Compare Iran (2004) - Greece (2006)

Compare Iran (2004) z Greece (2006)

	Iran (2004)	Greece (2006)

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	51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region; Achaia, Agion Oros (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos
Age structure	0-14 years: 28% (male 9,935,527; female 9,411,647) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 23,608,621; female 22,744,128) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,645,246; female 1,673,755) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 14.3% (male 790,291/female 742,902) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,562,251/female 3,566,097) 65 years and over: 19% (male 891,620/female 1,134,897) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar	wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Airports	303 (2003 est.)	82 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	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.)	total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2006)
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.)	total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Area	total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq km water: 12,000 sq km	total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Alaska	slightly smaller than Alabama
Background	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.	Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.
Birth rate	17.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	9.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: $40.38 billion expenditures: $40.29 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2003 est.)	revenues: $94.13 billion expenditures: $103.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital	Tehran	name: Athens geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate	mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast	temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline	2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)	13,676 km
Constitution	2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership	11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
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: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece
Currency	Iranian rial (IRR)	-
Death rate	5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	10.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	$10.96 billion (2003 est.)	$75.18 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland	chief of mission: Ambassador Charles P. RIES embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
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; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073	chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans
Disputes - international	Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on Helmand River tributaries in periods of drought; thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran; creation of a maritime boundary with Iraq remains in hiatus until full sovereignty is restored in Iraq; 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	Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia
Economic aid - recipient	$408 million (2002 est.)	$8 billion from EU (2000-06)
Economy - overview	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 $22 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. In December 2003 a major earthquake devastated the city of Bam in southeastern Iran, killing more than 30,000 people.	Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the between 2003 and 2005, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Economic growth slowed to about 3% in 2005. Greece has not met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average. To overcome these challenges, the Greek Government is expected to continue cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems.
Electricity - consumption	115.9 billion kWh (2001)	53.5 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	2.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	4.2 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	124.6 billion kWh (2001)	54.56 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m	lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 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	air pollution; water pollution
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	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
Ethnic groups	Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%	Greek 98%, Turkish and other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Exchange rates	rials per US dollar - 8,193.89 (2003), 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,752.93 (1999) note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002.	euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Executive branch	chief of state: Supreme Leader 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; 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 8 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005) election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%	chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300
Exports	2.2 million bbl/day (2003)	84,720 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets	food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
Exports - partners	Japan 21.8%, China 9.7%, Italy 6.3%, Taiwan 5.5%, Turkey 5.4%, South Korea 5.4% (2003)	Germany 12.4%, Italy 10.4%, UK 6.7%, Bulgaria 5.9%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 5.2%, Turkey 5.1%, France 4.2% (2005)
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	nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
GDP	purchasing power parity - $478.2 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 12.5% industry: 41.2% services: 46.2% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 5.4% industry: 21.3% services: 73.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	6.1% (2003 est.)	3.7% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	32 00 N, 53 00 E	39 00 N, 22 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport	strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
Heliports	13 (2003 est.)	8 (2006)
Highways	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	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 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 according to official Iranian statistics there are at least 2 million drug users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations	a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime
Imports	NA (2001)	468,300 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies	machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners	Germany 11%, France 8.6%, China 8.4%, Italy 8.1%, UAE 7.9%, South Korea 6.5%, Russia 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2003)	Germany 12.7%, Italy 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, France 5.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2005)
Independence	1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)	1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate	3% excluding oil (2003 est.)	-0.3% (2005 est.)
Industries	petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments	tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Infant mortality rate	total: 42.86 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	16.4% (2003 est.)	3.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	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	Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land	75,620 sq km (1998 est.)	14,530 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court	Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Labor force	22.32 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)	4.72 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 12% industry: 20% services: 68% (2004 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: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km
Land use	arable land: 8.72% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 89.89% (2001)	arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005)
Languages	Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%	Greek 99% (official), English, French
Legal system	the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government	based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 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	unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%, KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.66 years male: 68.31 years female: 71.07 years (2004 est.)	total population: 79.24 years male: 76.72 years female: 81.91 years (2006 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.4% male: 85.6% female: 73% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.5% male: 98.6% female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Location	Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan	Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Map references	Middle East	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT by type: bulk 40, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 5, petroleum tanker 33, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1 registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)	total: 817 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,895,832 GRT/54,341,584 DWT by type: bulk carrier 270, cargo 61, chemical tanker 47, container 47, liquefied gas 5, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 114, petroleum tanker 244, roll on/roll off 17, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 24 (Belgium 12, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, UK 9, US 1) registered in other countries: 2,363 (Bahamas 232, Barbados 11, Belgium 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Cambodia 8, Cayman Islands 21, Comoros 10, Cyprus 337, Denmark 5, Dominica 5, Egypt 6, Georgia 8, Gibraltar 7, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 27, Isle of Man 45, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 3, Liberia 267, Malta 495, Marshall Islands 199, Norway 1, Panama 524, Philippines 5, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 82, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Singapore 9, Slovakia 4, UAE 2, UK 7, Uruguay 1, US 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 7) (2006)
Military branches	Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods Force [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army]), Law Enforcement Forces	Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$4.3 billion (2003 est.)	$5.89 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	3.3% (2003 est.)	4.3% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 20,937,348 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 12,434,810 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 912,569 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	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)	Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Nationality	noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian	noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek
Natural hazards	periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes	severe earthquakes
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur	lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Net migration rate	-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
People - note	-	women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor
Pipelines	condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004)	gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in the Islamic Republic 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 is expected to participate 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 afte winning a majority of the seats in February 2004	Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders	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	General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos POLYZOGOPOULOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]
Population	69,018,924 (July 2004 est.)	10,688,058 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2002 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	1.07% (2004 est.)	0.18% (2006 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	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)	AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (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) (2003)	total: 2,571 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2005)
Religions	Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%	Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Sex ratio	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: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 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: 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	general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	14,571,100 (2003)	6.303 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	3,376,500 (2003)	10.043 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations	28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)	36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
Terrain	rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts	mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Total fertility rate	1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	15.7% (2002 est.)	9.9% (2005 est.)
Waterways	850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)	6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2006)

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