Basic+Country+Information

=Basic Country Information: General Information: =

People:
__Age Structure and Visual Representation:__ 0-14 years: 21.7% (male 7,394,841/female 7,022,076) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 24,501,544/female 23,914,172) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,725,828/female 1,870,823) (2009 est.):

Iran Population Pyramid for 2005
Age and sex distribution for the year 2005:

Iran Population Pyramid for 2010
Age and sex distribution for the year 2010: Iran Population Pyramid for 2020 Predicted age and sex distribution for the year 2020: __ Birth and Death Rate: __ 17.17 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) __ Ethnic Groups: __ Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% __ Religious Groups: __ Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2% __ Languages: __ Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% __ GDP Per Capita: __ $12,900 (2009 est.) $13,000 (2008 est.) $12,300 (2007 est.) __ GDP Growth Rate: __ 6.2% __ Population Below Poverty Line: __ 18% __ Unemployment Rate: __ 11.8% (2009 est.) 10.3% (2008 est.) __ Oil Exports: __ 2520,000 bbl/day in 2006.. ranked 6/132 countries __ Corruption: __ Rated 2.9 by nationmaster.com (on a scale of 0 being least corrupt) Ranked 88th least corrupt out of 159 countries __ Military Expenditures: __ 2.5% of GDP (2006) Country comparison to the world: [|67/173 countries] __ Literacy Rate: __ 79.4% __ Education Enrolment ratio – Primary Level: __ 95% (64/160 countries) __ Education Spending, Percentage of GDP: __ 4.7% (58/132 countries) Source: NationMaster, CIA World Factbook
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Geography, Climate (MJF):
Source: The World Factbook **Location:** between Iraq and Pakistan in the Middle East; also borders the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea 1,648,195 (18th largest in the world, slightly smaller than Alaska) Lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m Highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m   **Natural Resources:** Petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur Droughts, floods, dust storms, sandstorms, earthquakes Excessive pollution in urban areas, desertification, water pollution Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands =__Political Leaders (TM)__:= Supreme Leader: Ali Hoseini-Khamenei, Ayatollah
 * Total** **Land** **Area:**
 * Climate:** Arid, semiarid, and subtropical
 * Terrain:** Rugged deserts and mountains
 * Elevation extremes:**
 * Natural Issues:**
 * Current Environmental Issues:**
 * International Environmental Agreements: **

President: Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad

Speaker Of The Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles): Ali Ardeshir-Larijani

Secretary Of The Cabinet: Majid Dustali

Adviser To The President And Head Of The Presidential Office: Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei

First Vice President: Mohammad Reza Rahimi

SOURCE: CIA World Fact Book

A Brief Introduction to the Iranian Governmental System: (TM)
=__Graphics__:=

Map of Iran (MJF)



Flag of Iran (TM) U.S. vs. Iran Area Comparison (MJF)

Physical map (MJF)

Provinces of Iran (MJF)

Ethnic Distribution (MJF)

Miscellaneous Superlatives
Iran is the number one producer of berries, saffron, pistachios, wheat, and caviar in the world. Iran has the highest ratio of female-to-male primary school enrollment in the world at 1.22 females to 1 male. Iran has the fastest growing academic publishing rate (1000%) in the world, according to a 2005 report by the UK Dept. of Business, Innovation and Skills. Iran also has the largest "brain drain" (emigration of skilled and educated people) rate in the world, according to a 2006 study by the IMF. (ECB)