|
Background:
|
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic
republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was
overthrown and the shah was forced into exile.
Conservative clerical forces 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. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a
group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in
Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January
1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive
war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian
Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian
military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been
designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its
activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and
remains subject to US and UN economic sanctions and
export controls because of its continued involvement in
terrorism and conventional weapons proliferation.
Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam
Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a
reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to
foster political reform in response to popular
dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered
as conservative politicians, through the control of
unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from
being enacted and increased repressive measures.
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. In December 2006 and March
2007, the international community passed resolutions
1737 and 1747 respectively after Iran failed to comply
with UN demands to halt the enrichment of uranium or to
agree to full IAEA oversight of its nuclear program. In
October 2007, Iranian entities were also subject to US
sanctions under EO 13382 designations for proliferation
activities and EO 13224 designations for providing
material support to the Taliban and other terrorist
organizations. |
|
Location:
|
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian
Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
32 00 N, 53 00 E
|
|
Map references:
|
Middle East |
|
Area:
|
total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly larger than Alaska |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35
km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey
499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km |
|
Coastline:
|
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740
km) |
|
Maritime claims:
|
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: 9.78%
permanent crops: 1.29%
other: 88.93% (2005)
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
76,500 sq km (2003)
|
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
137.5 cu km (1997)
|
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total: 72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
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 |
|
Population:
|
65,875,224 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 7,548,116/female
7,164,921)
15-64 years: 72.3% (male 24,090,976/female
23,522,861)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,713,533/female
1,834,816) (2008 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total: 26.4 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 26.7 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.792% (2008 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
16.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 36.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 37.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 36.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 70.86 years
male: 69.39 years
female: 72.4 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Total fertility rate:
|
1.71 children born/woman (2008 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.2% (2005 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
66,000 (2005 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
1,600 (2005 est.) |
|
Major infectious diseases:
|
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic
fever and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has
been identified in this country; it poses a negligible
risk with extremely rare cases possible among US
citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd
7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
|
|
Religions:
|
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes
Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
|
|
Languages:
|
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic
dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic
1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77%
male: 83.5%
female: 70.4% (2002 est.) |
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary
education):
|
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2005) |
|
Education expenditures:
|
5.1% of GDP (2006)
|
|
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 40 N, 51 25 E
time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil,
Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr,
Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan,
Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah,
Khorasan-e Jonubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
Shomali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad,
Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom,
Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan
|
|
Independence:
|
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) |
|
National holiday:
|
Republic Day, 1 April (1979) |
|
Constitution:
|
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the
presidency and eliminate the prime ministership |
|
Legal system:
|
based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage:
|
16 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali
Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD
(since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Parviz
DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005)
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)
Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a popularly
elected body charged with determining the succession of
the Supreme Leader, reviewing his performance, and
deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council
or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency
(Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam) exerts supervisory
authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative
branches and resolves legislative issues on which 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; 3) Council of Guardians of the
Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians
Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e Qanun-e Assassi) determines
whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and
faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for
suitability, and supervises national elections
elections: Supreme Leader is appointed for life
by the Assembly of Experts; president is elected by
popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second
term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 17 June
2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next
presidential election slated for 12 June 2009)
election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected
president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%,
Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI 36%
|
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 14 March 2008 with a runoff
held 25 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by
party - conservatives/Islamists 170, reformers 46,
independents 71, religious minorities 3 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member
High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and
overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise
the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and
legal policies; lower courts include a special clerical
court, a revolutionary court, and a special
administrative court |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon
in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work
through political pressure groups rather than parties,
and often political parties or coalitions are formed
prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a
loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front,
which includes political parties as well as less formal
groups and organizations, achieved considerable success
at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups
in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation
Front (IIPF), Executives of Construction Party
(Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor Party,
Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution
Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society
(Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh
Majles elections in early 2004; following his defeat in
the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary
General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI formed the
National Trust Party; a new conservative group, Islamic
Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran), took a leading
position in the new Majles after winning a majority of
the seats in February 2004; following the 2004 Majles
elections, traditional and hardline conservatives have
attempted to close ranks under the United Front of
Principlists; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that
the overwhelming majority of its candidates have been
unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
groups that generally support the Islamic Republic:
Ansar-e Hizballah-Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh);
Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader;
Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran Militant Clergy
Association (Ruhaniyat); active pro-reform student
group: Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition
groups: Baluchistan People's Party (BPP); Freedom
Movement of Iran; Marz-e Por Gohar; National Front; and
various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed
political groups that have been repressed by the
government: Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan
(KDPI); Jundallah; Komala; Mujahidin-e Khalq
Organization (MEK or MKO); People's Fedayeen; People's
Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) |
|
International organization participation:
|
CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the
Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section,
Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202)
965-1073 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
none; note - the American Interests Section is located
in the Swiss Embassy compound at Africa Avenue, West
Farzan Street, number 32, Tehran, Iran; telephone [98]
21 8878 2964 or 21 8879 2364; FAX [98] 21 8877 3265
|
|
Flag description:
|
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and
red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of
the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of
martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH
AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated
11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
times along the top edge of the red band |
|
Economy - overview:
|
Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector,
reliance on the oil sector (which provides 85% of
government revenues), and statist policies that create
major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is
controlled by the state. Private sector activity is
typically small-scale workshops, farming, and services.
President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD failed to make any notable
progress in fulfilling the goals of the nation's latest
five-year plan. A combination of price controls and
subsidies, particularly on food and energy, continue to
weigh down the economy, and administrative controls,
widespread corruption, and other rigidities undermine
the potential for private-sector-led growth. As a result
of these inefficiencies, significant informal market
activity flourishes and shortages are common. High oil
prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass nearly
$70 billion in foreign exchange reserves. Yet this
increased revenue has not eased economic hardships,
which include double-digit unemployment and inflation -
inflation climbed to 26% as of June 2008. The economy
has seen only moderate growth. Iran's educated
population, economic inefficiency and insufficient
investment - both foreign and domestic - have prompted
an increasing number of Iranians to seek employment
overseas, resulting in significant "brain drain." |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$762.9 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$294.1 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
6.2% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$11,700 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 42.9%
services: 46.5% (2007 est.)
|
|
Labor force:
|
28.7 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 25%
industry: 31%
services: 45% (June 2007) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
12% according to the Iranian government (2007 est.)
|
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 33.7% (1998) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
44.5 (2006)
|
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
27.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $104 billion
expenditures: $101 billion (2008 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
17.2% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
17.1% (2007 est.) |
|
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
|
12% (31 December 2007) |
|
Stock of money:
|
$46.13 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Stock of quasi money:
|
$68.71 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Stock of domestic credit:
|
$109.7 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane,
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:
|
4.8% excluding oil (2007 est.)
|
|
Electricity - production:
|
189.9 billion kWh (2006 est.)
|
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
149.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)
|
|
Electricity - exports:
|
2.775 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
2.54 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
|
Oil - production:
|
4.033 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption:
|
1.679 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports:
|
2.52 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
|
|
Oil - imports:
|
167,800 bbl/day (2005) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
138.4 billion bbl based on Iranian claims (1 January
2008 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
111.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
111.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
6.2 billion cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
6.1 billion cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
26.85 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$28.95 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$88.26 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports - commodities:
|
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products,
fruits and nuts, carpets |
|
Exports - partners:
|
China 15%, Japan 14.3%, Turkey 7.4%, South Korea 7.3%,
Italy 6.4% (2007) |
|
Imports:
|
$53.88 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
|
|
Imports - commodities:
|
industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital
goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical
services |
|
Imports - partners:
|
China 14.2%, Germany 9.6%, UAE 9.1%, South Korea 6.3%,
Russia 5.7%, Italy 5% (2007) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$69.2 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$20.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
|
$6.026 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|
$903 million (2007 est.) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares:
|
$45.2 billion (December 2007)
|
|
Currency (code):
|
Iranian rial (IRR)
|
|
Exchange rates:
|
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,407.5 (2007),
9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9
(2003)
note: Iran has been using a managed floating
exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange
rates in March 2002
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
23.835 million (2007) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
29.77 million (2007) |
|
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 main line network greatly; main line
availability has more than doubled to nearly 24 million
lines since 2000; additionally, mobile service has
increased dramatically serving nearly 30 million
subscribers in 2007
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) (2007) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
28 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ir |
|
Internet hosts:
|
2,860 (2008) |
|
Internet users:
|
23 million (2007) |
|
Airports:
|
331 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 129
over 3,047 m: 40
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 32
under 914 m: 5 (2007)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 202
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 145
under 914 m: 46 (2007) |
|
Heliports:
|
14 (2007) |
|
Pipelines:
|
condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 19,161 km;
liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,438 km; refined
products 7,936 km (2007) |
|
Railways:
|
total: 8,367 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 8,273 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km
electrified) (2006) |
|
Roadways:
|
total: 172,927 km
paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 47,019 km (2006) |
|
Waterways:
|
850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake
Urmia) (2006) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 74
by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical
tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo
4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2,
Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni |
|
Military branches:
|
Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground
Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic
Republic of Iran (Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye
Eslami-ye Iran; includes air defense); Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e
Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods
Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular
Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2008) |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
19 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 - 18 months; women exempt from military
service (2008) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 20,212,275
females age 16-49: 19,638,751 (2008 est.)
|
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 17,416,126
females age 16-49: 16,928,226 (2008 est.)
|
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age
annually:
|
male: 766,668
female: 727,654 (2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures:
|
2.5% of GDP (2006)
|
|
Disputes - international:
|
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed
tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of 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;
Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting
upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal
sectors |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|
refugees (country of origin): 914,268
(Afghanistan); 54,024 (Iraq) (2007) |
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Trafficking in persons:
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current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and
destination country for women trafficked for the
purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary
servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally for
the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced
marriages to settle debts; Iranian children are
trafficked internally and Afghan children are trafficked
into Iran for the purpose of forced marriages,
commercial sexual exploitation, and involuntary
servitude as beggars or laborers
tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran did not provide
evidence of law enforcement activities against
trafficking, and credible reports indicate that Iranian
authorities punish victims of trafficking with beatings,
imprisonment, and execution; Iran has not ratified the
2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) |
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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 |
This page was last updated on 18
December 2008 |
