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Compare Iran (2002) - Uzbekistan (2004)

Compare Iran (2002) z Uzbekistan (2004)

 Iran (2002)Uzbekistan (2004)
 IranUzbekistan
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 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
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: 34.1% (male 4,583,228; female 4,418,003)


15-64 years: 61.1% (male 7,990,233; female 8,157,136)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 513,434; female 748,382) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
Airports 322 (2001) 247 (2003 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: 33


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 14


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 4 (2003 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: 214


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 200 (2003 est.)
Area total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
total: 447,400 sq km


land: 425,400 sq km


water: 22,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Alaska slightly larger than California
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. Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.
Birth rate 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 26.12 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $24 billion


expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $2.176 billion


expenditures: $2.207 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital Tehran Tashkent (Toshkent)
Climate mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Coastline 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline
Constitution 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
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: Republic of Uzbekistan


conventional short form: Uzbekistan


local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi


local short form: Ozbekiston


former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency Iranian rial (IRR) Uzbekistani sum (UZS)
Death rate 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $8.2 billion (2002 est.) $4.384 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL


embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450


FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335
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 Abdulaziz KAMILOV


chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803


FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804


consulate(s) general: 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 prolonged drought and cotton monoculture creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks continue with Tajikistan to determine and delimit border
Economic aid - recipient $129 million (1995) (2000 est.) $87.4 million from the US (2003)
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. Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy. The government, while aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also lead to some shortages which have further stifled economic activity.
Electricity - consumption 111.907 billion kWh (2000) 47.07 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 3.998 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 9.7 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 120.33 billion kWh (2000) 44.49 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 94%


hydro: 6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
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Elevation extremes lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m


highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 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 shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)
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 Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 115.9 (2003), 125.3 (2002), NA (2001), 236.608 (2000), 124.625 (1999)
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 Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)


head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11 December 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president


election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
Exports $24 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)
Exports - partners Japan 20.5%, Italy 7%, UAE 5.9%, France 4.7%, China 4.1% (1999) Russia 22.4%, China 9.3%, Ukraine 7.5%, Tajikistan 6.2%, Bangladesh 4.7%, Turkey 4.6%, Japan 4.3%, Kazakhstan 4.2%, US 4.1% (2003)
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 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 three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
GDP purchasing power parity - $456 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $43.99 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 19%


industry: 26%


services: 55% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 38%


industry: 26.3%


services: 35.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2002 est.) 3.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 53 00 E 41 00 N, 64 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world
Heliports 13 (2002) -
Highways total: 140,200 km


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


unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)
total: 81,600 km


paved: 71,237 km


unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 1.2%


highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)
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 Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
Imports $19.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998 est.)
Imports - partners Germany 11%, Italy 8.3%, China 6.1%, Japan 5.3%, UAE 5% (1999) Russia 22.3%, US 11.4%, South Korea 11%, Germany 9.5%, China 6.5%, Kazakhstan 6.1%, Turkey 6.1% (2003)
Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.) 6.2% (2003 est.)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas, chemicals
Infant mortality rate 28.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 71.3 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 75.03 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 17.3% (2002 est.) 13.1% (2003 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, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 8 (2000) -
Irrigated land 75,620 sq km (1998 est.) 42,810 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)
Labor force 18 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)
14.2 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)
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: 6,221 km


border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
Land use arable land: 10.17%


permanent crops: 1.16%


other: 88.67% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.83%


permanent crops: 0.83%


other: 88.34% (2001)
Languages Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Legal system the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system
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)
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held December 2009)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10


note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV
Life expectancy at birth total population: 70.25 years


male: 68.87 years


female: 71.69 years (2002 est.)
total population: 64.09 years


male: 60.67 years


female: 67.69 years (2004 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: 99.3%


male: 99.6%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
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
none (doubly landlocked)
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.)
-
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, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $9.7 billion (FY00) $200 million (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.1% (FY00) 2% (FY97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 18,868,571 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 7,126,325 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 11,192,731 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 5,783,740 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 21 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 823,041 (2002 est.) males: 321,886 (2004 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Nationality noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
noun: Uzbekistani


adjective: Uzbekistani
Natural hazards periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast NA
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Net migration rate -4.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)
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 Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA, chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party
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 Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum [leader NA]
Population 66,622,704 (July 2002 est.) 26,410,416 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 53% (1996 est.) NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 0.77% (2002 est.) 1.65% (2004 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 Termiz (Amu Darya)
Radio broadcast stations AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)
Radios 17 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: 3,950 km


broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2003)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1% Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 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: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization


domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)


international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use 6.313 million (1997) 1,717,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 265,000 (August 1998) 320,800 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997) 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)
Terrain rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Total fertility rate 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 14% (1999 est.) 0.5% plus another 20% underemployed (2003)
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
1,100 km (2004)
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