Statistics
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| General | ||
| Official Name | Islamic Republic of Iran | |
| Population | 68.9 million (2003 est.) | |
| Capital City | Tehran | |
| Major Cities | Esfahan, Shiraz, Mashad, Yazd | |
| Nationality | Iranian | |
| Official Language | Persian | |
| Official Religion | Islam | |
| Currency | 100 rial - 1 toman | |
| Geography | ||
| Location | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan | |
| Area | total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq. km water: 12,000 sq km | |
| Area Comparative | Slightly larger than Alaska | |
| 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 | |
| Land | ||
| Terrain | rugged mountain ranges, central basin with mountains and deserts, small scattered plains along coastal rim | |
| Land Use | arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 27% forests and woodland: 7% other: 55% (2003 est.) | |
| Natural Resources | petroleum, natural gas, coal, chronium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur | |
| Natural Hazards | droughts, floods, dust storms, sandstorms, and earthquakes along western border and northeast | |
| Environmental Issues | air pollution in urban areas, mostly from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; overgrazing; desertification; deforestation; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf | |
| People, Health, and Education | ||
| Total Population | 68.9 million (2003 est.) | |
| Population in 1960 | 49.5 million | |
| Population in 2006 (projected) | 70.3 million (67% in urban areas) | |
| Age Structure | 0-14 years: 34% 15-64 years: 61% 65 years and over: 5% (2000 est.) | |
| Birth Rate | 18.29/1,000 births | |
| Mortality Rate | 5.49/1,000 deaths | |
| Fertility Rate | 2.2 children born/woman | |
| Net Migration Rate | -4.55 migrants/1,000 population (2000 est.) | |
| Refugees and Migrants | total: 1.963 million Afghans: 1.4 million Iraqis: 530,605 | |
| Sex Ratio | 1.03 males/females (2000 est.) | |
| Life Expectancy | total population: 69.66 years male: 68.34 years female: 71.05 years (2000 est.) | |
| Ethnic Groups | Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% | |
| Language Groups | Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% | |
| Religious Groups | Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1% | |
| Adult Literacy | total: 74.5% (1997), 57.1% (1988) male: 81.9% (1997), 67.1% (1988) female: 67% (1997), 46.3% (1988) | |
| Economy | ||
| GDP - Purchasing Power Parity | $456 billion (2002 est.) | |
| GDP - Real Growth Rate | 5% | |
| GDP - Per Capita | $5,300 | |
| GDP - Composition by Sector | agriculture: 21% (1997) 34% (1976) service:45% (1997) 30.9% (1976) manufacture: 34% (1997) 34% (1976) | |
| Industries | petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments | |
| Agricultural Products | wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool, caviar | |
| Exports - commodities | petroleum 80%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hides, iron, steel | |
| Imports - commodities | machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products | |
| Human Poverty Index % under the poverty line | 18.1% (1997) 31% (1988) | |
| Share of Total Earned Income | male: 90.3% female: 9.7% (1997 est.) | |
| Unemployment approximately 360,000 new jobs are being created each year, to maintain this rate of unemployment, there needs to be 750,000 new jobs created each year | 18.1% (1997) 31% (1988) | |
Note: data from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Human Development Report of the Islamic Republic of Iran