Country Name: Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Capital: Tehran

Government Type: theocratic republic

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 referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts - a popularly elected 88-member body of clerics.

Continent: Middle East

Population: 87,590,873 (2023 est.)

Ethnic Groups: Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen, and Turkic tribes

Languages: Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic

Religions: Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.)

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

Currency: Iranian Rial (IRR)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $1.369 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 3.78% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per Capita: $15,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Exports: 

• $101.4 billion (2017 est.)

• Comparison Ranking: 50

Export Commodities: ethylene polymers, pistachios, iron, copper, industrial alcohols, aluminum (2021)

Export Partners: China 48%, India 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Imports: 

• $76.39 billion (2017 est.)

• Comparison Ranking: 55

Import Commodities: rice, corn, broadcasting equipment, soybean products, beef (2019)

Import Partners: China 28%, United Arab Emirates 20%, India 11%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6%, Germany 5% (2019)

Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Agricultural Products: wheat, sugar cane, milk, sugar beet, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, poultry, apples

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: 

• 7.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

• Comparison Ranking: 34

Labor Force: 28.641 million (2022 est.

Unemployment Rate: 8.82% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Natural Hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Geography:

• Total: 1,648,195 sq km

• Land: 1,531,595 sq km

• Water: 116,600 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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