

Topic: Introduction
Background: Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader. Iran holds a strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport.Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader. Iran holds a strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport.

Topic: Geography
Area: total: 1,648,195 sq km

land: 1,531,595 sq km

water: 116,600 sq km
Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Topic: People and Society
Population: 86,758,304 (2022 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) 99.6% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2016 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.98% (2022 est.)

Topic: Government
Government type: theocratic republic
Capital: name: Tehran
Executive branch: chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)

head of government: President Ebrahim RAISI (since 18 June 2021); First Vice President Mohammad MOKHBER (since 8 August 2021)
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami or Majles (290 seats; 285 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by 2-round vote, and 1 seat each for Zoroastrians, Jews, Assyrian and Chaldean Christians, Armenians in the north of the country and Armenians in the south; members serve 4-year terms); note - all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles

Topic: Economy
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 povertytraditionally 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): $1,044,310,000,000 (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $12,400 (2020 est.)
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
Exports: $101.4 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - partners: China 48%, India 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, polymers, industrial alcohols, iron, pistachios (2019)
Imports: $76.39 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: China 28%, United Arab Emirates 20%, India 11%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6%, Germany 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: rice, corn, broadcasting equipment, soybean products, beef (2019)
Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -Page last updated: Thursday, Jul 07, 2022