking: 24
Debt - external
$7.995 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$8.196 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 121
Exchange rates
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
42,000 (2021 est.)
42,000 (2020 est.)
42,000 (2019 est.)
40,864.329 (2018 est.)
33,226.298 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 80.553 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 279,826,390,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 6.365 billion kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 2.738 billion kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 34.303 billion kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 17; transmission/distribution losses 10; imports 54; exports 29; consumption 14
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 88.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.92GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 0.1% (2021)
Percent of total energy produced: 0.19% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 0
Coal
production: 2.783 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 2.794 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 76,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 87,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 1.203 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 3,450,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1.934 million bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 2,230,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 33,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 237,561,415,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 220,704,282,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 17,607,046,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 1,153,457,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 33,987,296,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
646.038 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.142 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 204.21 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 436.687 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 8
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 29,306,782 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 7
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 135,899,424 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 155 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 13
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Iran’s telecom infrastructure has suffered from sanctions in recent years, which prevented the import of equipment and devices and encouraged widespread smuggling, with a consequent loss of tax revenue; to address this, the government introduced a device registration scheme, and bolstered the capacity for domestically manufactured mobile phones; companies have invested in broadening the reach of their LTE networks, which has increased network capacity and improved the quality of mobile broadband services; the country is also looking to 5G; the sector is still limited by low frequency bands; the government is addressing this with plans to reallocate the 3.5GHz band for 5G use; Iran is keen to grow its digital economy; Iran offers significant opportunities for growth in the telecoms sector; the country has one of the largest populations in the Middle East, and there is a high proportion of youthful, tech savvy users having considerable demand for both fixed and mobile telecom services; companies are offering national roaming to improve services in rural areas (2022)
domestic: approximately 33 per 100 for fixed-line and 155 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)
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)
Broadcast media
state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates more than 60 television channels, more than 50 radio stations, and dozens of newspapers and websites; 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; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2023)
Internet users
total: 69.52 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 79% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 13
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 9,564,195 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 21
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 (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
140
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
179
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Heliports
26 (2021)
Pipelines
7 km condensate, 973 km condensate/gas, 20,794 km gas, 570 km liquid petroleum gas, 8,625 km oil, 7,937 km refined products (2013)
Railways
total: 8,483.5 km (2014)
standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)
broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge
comparison ranking: total 25
Roadways
total: 223,485 km (2018)
paved: 195,485 km (2018)
unpaved: 28,000 km (2018)
comparison ranking: total 23
Merchant marine
total: 942 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, general cargo 393, oil tanker 83, other 403
comparison ranking: total 25
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
the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah); Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces or Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (aka Quds Force; special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces
Ministry of Interior: Law Enforcement Command
Ministry of Intelligence and Security (2023)
note 1: 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 waters of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz
note 2: the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group under the IRGC with local organizations across the country, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit for the IRGC; it is formally known as the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed; it is also known as the Popular Mobilization Army
note 3: the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and law enforcement forces under the Interior Ministry, which report to the president, and the IRGC, which reports to the supreme leader, share responsibility for law enforcement and maintaining order
note 4: the Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) is the uniformed police of Iran and includes branches for public security, traffic control, anti-narcotics, special forces (riot control, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), intelligence, and criminal investigations; it has responsibility for border security (Border Guard Command)
Military expenditures
2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 42
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; up to 600,000 active armed forces 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); estimated 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2023)
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); it also has some military equipment from North Korea, including midget submarines and ballistic missiles; in recent years, Iran has received some newer equipment from Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2023)
Military service age and obligation
military service is compulsory for all Iranian men 18/19 to approximately age 40; 16 for voluntary military service (may be as low as 15 for the Basij); conscript military service obligation is 18-24 months, depending on the location of service (soldiers serving in places of high security risk and deprived areas serve shorter terms); women exempted from military service (2023)
note: conscripts serve in the Artesh, IRGC, and Law Enforcement; approximately 80% of Artesh ground forces personnel are conscripts, while Navy and Air/Air Defense Force personnel are primarily volunteers; conscripts reportedly comprise more than 50% of the IRGC
Military deployments
continues to maintain a military presence in Syria reportedly of a few thousand personnel, mostly of special operations and IRGC forces (2023)
note: Iran has recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war
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 IRGC played a critical role in helping KHOMEINI consolidate power in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, and it ensured that KHOMEINI's Islamic revolutionary vision prevailed against domestic challenges from nationalists and leftist factions in the scramble for control after the Shah's departure; 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; today, the IRGC is a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it is heavily involved in internal security and has significant influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; on the economic front, it owns factories and corporations and subsidiaries in banking, infrastructure, housing, airlines, tourism and other sectors; its special operations forces, known as the Qods/Quds Force, specialize in foreign missions and have 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 Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations
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
the Iranian Armed Forces are divided between the regular forces (Artesh) and the IRGC; the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat; in 1989, Iran established the Armed Forces General Staff to coordinate military action across both the Artesh and the IRGC; Iran also has a joint military headquarters, the Khatam ol-Anbia Central Headquarters, to command the Artesh and IRGC in wartime
the Artesh Ground Force consists of about 50 combat brigades, mostly infantry with a sizable contingent of airborne, armored, commando, mechanized, and special operations forces; most units are concentrated along the Iran-Iraq border, reflecting the force’s primary mission to defend against foreign invasion; the IRGC Ground Force is organized into 31 provincial corps and a Tehran city corps, which are postured to counter internal unrest and a ground invasion; the corps have a broad mix of armored, infantry, mechanized, and commando units; the IRGC’s special operations forces are known as the Qods Force; the IRGC controls the Basij Paramilitary Forces, which are also organized into provincial corps with mobile/rapid-reaction, security, infantry, and commando battalions
the Artesh Navy is considered Iran’s “blue water” navy and has the primary mission of defending Iranian territorial waters and protecting the country’s economic interests in the Caspian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and beyond; it has approximately 10 frigates and corvettes, plus a small force of attack and midget submarines (note - Iran is the only Persian Gulf nation with a submarine force); the IRGC Navy is tasked with protecting primarily the Iranian littoral waters in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz and employs a force of mostly small, fast attack vessels armed with a variety of weapons systems including anti-ship missiles
Iran’s air and air defense capabilities are split primarily across three services: the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force (IRIADF), both under the Artesh, and the IRGC Aerospace Force (IRGCASF); the IRIAF operates the majority of Iran’s combat aircraft and has more than 200 such aircraft, a considerable portion of which are older US models acquired before the 1979 revolution; the remainder includes older Chinese-, French-, and Russian-produced aircraft; the IRIADF controls the country’s surface-to-air missile capabilities; the IRGCASF operates some ground attack aircraft and most of Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicles; it also controls Iran’s cruise and ballistic missile force (2023)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Iranian Space Agency (ISA; created in 2003 from merging the activities of the Iranian Remote Sensing Center and some of the activities of the Telecommunications Company of Iran); Iran Space Research Center (established, 2000); Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics; Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO; under the Ministry of Defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Space Command (formed in 2020) (2023)
Space launch site(s)
Imam Khomeini Space Center (aka Semnan Space Center; Semnan province); Shahroud Space Center (IGRC military base; Semnan Province); Qom Space Center (Qom Province); inaugurated its first space monitoring center located near Delijan (Markazi Province) in 2013 (2023)
Space program overview
has an ambitious civil and military space program focused on acquiring and operating satellites and developing indigenous satellite/space launch vehicles (SLV); designs, builds, and operates satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific; manufactures and operates SLVs; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies in such areas as telecommunications, RS, navigation, and space situational awareness; UN Security Council and other international sanctions against Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program have severely limited Iran’s cooperation with foreign space agencies and commercial space industries; in recent years, however, it has cooperated with North Korea and Russia on space issues; Iran has also had relations with regional and international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization; it was a founding member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) established in 1958 (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); 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-Afghanistan: Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey
Iran-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-Russia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified a Caspian seabed delimitation treaty in 2018 based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea
Iran-Iraq: 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-Kuwait: dispute over undemarcated maritime border and Al Durra offshore gasfield in the Arabian/Persian Gulf
Iran-UAE: Iran and UAE dispute the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands, which are occupied by Iran; Iran has conducted military drills on and around the disputed islands
Caspian Sea (Maritime Boundary): Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 500,000 undocumented Afghans, 750,000 Afghan refugee card holders, 12,000 Iraqi refugee card holders (2022)
stateless persons: 34 (mid-year 2021)
Trafficking in persons
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 took some steps to address trafficking, including forming an anti-trafficking committee to develop strategies and programs to combat trafficking; however, the government continued a policy of recruiting and using child soldiers and coercing adults to fight for Iranian-led militias in Syria; officials continued to perpetrate and condone trafficking crimes; authorities failed to identify and protect trafficking victims among vulnerable populations and continued to treat trafficking victims as criminals; victims continued to face severe punishment or death for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit (2022)
trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Iran, and Iranians are exploited abroad; the continuing decline of the Iranian economy has significantly exacerbated human trafficking, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities, refugee and migrants, women, and children; women and girls, as well as some men, are highly vulnerable to sex trafficking in Iran; Iranian and Afghan boys and girls are forced into prostitution domestically; Iranian women, boys, and girls are vulnerable to sex trafficking in Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates; Iranian and Afghan refugee and migrant children, orphans, and homeless children increasingly are vulnerable to forced labor in Iran; criminal groups reportedly play a significant role in human trafficking in Iran, including kidnaping or purchasing Iranian and migrant children for forced labor and sexual exploitation; Afghan refugees and migrants, as well as Pakistani migrants, are vulnerable to abuse and labor exploitation (2022)
Illicit drugs
significant transit and destination country for opiates and cannabis products mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan; produces and consumes methamphetamine and traffics it to international markets; one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; opium and cannabis most widely used drugs domestically along with increase in crystal methamphetamine