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Compare Christmas Island (2005) - Iran (2005)

Compare Christmas Island (2005) z Iran (2005)

 Christmas Island (2005)Iran (2005)
 Christmas IslandIran
Administrative divisions none (territory of Australia) 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: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)


15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products NA wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Airports 1 (2004 est.) 305 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 127


over 3,047 m: 39


2,438 to 3,047 m: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 26


914 to 1,523 m: 32


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 178


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 129


under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)
Area total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Alaska
Background Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. 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 nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US 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 1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as conservative politicians have prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and consolidated their control over the government.
Birth rate NA 16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $43.34 billion


expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2004 est.)
Capital The Settlement Tehran
Climate tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Coastline 138.9 km 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Constitution Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Country name conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
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
Death rate NA 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external - $13.4 billion (2004 est.)
Dependency status territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of Australia) none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of Australia) 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 none 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 engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors
Economic aid - recipient NA $408 million (2002 est.)
Economy - overview Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector, over reliance on the oil sector, 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 KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $30 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations.
Electricity - consumption - 119.9 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production - 129 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Environment - current issues NA 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, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Exchange rates Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) rials per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), 1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)


note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003)


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)


head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26 August 2001)


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


elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%; note - 2% of ballots spoiled
Exports NA 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities phosphate petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
Exports - partners Australia, NZ Japan 18.4%, China 9.7%, Italy 6%, South Africa 5.8%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, Netherlands 4% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 21 March - 20 March
Flag description the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory 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 - composition by sector agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: NA
agriculture: 11.2%


industry: 40.9%


services: 48.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA 6.3% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 30 S, 105 40 E 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Geography - note located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Heliports - 13 (2004 est.)
Highways total: 240 km


paved: 30 km


unpaved: 210 km (2000)
total: 167,157 km


paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)


unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to official Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations
Imports NA NA
Imports - commodities consumer goods industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies
Imports - partners principally Australia Germany 12.8%, France 8.3%, Italy 7.7%, China 7.2%, UAE 7.2%, South Korea 6.1%, Russia 5.4% (2004)
Independence none (territory of Australia) 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate - 3.5% excluding oil (2004 est.)
Industries tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 15.5% (2004 est.)
International organization participation none CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Irrigated land NA sq km 75,620 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court
Labor force NA 23 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation NA agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 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%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001)
arable land: 8.72%


permanent crops: 1.39%


other: 89.89% (2001)
Languages English (official), Chinese, Malay Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Legal system under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Legislative branch unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; 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 February 2008)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43, religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 69.96 years


male: 68.58 years


female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.4%


male: 85.6%


female: 73% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Map references Southeast Asia Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4, container 14, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Australia -
Military branches - Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (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: (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $4.3 billion (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.3% (2003 est.)
National holiday Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Republic Day, 1 April (1979)


note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21 March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)
Nationality noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
Natural resources phosphate, beaches petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Net migration rate NA -2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
People - note the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census -
Pipelines - condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders none formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as well as less formal pressure 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; a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders none political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala
Population 361 (July 2005 est.) 68,017,860 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line - 40% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 0% (2005 est.) 0.86% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Flying Fish Cove Assaluyeh, Bushehr
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Railways - total: 7,203 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2004)
Religions Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%
Sex ratio NA at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage - 15 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005


international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
general assessment: inadequate but 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: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches


international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; 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; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat
Telephones - main lines in use NA 14,571,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 3,376,500 (2003)
Television broadcast stations NA 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Total fertility rate NA 1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate - 11.2% (2004 est.)
Waterways - 850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)
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