IRAN
The Islamic republic of Iran with an area of 1,648,195 square km and a population more than 69 millions is located in South West Asia in the Middle–East. It is bordered in the north by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and the Caspian sea. Its neighbors on the west are turkey and Iraq, and to the east Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On the south it is connected to the important Persian Gulf and sea of Oman. In view the effect of the fluctuating oil prices has on its economy, Iran has proposed a variety of privatization, restructuring and other diversification measures to reduce its over reliance on oil revenue to support her economy. By a close look at the map of the region, one will immediately be acquainted with the role, which the ancient Iran played in trade between east and west. For past centuries, because of its strategic location, Iran has provided the vital link for the movement of goods between the east and west, such as the silk road. It appears that Iran's strategic location helped to keep its historical role and that the elapse of time could not negatively influence this country's importance in trade between east and west. In recent past, after the collapse of ex USSR in 1991 and with the emergence of the common wealth of independent states (CIS), Iran is regaining its prominent position in the region to prove the bridge for these land – locked central Asian states to the international sea routes through its ports in the Persian Gulf and the sea of Oman. The comparatively modern infrastructure of Iran, the ports, the highways, the free ways and finally the railroads, all with excess capacities, were immediately prepared to accept transit cargoes in large quantities. Iran has a network of commercial ports located both along the Caspian sea in the north and the Persian Gulf to the south.
Besides serving the needs of Iran, the ports along the Persian Gulf are more important as they are also the most economic way for the central Asian countries, mainly most of the land locked, common wealth of independent states (CIS) to have access to the international waters. Iran borders the Caspian Sea (740 km).

Iran summery information (LAST UPDATE 31 JAN 2005):

Geographic coordinates:
  • 3200 N, 5300 E
Area:
  • Total: 1.648 million sq km
  • Land: 1.636 million sq km
  • Water: 12,000 sq km


Land:
  • Total: 5,440 km

Border countries:
  • Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 k,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).

Climate:
  • Mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast.

Population:
  • 68,688,433 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  • 0- 14 years: 26% (male 9,204,785; female 8,731,429)
  • 15- 64 years: 69% (male 24,133,919; female 23,245,255)
  • 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,653,827; female 1,719,218)(2006 est)

Median age:
  • Total: 24.8 years
  • Male: 24.6 years
  • Female: 25 years 2006 est

Population growth rate:
  • 1.1% (2006 est)

Birth rate:
  • 17 births/ 1,000 population (2006 est)

Death rate:
  • 5.55 death/ 1,000 population (2006 est)

Net migration rate:
  • -0.48 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2006 est)

Sex ratio:
  • At birth: 1.05 male(s)/ female
  • Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/ female
  • 15- 64 years: 1.04 male(s)/ female
  • 65 years and over : 0.96 male / female
  • Total Population: 1.04 male female (2006 est)

Ethnic groups:
  • Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  • Shi'a Muslim 89%,Sunni Muslim 9%,Zoroastrian,Jewish and Christian2%

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: 79.4%
  • Male: 85.6%
  • Female: 73% (2003 est)

Country name:
  • Conventional long from: Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Conventional short From: Iran
  • Local long form: Jomhuri- ye Islami-ye Iran
  • Local short form: Iran
  • Former: Persia

Capital:
  • Tehran

Administrative divisions:
  • 30 provinces (ostanha, singular- ostan); Ardabil, Azerbayjan-e Gharbi, Azerbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, ermanshah, North Khorasan, khorasan Razavi, south Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan.

GDP:
  • Purchasing power parity- $ 610.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP- real growth rate:
  • 5% (2006 est.)

GDP- per capita:
  • Purchasing power parity- $ 8,900 (2006 est.)

GDP- composition by sector:
  • Agriculture: 11.2%
  • Industry; 41.7%
  • Services: 47.1% (2006 est.)

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 fabricating, Armaments

Exports- commodities:
  • Petroleum 80%, carpets, fruits and nuts, chemical & petrochemical products.

Exports- partners:
  • Japan 16.9%, China 11.2%, Italy 5.9%, South Korea 5.8%, Turkey 5.7%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.4%, South Africa 4.1%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005) Imports: $45.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  • Industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplie.

Imports - partners:
  • Germany 13.9%, UAE 8.4%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.3%, South Korea 5.4%, Russia 4.9% (2005)

Currency:
  • Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code:
  • IRR

Fiscal year:
  • 21 March - 20 March