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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes
Geography
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
total : 1,648,195 sq km
land: 1,531,595 sq km
water: 116,600 sq km
comparison ranking: total 19
Area – comparative
almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries
total: 5,894 km
border countries (7): 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
note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
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
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m
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: 29% (2022 est.)
arable land: 9.7% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2022 est.)
forest: 6.6% (2022 est.)
other: 64.4% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
79,721 sq km (2020)
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) – 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia – 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak – 750 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) – 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) – 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) – 1,130 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 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 and Society
Population
total: 88,386,937 (2024 est.)
male: 44,795,539
female: 43,591,398
comparison rankings: total 17; female 17; male 17
Nationality
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian
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
major-language sample(s):
چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Persian audio sample:
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
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 10,512,797/female 10,040,282)
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)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 43.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 33.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 10 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 10 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 33.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 33.6 years
female: 34.1 years
comparison ranking: total 110
Population growth rate
0.88% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 104
Birth rate
14.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 119
Death rate
5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 187
Net migration rate
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 113
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
urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023)
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
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
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.)
comparison ranking: 134
Infant mortality rate
total: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 97
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 74.3 years
female: 77.1 years
comparison ranking: total population 125
Total fertility rate
1.91 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 117
Gross reproduction rate
0.93 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)
total: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)
total: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
5.8% of GDP (2021)
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: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
25.8% (2016)
comparison ranking: 47
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
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.)
comparison ranking: total 181
Tobacco use
total: 13.3% (2025 est.)
male: 23.8% (2025 est.)
female: 2.8% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 108
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
4.3% (2017)
comparison ranking: 69
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
70.3% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure
2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
18.8% national budget (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 162
Literacy
total population: 86% (2016 est.)
male: 90% (2016 est.)
female: 81% (2016 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years (2020 est.)
male: 14 years (2020 est.)
female: 14 years (2020 est.)
Environment
Environmental issues
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste
International environmental agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Land use
agricultural land: 29% (2022 est.)
arable land: 9.7% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2022 est.)
forest: 6.6% (2022 est.)
other: 64.4% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
823.364 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.136 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 316.922 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 499.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 7
Particulate matter emissions
36.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 17.885 million tons (2017 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 894,250 tons (2017 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5% (2017 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 6.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
137.05 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 3
global geoparks and regional networks: Aras; Qeshm Island; Tabas (2023)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran
former: Persia
etymology: the name derives from the Sanskrit word arya, referring to people living in a mountainous land, from the root word ar-, or “mountain;” the former name, Persia, was originally “Pars” (or the Arabic-influenced variant “Fars”) from the Old Persian parsi, meaning “pure”
Government type
theocratic republic
Capital
name: Tehran
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
31 provinces (ostanha, singular – ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan
Legal system
religious system based on secular and Islamic law
Constitution
history: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979
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 birth: no
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: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President Masoud PEZESHKIAN (since 30 July 2024)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries
election/appointment process: supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term)
most recent election date: 28 June 2024, with runoff held on 5 July 2024
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%
note: presidential election held early due to the death of President Ebrahim RAISI in a helicopter accident in May 2024
Legislative branch
legislature name: Islamic Parliament of Iran (Majles Shoraye Eslami)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 290 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 3/1/2024 to 5/10/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 4.9%
expected date of next election: February 2028
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
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge)
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
Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group)
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
none
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
embassy: none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran
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 description
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; centered in the white band is the red national emblem, a stylization of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band; 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)
title: “Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran” (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran)
lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI
history: adopted 1990
note: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable because the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 28 (26cultural, 2 natural)
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)
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 poverty
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.486 trillion (2024 est.)
$1.442 trillion (2023 est.)
$1.373 trillion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 23
Real GDP growth rate
3% (2024 est.)
5% (2023 est.)
3.8% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 117
Real GDP per capita
$16,200 (2024 est.)
$15,900 (2023 est.)
$15,300 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 120
GDP (official exchange rate)
$436.906 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
32.5% (2024 est.)
44.6% (2023 est.)
43.5% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 200
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 13% (2024 est.)
industry: 36.4% (2024 est.)
services: 47.9% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 159; industry 33; agriculture 61
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 50.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 12.9% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 26.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 13.3% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 22.9% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -26.8% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
wheat, sugarcane, milk, sugar beets, rice, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, apples (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
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.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 87
Labor force
28.575 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 24
Unemployment rate
9.2% (2024 est.)
9.1% (2023 est.)
9.1% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 144
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 22.8% (2024 est.)
male: 20% (2024 est.)
female: 35.5% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 43
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
35.9 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 72
Average household expenditures
on food: 27.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.8% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 28.2% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $60.714 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $90.238 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: includes publicly guaranteed debt
comparison ranking: 134
Exports
$100.031 billion (2024 est.)
$97.924 billion (2023 est.)
$105.752 billion (2022 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 49
Exports – partners
China 35%, Turkey 16%, India 8%, Pakistan 7%, Armenia 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
plastics, iron ore, alcohols, natural gas, refined copper (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$117.176 billion (2024 est.)
$113.21 billion (2023 est.)
$97.729 billion (2022 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 46
Imports – partners
China 34%, UAE 20%, Turkey 11%, Brazil 8%, Germany 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, corn, soybeans, vehicle bodies (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Debt – external
$6.759 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 60
Exchange rates
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
42,000 (2023 est.)
42,000 (2022 est.)
42,000 (2021 est.)
42,000 (2020 est.)
42,000 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 86.058 million kW (2023 est.)
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.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 201; imports 58; exports 39; consumption 13; installed generating capacity 18
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 94.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
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 operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025)
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
production: 2.209 million metric tons (2023 est.)
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
total petroleum production: 4.112 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 2.415 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 265.088 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
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
160.779 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 23
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 29.02 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 6
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 151 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 165 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 11
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
percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 10.9 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 23
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
EP
Airports
177 (2025)
comparison ranking: 33
Heliports
90 (2025)
comparison ranking: 27
Railways
total: 8,483.5 km (2014)
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
total: 965 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421
comparison ranking: total 24
Ports
total ports: 18 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 4
small: 6
very small: 8
ports with oil terminals: 13
key ports: Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Khorramshahr
Military and Security
Military and security forces
the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah):
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)
note 1: 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
note 2: the Artesh Navy operates Iran’s larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in waters of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz
note 3: the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit for the IRGC; it is formally known as the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed and also known as the Popular Mobilization Army
note 4: the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and law enforcement forces under the Interior Ministry, which report to the president, and the IRGC, which reports to the supreme leader, share responsibility for law enforcement and maintaining order
note 5: the FARAJA is the uniformed police of Iran; it includes branches for public security, traffic control, anti-narcotics, special forces (riot control, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), intelligence, and criminal investigations; the FARAJA also has responsibility for border security (Border Guard Command)
Military expenditures
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
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 mostly older 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, including 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 (2024)
Military service age and obligation
military service is compulsory for all Iranian men 18-19 to approximately age 40; 16 for voluntary military service (may be as low as 15 for the Basij); conscript military service obligation is up to 24 months, depending on the location of service (soldiers serving in places of high security risk and deprived areas serve shorter terms); women exempted from military service (2023)
note: conscripts serve in the Artesh, IRGC, and Law Enforcement, while Navy and Air/Air Defense Force personnel are primarily volunteers
Military deployments
note: Iran maintained a military presence in Syria and recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war (2011-December 2024)
Military – note
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the IRGC played a critical role in helping KHOMEINI consolidate power in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, and it ensured that KHOMEINI’s Islamic revolutionary vision prevailed against domestic challenges from nationalists and leftist factions in the scramble for control after the Shah’s departure
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)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Iranian Space Agency (ISA; created in 2003 from merging the activities of the Iranian Remote Sensing Center and some of the activities of the Telecommunications Company of Iran); Iran Space Research Center (established, 2000); Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics; Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO; under the Ministry of Defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Space Command (formed in 2020) (2024)
Space launch site(s)
Imam Khomeini Space Center (aka Semnan Space Center; Semnan province); Shahroud Space Center (IGRC military base; Semnan Province); Qom Space Center (Qom Province); inaugurated its first space monitoring center located near Delijan (Markazi Province) in 2013 (2024)
Space program overview
has an ambitious civil and military space program focused on acquiring and operating satellites and developing indigenous satellite/space launch vehicles (SLV); designs, builds, and operates satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific; manufactures and operates SLVs; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies in such areas as telecommunications, RS, navigation, and space situational awareness; UN Security Council and other international sanctions against Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program have severely limited Iran’s cooperation with foreign space agencies and commercial space industries; in recent years, however, it has cooperated with North Korea and Russia on space issues; Iran has also had relations with regional and international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization; it was a founding member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) established in 1958 (2024)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK); al-Qa’ida
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees: 3,489,257 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 421 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 3 — Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Iran remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/iran/
