|
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 |
|
Refugees and internally
displaced persons: |
refugees
(country of origin): 914,268 (Afghanistan); 54,024 (Iraq)
(2007) |
|
Trafficking in
persons: |
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) |
|
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
|
