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Compare Iran (2002) - Bangladesh (2001)

Compare Iran (2002) z Bangladesh (2001)

 Iran (2002)Bangladesh (2001)
 IranBangladesh
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, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan 5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet
Age structure 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 10,753,218; female 10,273,015)


15-64 years: 63.7% (male 21,383,542; female 21,096,307)


65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,633,016; female 1,483,606) (2002 est.)
0-14 years:
35.04% (male 23,550,607; female 22,451,006)

15-64 years:
61.6% (male 41,432,123; female 39,434,633)

65 years and over:
3.36% (male 2,389,639; female 2,011,852) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Airports 322 (2001) 18 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 122


over 3,047 m: 39


2,438 to 3,047 m: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 27


914 to 1,523 m: 27


under 914 m: 4 (2002)
total:
15

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
5 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 187


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 138


under 914 m: 39 (2002)
total:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Area total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
total:
144,000 sq km

land:
133,910 sq km

water:
10,090 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Alaska slightly smaller than Wisconsin
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. Key current issues affecting the country include the pace of accepting outside modernizing influences and reconciliation between clerical control of the regime and popular government participation and widespread demands for reform. Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.
Birth rate 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 25.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $24 billion


expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues:
$4.9 billion

expenditures:
$6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Tehran Dhaka
Climate mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 580 km
Constitution 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
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:
People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form:
Bangladesh

former:
East Pakistan
Currency Iranian rial (IRR) taka (BDT)
Death rate 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $8.2 billion (2002 est.) $17 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS

embassy:
Road 27, House 110, Banani, Dhaka

mailing address:
G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone:
[880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722

FAX:
[880] (2) 8823744
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-designate A. Tariq KARIM

chancery:
3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 244-0183

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York
Disputes - international despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, Iran lacks maritime boundary with Iraq and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran); Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; Iran threatens to conduct oil exploration in Azerbaijani-claimed waters, while interdicting Azerbaijani activities a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite; exchange of 151 enclaves along border with India subject to ratification by Indian parliament; dispute with India over South Talpatty/New Moore Island
Economic aid - recipient $129 million (1995) (2000 est.) $1.575 billion (2000 est.)
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. Subsequent rises in oil prices have afforded Iran fiscal breathing room but do not solve Iran's structural economic problems, including the encouragement of foreign investment and the containment of inflation. Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Even so, Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA's Awami League government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups.
Electricity - consumption 111.907 billion kWh (2000) 11.216 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 120.33 billion kWh (2000) 12.06 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 94%


hydro: 6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
93.7%

hydro:
6.3%

nuclear:
0%

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


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Keokradong 1,230 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; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally-occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
Exchange rates from 1997 to 2001, Iran had a multi-exchange-rate system; one of these rates, the official floating exchange rate, by which most essential goods were imported, averaged 1,750 rials per US dollar; in March 2002, the multi-exchange-rate system was converged into one rate at about 7,900 rials per US dollar taka per US dollar - 54.000 (January 2001), 52.142 (2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996)
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 26 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:
President Shahabuddin AHMED (since 9 October 1996); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections

head of government:
Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA (since 13 July 1996)

cabinet:
Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1996 (next to be held by NA October 2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results:
Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without opposition; percent of National Parliament vote - NA%
Exports $24 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $5.9 billion (2000)
Exports - commodities petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
Exports - partners Japan 20.5%, Italy 7%, UAE 5.9%, France 4.7%, China 4.1% (1999) US 31.2%, Germany 9.95%, UK 8.06%, France 5.82%, Italy 4.42% (1999)
Fiscal year 21 March - 20 March 1 July - 30 June
Flag description 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 green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
GDP purchasing power parity - $456 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $203 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 19%


industry: 26%


services: 55% (2002 est.)
agriculture:
30%

industry:
18%

services:
52% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,570 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2002 est.) 5.3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 53 00 E 24 00 N, 90 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport -
Heliports 13 (2002) -
Highways total: 140,200 km


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


unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)
total:
201,182 km

paved:
19,112 km

unpaved:
182,070 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
3.9%

highest 10%:
28.6% (1995-96 est.)
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 Iranian press reports estimate at least 1.8 million drug users in the country transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
Imports $19.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $8.1 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement
Imports - partners Germany 11%, Italy 8.3%, China 6.1%, Japan 5.3%, UAE 5% (1999) India 12.2%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 6.7%, China 6.4%, US 5.3% (1999)
Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Industrial production growth rate 5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.) 6.1% (2000 est.)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Infant mortality rate 28.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 69.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 17.3% (2002 est.) 5.8% (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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 8 (2000) 10 (2000)
Irrigated land 75,620 sq km (1998 est.) 31,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 18 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)
64.1 million (1998)

note:
extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY95/96)
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:
4,246 km

border countries:
Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use arable land: 10.17%


permanent crops: 1.16%


other: 88.67% (1998 est.)
arable land:
73%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
15%

other:
5% (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% Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Legal system the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government based on English common law
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 up for runoff; note - election on 5 May 2000 (reformers 52, conservatives 10, independents 3)
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad (330 seats; 300 elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies, 30 seats reserved for women; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 12 June 1996 (next to be held before 13 October 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - AL 33.87%, BNP 30.87%; seats by party - AL 178, BNP 113, JP 33, JI 3, other 3; note - the elections of 12 June 1996 brought to power an Awami League government for the first time in twenty-one years; held under a neutral, caretaker administration, the elections were characterized by a peaceful, orderly process and massive voter turnout, ending a bitter two-year impasse between the former BNP and opposition parties that had paralyzed National Parliament and led to widespread street violence
Life expectancy at birth total population: 70.25 years


male: 68.87 years


female: 71.69 years (2002 est.)
total population:
60.54 years

male:
60.74 years

female:
60.33 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

total population:
56%

male:
63%

female:
49% (2000 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references Middle East Asia
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
contiguous zone:
18 NM

continental shelf:
up to the outer limits of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,136,971 GRT/7,166,703 DWT


ships by type: bulk 48, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
total:
35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 268,566 GRT/375,110 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 2, cargo 25, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)
Military branches Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army] forces), Law Enforcement Forces Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps), Armed Police battalions
Military expenditures - dollar figure $9.7 billion (FY00) $559 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.1% (FY00) 1.8% (FY96/97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 18,868,571 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
36,005,553 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 11,192,731 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
21,362,279 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 21 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 823,041 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Nationality noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
noun:
Bangladeshi(s)

adjective:
Bangladeshi
Natural hazards periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Net migration rate -4.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km natural gas 1,250 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 Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIAur Rahman]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Azizol HAQ]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]
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 66,622,704 (July 2002 est.) 131,269,860 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 53% (1996 est.) 35.6% (FY95/96 est.)
Population growth rate 0.77% (2002 est.) 1.59% (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 Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj (2001)
Radio broadcast stations AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios 17 million (1997) 6.15 million (1997)
Railways total: 6,130 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 6,036 km 1.435-m gauge (187 km electrified)


note: broad-gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems; 41 km of the standard-gauge, electrified track is in suburban service at Tehran (2001)
total:
2,745 km

broad gauge:
923 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge:
1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1% Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
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: 1.1 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 15 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
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:
totally inadequate for a modern country

domestic:
modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 6.313 million (1997) 500,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 265,000 (August 1998) 283,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997) 15 (1999)
Terrain rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Total fertility rate 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.78 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 14% (1999 est.) 35.2% (1996)
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
up to 8,046 km depending on season

note:
includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
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