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Compare Iran (2001) - Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2001)

Compare Iran (2001) z Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2001)

 Iran (2001)Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2001)
 IranCongo, Democratic Republic of the
Administrative divisions 28 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, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
Age structure 0-14 years:
32.97% (male 11,150,053; female 10,654,884)

15-64 years:
62.38% (male 20,765,001; female 20,488,672)

65 years and over:
4.65% (male 1,617,045; female 1,453,310) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
48.24% (male 12,988,488; female 12,878,232)

15-64 years:
49.21% (male 12,931,886; female 13,459,109)

65 years and over:
2.55% (male 575,113; female 791,890) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Airports 317 (2000 est.) 232 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
117

over 3,047 m:
38

2,438 to 3,047 m:
23

1,524 to 2,437 m:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
24

under 914 m:
7 (2000 est.)
total:
24

over 3,047 m:
4

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
15

914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
200

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
13

914 to 1,523 m:
122

under 914 m:
60 (2000 est.)
total:
208

1,524 to 2,437 m:
20

914 to 1,523 m:
96

under 914 m:
92 (2000 est.)
Area total:
1.648 million sq km

land:
1.636 million sq km

water:
12,000 sq km
total:
2,345,410 sq km

land:
2,267,600 sq km

water:
77,810 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Alaska slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Background Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces subsequently crushed westernizing liberal elements. Militant 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 over disputed territory. The key current issue is how rapidly the country should open up to the modernizing influences of the outside world. Since 1994 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. The new president quickly began overtures to end the war.
Birth rate 17.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 46.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$27 billion

expenditures:
$27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
revenues:
$269 million

expenditures:
$244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)
Capital Tehran Kinshasa
Climate mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October
Coastline 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 37 km
Constitution 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it has not been ratified by a national referendum
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
conventional long form:
Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form:
none

former:
Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

abbreviation:
DROC
Currency Iranian rial (IRR) Congolese franc (CDF)
Death rate 5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 15.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $7.5 billion (2000 est.) $13 billion (1998 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland chief of mission:
Ambassador William Lacy SWING

embassy:
310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa

mailing address:
Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

telephone:
[243] (12) 21804, 21807

FAX:
[243] (88) 43805
Diplomatic representation in the US 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 chief of mission:
Ambassador Faida MITIFU

chancery:
1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:
[1] (202) 234-7690, 7691

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-2609
Disputes - international Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); Iran jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) - over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the eastern portion of the state; most of the Congo river boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)
Economic aid - recipient $116.5 million (1995) $195.3 million (1995)
Economy - overview Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made little progress toward that goal. The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments. Iran's financial situation tightened in 1997 and deteriorated further in 1998 because of lower oil prices. The subsequent zoom in oil prices in 1999-2000 afforded Iran fiscal breathing room but does not solve Iran's structural economic problems, including the encouragement of foreign investment. The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but these small gains were quickly reversed when the foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue and has increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict and because of increased government harassment and restrictions. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, raging inflation, and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan but associated reforms are on hold.
Electricity - consumption 95.84 billion kWh (1999) 4.55 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 404 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 55 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 103.054 billion kWh (1999) 5.268 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
93.16%

hydro:
6.84%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
2.05%

hydro:
97.95%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point:
Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Environment - current issues air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996)
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Exchange rates Iranian rials per US dollar - 1,754.71 (January 2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,725.93 (1999), 1,751.86 (1998), 1,752.92 (1997), 1,750.76 (1996)

note:
Iran has three officially recognized exchange rates; the averages for 1999 are as follows: the official floating rate of 1,750 rials per US dollar, the "export" rate of 3,000 rials per US dollar, and the variable Tehran Stock Exchange rate, which averages 7,863 rials per US dollar; the market rate averages 8,615 rials per US dollar
Congolese francs per US dollar - 50 (January 2001), 4.5 (January 2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998), 1.31 (1997), 0.50 (1996)

note:
on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc was introduced, replacing the new zaire
Executive branch chief of state:
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)

head of government:
President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-YAZDI (since NA August 2001)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval

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 8 June 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)

election results:
(Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%
chief of state:
Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - the president succeeded his father Laurent Desire KABILA after his assassination on 16 January 2001; as president he is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:
Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - the president succeeded his father Laurent Desire KABILA after his assassination on 16 January 2001; as president he is both chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
National Executive Council, appointed by the president

elections:
before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997); formerly, the prime minister was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - elections were not held in 1991 as called for by the constitution

election results:
results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition

note:
Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA, who immediately assumed governing authority; KABILA pledged to hold elections by April 1999, but in December 1998 announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA
Exports $25 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $960 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
Exports - partners Japan, Italy, UAE, South Korea, France, China Benelux 62%, US 18%, South Africa, Finland, Italy (1999)
Fiscal year 21 March - 20 March calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) 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 light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $413 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
24%

industry:
28%

services:
48% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
58%

industry:
17%

services:
25% (1997 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2000 est.) -15% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 53 00 E 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note - straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
Heliports 11 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
140,200 km

paved:
49,440 km (including 470 km of expressways)

unpaved:
90,760 km (1998 est.)
total:
157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)(1996)

paved:
NA km

unpaved:
NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
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 consumption of narcotics remains a persistent problem and Iranian press reports estimate that there are at least 1.2 million drug users in the country illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
Imports $15 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $660 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners Germany, South Korea, Italy, UAE, France, Japan South Africa 28%, Benelux 14%, Nigeria 9%, Kenya 7%, China (1999)
Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Industrial production growth rate 4.4% (nonoil) (1999) NA%
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement
Infant mortality rate 29.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 99.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 16% (2000 est.) 540% (2000 est.)
International organization participation CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 8 (2000) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 94,000 sq km (1993 est.) 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force 17.3 million

note:
shortage of skilled labor (1998)
14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 33%, industry 25%, services 42% (1999 est.) agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)
Land boundaries 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
total:
10,744 km

border countries:
Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 473 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Land use arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
27%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
55% (1993 est.)
arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
77%

other:
13% (1993 est.)
Languages Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Legal system the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch 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 18 February-NA April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers 170, conservatives 45, and independents 10; 65 seats were up for runoff election on 5 May 2000 (reformers 52, conservatives 10, independents 3)
a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in August 2000

elections:
NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were appointed by former President KABILA
Life expectancy at birth total population:
69.95 years

male:
68.61 years

female:
71.37 years (2001 est.)
total population:
48.94 years

male:
46.96 years

female:
50.98 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
72.1%

male:
78.4%

female:
65.8% (1994 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population:
77.3%

male:
86.6%

female:
67.7% (1995 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Map references Middle East Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
natural prolongation

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

territorial sea:
12 NM
exclusive economic zone:
boundaries with neighbors

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total:
152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,097,977 GRT/7,131,688 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 49, cargo 38, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2000 est.)
none (2000 est.)
Military branches Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces), Revolutionary Guards (includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and Basij-mobilization-forces), Law Enforcement Forces Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Presidential Security Group
Military expenditures - dollar figure $5.787 billion (FY98/99) $250 million (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.9% (FY98/99) 4.6% (FY97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
18,319,328 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
11,615,554 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
10,872,407 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
5,915,251 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 21 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
823,040 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Nationality noun:
Iranian(s)

adjective:
Iranian
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber
Net migration rate -4.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note:
one million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC) in 1994 to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis; fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 caused 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997; an additional 173,000 Rwandan refugees disappeared in early 1997 and are assumed to have been killed by Zairian forces; fighting between the Congolese government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese displaced in DROC and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries
Pipelines crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km petroleum products 390 km
Political parties and leaders the following organizations appeared to have achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majlis in early 2000: Assembly of the Followers of the Imam's Line, Freethinkers' Front, Islamic Iran Participation Front, Moderation and Development Party, Servants of Construction Party, Society of Self-sacrificing Devotees Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR [leader NA]; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI [Kouyoumba MUCHULI Mulembe]
Political pressure groups and leaders active student groups include the pro-reform "Organization for Strengthening Unity" and "the Union of Islamic Student Societies'; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; the Society for the Defense of Freedom NA
Population 66,128,965 (July 2001 est.) 53,624,718

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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 53% (1996 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.72% (2001 est.) 3.1% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Radio broadcast stations AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 3, FM 12, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios 17 million (1997) 18.03 million (1997)
Railways total:
5,600 km

broad gauge:
94 km 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge:
5,506 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified)

note:
broad gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems (2001)
total:
5,138 km (1995)

note:
severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife

narrow gauge:
3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2000)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1% Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 15 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system 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:
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; Internet service available but limited to electronic mail to promote Iranian culture
general assessment:
NA

domestic:
barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 6.313 million (1997) 21,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 265,000 (August 1998) 8,900 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997) 20 (1999)
Terrain rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Total fertility rate 2.02 children born/woman (2001 est.) 6.84 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 14% (1999 est.) NA%
Waterways 904 km

note:
the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use
15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)
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