Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Iran (2005) - Romania (2003) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Iran (2005) - Romania (2003)

Compare Iran (2005) z Romania (2003)

 Iran (2005)Romania (2003)
 IranRomania
Administrative divisions 30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan 41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)


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


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 1,932,204; female 1,838,240)


15-64 years: 69% (male 7,634,481; female 7,739,232)


65 years and over: 14% (male 1,290,343; female 1,837,339) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
Airports 305 (2004 est.) 65 (2002)
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: 26


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2002)
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: 39


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 25 (2002)
Area total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
total: 237,500 sq km


land: 230,340 sq km


water: 7,160 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Alaska slightly smaller than Oregon
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. Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties. Currently, the Social Democratic Party forms a nominally minority government, which governs with the support of the opposition Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. Bucharest must address rampant corruption, while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms, before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the European Union.
Birth rate 16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $43.34 billion


expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $11.7 billion


expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital Tehran Bucharest
Climate mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Coastline 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 225 km
Constitution 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership 8 December 1991
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: none


conventional short form: Romania


local long form: none


local short form: Romania
Currency - leu (ROL)
Death rate 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $13.4 billion (2004 est.) $13.7 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. GUEST


embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest


mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)


telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042


FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395


branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca
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 Sorin Dumitru DUCARU


chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851


FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years; joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Bulgaria based on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920; Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who protest the law
Economic aid - recipient $408 million (2002 est.) -
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 $30 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above 4%. An IMF Standby Agreement, signed in 2001, has been accompanied by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and the curbing of inflation. Nonetheless, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty, while corruption and red tape hinder foreign investment.
Electricity - consumption 119.9 billion kWh (2002) 46.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 1.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 400 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 129 billion kWh (2002) 50.86 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 62.5%


hydro: 27.6%


nuclear: 9.9%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 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 soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
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, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Ethnic groups Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)
Exchange rates rials per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), 1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)


note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
lei per US dollar - 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.58 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)


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


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


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


election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%; note - 2% of ballots spoiled
chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December 2000)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu Vadim TUDOR 33.16%
Exports 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels
Exports - partners Japan 18.4%, China 9.7%, Italy 6%, South Africa 5.8%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, Netherlands 4% (2004) Italy 24.4%, Germany 15.5%, France 7.7%, UK 5.4%, US 5%, Turkey 4.4% (2002)
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 vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
GDP - purchasing power parity - $169.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.2%


industry: 40.9%


services: 48.7% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 35%


services: 50% (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.3% (2004 est.) 4.9% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 53 00 E 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
Heliports 13 (2004 est.) 1 (2002)
Highways total: 167,157 km


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


unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)
total: 198,603 km


paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)


unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 25% (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 according to official Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%, chemicals 9%, textile and products 19% (1999)
Imports - partners Germany 12.8%, France 8.3%, Italy 7.7%, China 7.2%, UAE 7.2%, South Korea 6.1%, Russia 5.4% (2004) Italy 20.2%, Germany 18.1%, France 6.6%, Russia 5.6%, Austria 4.9%, Hungary 4.1% (2002)
Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% excluding oil (2004 est.) 6% (2002)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
Infant mortality rate total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.31 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 15.5% (2004 est.) 22.5% (2002 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 ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 38 (2000)
Irrigated land 75,620 sq km (1998 est.) 28,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)
Labor force 23 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)
9.9 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998)
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: 2,508 km


border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Land use arable land: 8.72%


permanent crops: 1.39%


other: 89.89% (2001)
arable land: 40.57%


permanent crops: 2.4%


other: 57.03% (1998 est.)
Languages Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Legal system the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
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
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (140 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD) 37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PSD 65, PRM 36, PNL 13, UDMR 12, PD 9, independents 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD) 36.6%, PRM 19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PSD 171, PRM 69, PD 29, PNL 27, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18, independents 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.96 years


male: 68.58 years


female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)
total population: 70.62 years


male: 66.88 years


female: 74.59 years (2003 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: 98.4%


male: 99.1%


female: 97.7% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
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
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT


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


foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 494,670 GRT/650,863 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 39, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1, Italy 5 (2002 est.)
Military branches Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)


Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)


Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $4.3 billion (2003 est.) $985 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.3% (2003 est.) 2.47% (2002)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 5,912,284 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 4,974,240 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 157,840 (2003 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)
Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)
Nationality noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
noun: Romanian(s)


adjective: Romanian
Natural hazards periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Net migration rate -2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
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 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004 Democratic Party or PD [Traian BASESCU]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Theodor STOLOJAN]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR
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 various human rights and professional associations
Population 68,017,860 (July 2005 est.) 22,271,839 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2002 est.) 44.5% (2000)
Population growth rate 0.86% (2005 est.) -0.21% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Assaluyeh, Bushehr Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea
Radio broadcast stations AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)
Railways total: 7,203 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2004)
total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)


standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge


broad gage: 60 km 1.524-m gauge


narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2% Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)
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: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 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: 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: poor domestic service, but improving


domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several international telecommunication network projects (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 14,571,100 (2003) 3.777 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,376,500 (2003) 645,500 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997) 48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Total fertility rate 1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.2% (2004 est.) 8.3% (2002)
Waterways 850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004) 1,724 km (1984)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.