People:

Population: 65,612,000.

Age distrib. (%): <15: 47; 65+: 4.

Pop. density: 103 per sq. mi.

Urban: 57%.

Ethnic groups: Persian 51%; Azerbaijani 24%; Kurd 7%.

Principal languages: Persian, Turkic, Kurdish, Luri.

Religions: Shi’a Muslim 95%.

 

Geography:

Area: 632,457 sq. mi., slightly larger than Alaska.

Location: Between the Middle East and S Asia.

Neighbors: Turkey, Iraq on W, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan on N, Afghanistan, Pakistan on E.

Topography: Interior highlands and plains are surrounded by high mountains, up to 18,000 ft. Large salt deserts cover much of the area, but there are many oases and forest areas. Most of the population inhabits the N and NW.

Capital: Tehran.

Cities (1986 cen.): Tehran 6.0 mln.; Esfahan 1.0 mln.; Mashhad 1.4 mln.; Tabriz 971,000; Shiraz 848,000.

 

Government:

Type: Islamic republic.

Religious head: Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei; b 1939; in office: June 4, 1989.

Head of state: Pres. Hashemi Rafsanjani; in office: Aug 3, 1989.

Local divisions: 24 provinces.

Defense: 15% of GNP (1991).

 

Economy:

Industries: Cement, sugar refining, carpets.

Chief crops: Grains, rice, fruits, sugar beets, cotton, grapes.

Minerals: Chromium, oil, gas.

Crude oil reserves (1991): 63 bln. barrels.

Other resources: Gums, wool, silk, caviar.

Arable land: 8%.

Livestock (1991): Cattle: 6.9 mln.; Sheep: 45.0 mln.

Electricity prod. (1992): 43.6 bln. kWh.

Labor force: 33% agric.; 21% manuf.

 

Finance:

Monetary unit: Rial (Mar. 1994: 1,747 = $1 US).

Gross national product (1992): $90 bln.

Per capita GNP (1991): $1,500.

Imports (1991): $21.6 bln.; partners: Ger. 20%; Jap. 10%; UK 6%.

Exports (1991): $15.9 bln.; partners: Jap. 13%; Neth. 12%.

National budget (1990): $80 bln.

Consumer prices (change in 1993): 20.3%.

 

Transport:

Motor vehicles: In use: 1.6 mln. passenger cars, 600,000 comm. vehicles.

Civil aviation: 3.3 bln. passenger-mi.; 19 airports.

Chief ports: Bandar Abbas.

 

Communications:

Television sets: 1 per 26 persons.

Radios: 1 per 5 persons.

Telephones: 1 per 25 persons.

Daily newspaper circ.: 27 per 1,000 pop.

 

Health:

Life expectancy at birth (1994): 65 male; 67 female.

Births (per 1,000 pop.): 42.

Deaths (per 1,000 pop.): 8.

Natural increase: 3.5%.

Hospital beds: 1 per 688 persons.

Physicians: 1 per 2,685 persons.

Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births 1994): 60.

 

Education (1990):

Literacy: 54%.

 

Major International Organizations: UN (IMF, WHO), OPEC.¹

 

¹The World Almanac® and Book of Facts 1995 is licensed from Funk & Wagnalls Corporation. Copyright © 1994 by Funk & Wagnalls Corporation. All rights reserved.