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Compare Botswana (2003) - Iran (2008)

Compare Botswana (2003) z Iran (2008)

 Botswana (2003)Iran (2008)
 BotswanaIran
Administrative divisions 9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern 30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan
Age structure 0-14 years: 39.5% (male 314,764; female 307,024)


15-64 years: 56% (male 424,726; female 455,967)


65 years and over: 4.5% (male 30,599; female 40,187) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 7,783,794/female 7,385,721)


15-64 years: 71.4% (male 23,636,883/female 23,088,934)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,701,727/female 1,800,462) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Airports 86 (2002) 331 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 129


over 3,047 m: 40


2,438 to 3,047 m: 28


1,524 to 2,437 m: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 32


under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 76


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 55


under 914 m: 18 (2002)
total: 202


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 145


under 914 m: 46 (2007)
Area total: 600,370 sq km


land: 585,370 sq km


water: 15,000 sq km
total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly larger than Alaska
Background Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has the world's highest known rate of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease. Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile. 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 who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, 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 between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US and UN economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and conventional weapons proliferation. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, through the control of unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from being enacted and increased repressive measures. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. In December 2006 and March 2007, the international community passed resolutions 1737 and 1747 respectively after Iran failed to comply with UN demands to halt the enrichment of uranium or to agree to full IAEA oversight of its nuclear program. In October 2007, Iranian entities were also subject to US sanctions under EO 13382 designations for proliferation activities and EO 13224 designations for providing material support to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.
Birth rate 25.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 16.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.3 billion


expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 01/02)
revenues: $64 billion


expenditures: $64 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Gaborone name: Tehran


geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 25 E


time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate semiarid; warm winters and hot summers mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Constitution March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Botswana


conventional short form: Botswana


former: Bechuanaland
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
Currency pula (BWP) -
Death rate 31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $360 million (2002) $13.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS


embassy: address NA, Gaborone


mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone


telephone: [267] 353982


FAX: [267] 312782
none; note - the American Interests Section is located in the Swiss Embassy compound at Africa Avenue, West Farzan Street, number 59, Tehran, Iran; telephone 021 8878 2964 or 021 8879 2364; FAX 021 8877 3265
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA


chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990


FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073
Disputes - international established a commission with Namibia to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls; dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors
Economic aid - recipient $73 million (1995) $104 million (2005 est.)
Economy - overview Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $9,500 in 2002. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. Long-term prospects are overshadowed by the prospects of a leveling off in diamond mining production. Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector, reliance on the oil sector (which provides 85% of government revenues), and statist policies that create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale workshops, farming, and services. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD failed to make any notable progress in fulfilling the goals of the nation's latest five-year plan. A combination of price controls and subsidies, particularly on food and energy, continue to weigh down the economy, and administrative controls, widespread corruption, and other rigidities undermine the potential for private-sector-led growth. As a result of these inefficiencies, significant informal market activity flourishes and shortages are common. High oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass nearly $70 billion in foreign exchange reserves. Yet this increased revenue has not eased economic hardships, which include double-digit unemployment and inflation. The economy has seen only moderate growth. Iran's educated population, economic inefficiency and insufficient investment - both foreign and domestic - have prompted an increasing number of Iranians to seek employment overseas, resulting in significant "brain drain."
Electricity - consumption 1.564 billion kWh (2001) 136.2 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 2.761 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 1.183 billion kWh (2001) 2.074 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 409.8 million kWh (2001) 170.4 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m


highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Environment - current issues overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources 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 supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Exchange rates pulas per US dollar - 6.33 (2002), 5.84 (2001), 5.1 (2000), 4.62 (1999), 4.23 (1998) rials per US dollar - 9,407.5 (2007), 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003)


note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Executive branch chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president


election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 54.3%
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)


head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries


note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a popularly elected body of 86 religious scholars constitutionally charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader (based on his qualifications in the field of jurisprudence and commitment to the principles of the revolution), reviewing his performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency (Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam), is a policy advisory and implementation board consisting of over 40 permanent members representing all major government factions and includes the heads of the three branches of government, and the clerical members of the Council of Guardians (see next); permanent members are appointed by the Supreme Leader for five-year terms; temporary members, including Cabinet members and Majles committee chairmen, are selected when issues under their jurisdiction come before the Expediency Council; the Expediency Council exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005 the Council's powers were expanded, at least on paper, to act as a supervisory body for the government; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e Qanun-e Assassi) is a 12-member board made up of six clerics chosen by the Supreme Leader and six jurists recommended by the judiciary (which is controlled by the Supreme Leader) and approved by the Majles from a list of candidates recommended by the judiciary (which in turn is controlled by the Supreme Leader) for six-year terms; this Council determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for suitability, and supervises national elections


elections: Supreme Leader appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; Assembly of Experts elected by popular vote for an eight-year term; last election held 15 December 2006 concurrently with municipal elections; Hojjat ol-Eslam Ali Akbar RAFSANJANI was elected Speaker in September 2007, following the July death of former Speaker Ayatollah Ali Akbar Meshkini-Qomi; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next presidential election slated for 2009)


election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI 36%
Exports NA (2001) 2.52 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities diamonds 90%, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
Exports - partners European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000) Japan 14%, China 12.8%, Turkey 7.2%, Italy 6.3%, South Korea 6%, Netherlands 4.6% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 21 March - 20 March
Flag description light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $13.48 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 44% (including 36% mining)


services: 52% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 11%


industry: 45.3%


services: 43.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.2% (2002 est.) 4.3% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 22 00 S, 24 00 E 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Heliports - 14 (2007)
Highways total: 10,217 km


paved: 5,619 km


unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 33.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs - despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; highest percentage of the population in the world using opiates; lacks anti-money-laundering laws
Imports NA (2001) 153,600 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services
Imports - partners Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000) Germany 12.2%, China 10.5%, UAE 9.3%, France 5.6%, Italy 5.4%, South Korea 5.4%, Russia 4.4% (2006)
Independence 30 September 1966 (from UK) 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate 2.4% (2001 est.) 4.8% excluding oil (2007 est.)
Industries diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles 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 fabrication, armaments
Infant mortality rate total: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 66.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 38.12 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 38.29 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 37.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 8.1% (2002 est.) 17% (July 2007 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ABEDA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), 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, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 11 (2001) -
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 76,500 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court
Labor force 264,000 formal sector employees (2000) 28.7 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation NA agriculture: 25%


industry: 31%


services: 45% (June 2007)
Land boundaries total: 4,013 km


border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
total: 5,440 km


border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
Land use arable land: 0.61%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 99.38% (1998 est.)
arable land: 9.78%


permanent crops: 1.29%


other: 88.93% (2005)
Languages English (official), Setswana Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)


elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%, other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004 (next to be held in March 2008)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 45, religious minorities 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 32.26 years


male: 32.2 years


female: 32.32 years (2003 est.)
total population: 70.56 years


male: 69.12 years


female: 72.07 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.8%


male: 76.9%


female: 82.4% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 77%


male: 83.5%


female: 70.4% (2002 est.)
Location Southern Africa, north of South Africa Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf


continental shelf: natural prolongation
Merchant marine - total: 131 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,721,202 GRT/8,309,580 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 9, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 29, roll on/roll off 4


foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 33 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 24, Panama 4, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)
Military branches Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran; includes air defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $207.3 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.5% (FY02) 2.5% (2006)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 381,056 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 201,402 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 20,476 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
Nationality noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)


adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
Natural hazards periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
Natural resources diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -4.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 19,161 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,438 km; refined products 7,936 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]


note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties, and often political parties or coalitions are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as well as less formal groups and organizations, achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI formed the National Trust Party; a new conservative group, Islamic Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran), took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004; following the 2004 Majles elections, traditional and hardline conservatives have attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that the overwhelming majority of its candidates have been unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections
Political pressure groups and leaders NA the Islamic Republic Party (IRP) was Iran's sole political party until its dissolution in 1987; Iran now has a variety of groups engaged in political activity; some are oriented along political lines or based on an identity group; others are more akin to professional political parties seeking members and recommending candidates for office; some are active participants in the Revolution's political life while others reject the state; political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader, Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), Islamic Engineers Society, and Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat); active pro-reform student groups include the Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, Baluchistan People's Party (BPP), and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been repressed by the government include Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), Komala, Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO), People's Fedayeen, Jundallah, and the People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK)
Population 1,573,267


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
65,397,521 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 47% 18% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate -0.55% (2003 est.) 0.663% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001) AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Railways total: 888 km


narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)
total: 8,367 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 8,273 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2006)
Religions indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15% Muslim 98% (Shi'a 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.945 male(s)/female


total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 16 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development


domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast


international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
general assessment: currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected


domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line availability has more than doubled to 22 million lines since 2000; additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving nearly 13.7 million subscribers in 2006


international: country code - 98; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat (2006)
Telephones - main lines in use 131,000 (September 2001) 21.981 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 270,000 (September 2001) 13.659 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 28 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Total fertility rate 3.27 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.71 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.) 11% according to the Iranian government (June 2007)
Waterways none 850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2006)
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