Iran Location:
Physical. Iran is located in the Middle East, between Iraq and Pakistan with the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf in the south and the Caspian Sea in the north. It covers an area slightly larger than Alaska. The climate is mostly arid or semiarid, with subtropical areas along the Caspian coast. Iran has a rugged, mountainous rim and a high, central basin with deserts and mountains. There are also small, discontinuous plains along both coasts. Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc and sulfur
Iran Geography:
Geography
Area: 1.648 million sq km
Capital: Tehran; (1.2 million)
Environmental concerns: air pollution, especially in urban areas; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution
Geographical features: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Climate: arid or semiarid, with subtropical areas along the Caspian coast
Iran People:
People. Almost 68.7 million people live in Iran. Persian and Persian dialects are used by almost 60% of the population while Turkic and Turkic dialects are used by almost 30%. Iran is mostly Persian (51%) and Azeri (24%). Religious practices are mainly Muslim (89% Shi'a, 9% Sunni) while Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i Christian make up 2%.
68,688,000 (July 2006 est.) Persian (51%), Azeri (24%), Gilaki and Mazandarani (8%), Kurd (7%), Arab (3%), Lur (2%), Baloch (2%), Turkmen (2%)
Annual growth rate: 1.1% (2006 est.)
Major languages are Persian and Persian dialects (58%), Turkic and Turkic dialects (26%), Kurdish (9%), Luri (2%), Balochi, Arabic, and Turkish 1% each
Religions: Shi'a Muslim (89%), Sunni Muslim (9%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i (2%)
Iran Government:
Government. The country is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran. The capital is Tehran, located in northern part of the country. In 1979 after the overthrow of the ruling shah, conservative clerics established a theocratic republic with ultimate power in the hands of a learned religious scholar. In the 80’s, Iran fought an indecisive war with Iran and is subject to US economic sanctions due to its sponsorship of terrorist activities. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. An attempt at reforming the government in the late 90s foundered when conservative politicians prevented reform measures from being enacted. The latest elections have reconsolidated conservative power in Iran.
Iran is a theocratic republic.
The chief of state is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei (since 4 June 1989). The head of government is President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad (since 3 August 2005).
Universal suffrage 15 years of age
Iran Communication:
Communication and transportation
14,571,000 (2003) main telephone lines in use
7.5 million (2005) Internet users
178,000 km of roadways
7,203 km railroads
310 (2005) airports
2.189 million motor vehicles (2004)
Iran Economy:
Economy. Iran's economy is has an inefficient and very large state sector, with heavy dependence on oil, and poor policies. President Mahmud Ahmad-Nejad has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President Rafsanjani, with little success. Relatively high oil prices have not benefited the country as high unemployment and inflation remain.
Currency: Iranian rial
Per capita GDP: $8,100 (2005 est.)
GDP: $561.6 billion (2005 est.)
GDP growth rate: 6.1% (2005 est.)
Inflation rate: 16% (2005 est.)
Labor force: agriculture (30%), industry (25%) services (45%) (2001 est.)
Iran More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/iran
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/irtoc.html | 
