Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Population
89.18M
Area
1,648,195 km²
GDP
$436.91B
GDP Per Capita
$16,200
Pop. Density
54/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
﷼Iranian rial(IRR)
Calling Code
+98
Timezone
UTC+03:30
Languages
Persian (Farsi)
Driving Side
right
Demonym
Iranian
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 religious scholar known as the Supreme Leader, who is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts -- an elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iran relations became strained when 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. From 1980 to 1988, 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 since 1984.
After the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a political reform campaign in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated, but conservative politicians blocked reform measures while increasing repression. Municipal and legislative elections in 2003 and 2004 saw conservatives reestablish control over Iran's elected government institutions, culminating in the 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His reelection in 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, and the protests persisted until 2011. In 2013, Iranians elected to the presidency centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI, a longtime senior regime member who promised to reform society and foreign policy. In 2019, Tehran's sudden decision to increase the gasoline price sparked nationwide protests, which the regime violently suppressed. Conservatives won the majority in Majles elections in 2020, and hardline cleric Ebrahim RAISI was elected president in 2021, resulting in a conservative monopoly across the regime's elected and unelected institutions.
Iran continues to be subject to a range of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in terrorism, weapons proliferation, human rights abuses, and concerns over the nature of its nuclear program. Iran received nuclear-related sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear concessions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action's (JCPOA) Implementation Day beginning in 2016. However, the US reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran after it unilaterally terminated its JCPOA participation in 2018. In October 2023, the EU and the UK also decided to maintain nuclear-proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, in response to Iran's non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments.
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 after the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa AMINI, in morality police custody. Young people and women led the protests, and demands focused on regime change.
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑78.9% since 2006Population
↑24.8% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 77.7 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography20
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
land: 1,531,595 sq km
water: 116,600 sq km
Area - comparative
almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries
border countries: 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
Maritime claims
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
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
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
79,721 sq km (2020)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area 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
People & Society34
Population
male: 45,098,223
female: 44,079,134
Nationality
adjective: Iranian
Ethnic groups
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen, and Turkic tribes
Languages
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) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 31,413,125/female 30,267,241)
65 years and over: 7% (2024 est.) (male 2,869,617/female 3,283,875)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 30.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 12.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.1 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 33.6 years
female: 34.1 years
Population growth rate
-0.87% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
11.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-15.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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
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
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 (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 74.3 years
female: 77.1 years
Total fertility rate
1.53 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.74 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 19% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
25.8% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
Tobacco use
male: 23.8% (2025 est.)
female: 2.8% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
4.3% (2017 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
69.6% (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 18.8% national budget (2022 est.)
Literacy
male: 90% (2016 est.)
female: 81% (2016 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 14 years (2020 est.)
female: 14 years (2020 est.)
Government23
Country name
conventional long form
conventional short form
local long form
local short form
former
etymology
Government type
theocratic republic
Capital
geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 E
time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC)
daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time
etymology: the name probably means "flat" or "lower," referring to its location in the foothills of the Elburz Mountains
Administrative divisions
Legal system
religious system based on secular and Islamic law
Constitution
amendment process: 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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
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
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
election results
2024: first round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN (independent) 44.4%, Saeed JALILI (Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) 40.4%, Mohammad Baqer QAKIBAF (Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran) 14.3%, other 0.9%; second round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN elected; Masoud PEZESHKIAN 54.8%, Saeed JALILI 45.2%
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%
Legislative branch
legislature name
legislative structure
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
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
Executives of Construction Party
Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability
Islamic Coalition Party
Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran
Militant Clerics Society (Majma-e Ruhaniyoun-e Mobarez) or MRM
Moderation and Development Party
National Trust Party (Hezb-e E'temad-eMelli) or HEM
Progress and Justice Society
Union of Islamic Iran People's Party (Hezb-e Ettehad-e Iran-e Eslami)
Diplomatic representation in the US
note: 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: [email protected]; [email protected]; website: https://daftar.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
International organization participation
BRICS, 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Independence
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid or 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)
Flag
meaning: green is the color of Islam and also represents growth, white stands for honesty and peace, and red for bravery and martyrdom
National symbol(s)
lion
National color(s)
green, white, red
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI
history: adopted 1990
National heritage
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); Takht-e Soleyman (c); Soltaniyeh(c); Bisotun (c); Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran(c); Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (c); The Persian Garden (c); Gonbad-e Qābus (c); Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (c); Shahr-i Sokhta (c); Cultural Landscape of Maymand (c); Susa (c); Lut Desert (n);The Persian Qanat (c); Historic City of Yazd (c); Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region (c); Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat (c); Trans-Iranian Railway (c); The Persian Caravanserai (c); Hegmataneh (c); Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (c)
Economy28
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)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.442 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.373 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $15,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $15,300 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$436.906 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 44.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 43.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 36.4% (2024 est.)
services: 47.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
wheat, sugarcane, milk, sugar beets, rice, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, apples (2023)
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
Industrial production growth rate
2.8% (2024 est.)
Labor force
28.575 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 9.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 9.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 20% (2024 est.)
female: 35.5% (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 28.2% (2023 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $90.238 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
Exports
Exports 2023: $97.924 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $105.752 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
China 35%, Turkey 16%, India 8%, Pakistan 7%, Armenia 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities
plastics, iron ore, alcohols, natural gas, refined copper (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $113.21 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $97.729 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
China 34%, UAE 20%, Turkey 11%, Brazil 8%, Germany 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities
broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, corn, soybeans, vehicle bodies (2023)
Debt - external
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Exchange rates 2019
Energy8
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 335.175 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 5.723 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 3.136 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 37.948 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
nuclear: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.92GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 1.7% (2023 est.)
Coal
consumption: 3.032 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 212,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 1.098 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.203 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 2.415 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 252.353 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 14.698 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.274 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 33.987 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates over 60 television channels, over 50 radio stations, and dozens of newspapers and websites; about 20 foreign Persian-language TV stations broadcasting on satellite TV can be seen in Iran; satellite dishes are illegal and sometimes confiscated; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2023)
Internet country code
.ir
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)
Transportation6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
EP
Airports
177 (2025)
Heliports
90 (2025)
Railways
standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)
broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security7
Military and security forces
Artesh: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces
IRGC: 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 (FARAJA)
Ministry of Intelligence and Security (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; up to 600,000 total active armed forces personnel; estimated 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); up to estimated 190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5,000 Qods Force); estimated 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and 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 such as 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 (2025)
Military service age and obligation
16 for voluntary military service for men; military service is compulsory for all Iranian men at age 18 or 19 years of age; compulsory service obligation 14-21 months, depending on the location of service; women exempted from conscription but may volunteer (2025)
Military deployments
Military - note
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 involved in internal security and has 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; the Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations; note - both the IRGC and the Qods Force have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US (see Terrorist Organizations under References)
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 (2024)
Transnational Issues2
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 421 (2024 est.)