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Compare Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of (2003) - Iran (2002)

Compare Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of (2003) z Iran (2002)

 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of (2003)Iran (2002)
 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic ofIran
Administrative divisions 123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska, Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo, Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo, Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci


note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute "greater Skopje"
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
Age structure 0-14 years: 21.9% (male 235,102; female 217,574)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 700,929; female 691,552)


65 years and over: 10.6% (male 96,039; female 121,926) (2003 est.)
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.)
Agriculture - products rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Airports 18 (2002) 322 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


under 914 m: 8 (2002)
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 4 (2002)
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)
Area total: 25,333 sq km


land: 24,856 sq km


water: 477 sq km
total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Vermont slightly larger than Alaska
Background International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of "Macedonia." F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension. 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.
Birth rate 13.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.13 billion


expenditures: $1.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $24 billion


expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Skopje Tehran
Climate warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Constitution adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991


note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Parliament approved a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Country name conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia


conventional short form: none


local long form: Republika Makedonija


local short form: Makedonija


abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.
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
Currency Macedonian denar (MKD) Iranian rial (IRR)
Death rate 7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $1.3 billion (2001 est.) $8.2 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence Edward BUTLER


embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje


mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)


telephone: [389] 116-180


FAX: [389] 117-103
none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV


chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063


FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093


consulate(s) general: New York
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
Disputes - international the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in F.Y.R.O.M. while continuing to seek regional cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo continue to protest 2000 F.Y.R.O.M.-Serbia and Montenegro boundary treaty, which transfers small tracts of land to F.Y.R.O.M.; dispute with Greece over country's name persists 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
Economic aid - recipient $150 million (2001 est.) $129 million (1995) (2000 est.)
Economy - overview At independence in November 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.3%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. But even this issue is overshadowed by the fragile political situation. 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.
Electricity - consumption 6.112 billion kWh (2001) 111.907 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 100 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 6.465 billion kWh (2001) 120.33 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 83.7%


hydro: 16.3%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 94%


hydro: 6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Vardar River 50 m


highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from metallurgical plants 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
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.3% (1994) Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Exchange rates Macedonian denars per US dollar - 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9 (2000), 56.9 (1999), 54.46 (1998) 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
Executive branch chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1 November 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI 46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with 72% of the vote
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%
Exports NA (2001) $24 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals
Exports - partners Germany 19.2%, Italy 9.2%, US 6.7%, Croatia 5.5%, Greece 4.6% (2002) Japan 20.5%, Italy 7%, UAE 5.9%, France 4.7%, China 4.1% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year 21 March - 20 March
Flag description a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.57 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $456 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11%


industry: 31%


services: 58% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 19%


industry: 26%


services: 55% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.7% (2002 est.) 5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 50 N, 22 00 E 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Heliports - 13 (2002)
Highways total: 8,684 km


paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)


unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)
total: 140,200 km


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


unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; while money laundering is a problem on a local level due to organized crime activities, the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center 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
Imports NA (2001) $19.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies
Imports - partners Greece 19.4%, Germany 14.4%, Bulgaria 7.5%, Slovenia 6.9%, Italy 6.9%, Turkey 5.9%, Ukraine 5%, Austria 4.1% (2002) Germany 11%, Italy 8.3%, China 6.1%, Japan 5.3%, UAE 5% (1999)
Independence 8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing independence (from Yugoslavia) 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate -5% (2002 est.) 5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.)
Industries coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments
Infant mortality rate total: 12.14 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
28.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.1% (2002 est.) 17.3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 6 (2000) 8 (2000)
Irrigated land 550 sq km (1998 est.) 75,620 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - Parliament appoints the judges Supreme Court
Labor force 1.1 million (2000 est.) 18 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 766 km


border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km
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
Land use arable land: 23.59%


permanent crops: 1.85%


other: 74.56% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.17%


permanent crops: 1.16%


other: 88.67% (1998 est.)
Languages Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3% Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Legal system based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Legislative branch unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - 85 members are elected by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the overall vote; all serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33, Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
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)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.49 years


male: 72.23 years


female: 76.94 years (2003 est.)
total population: 70.25 years


male: 68.87 years


female: 71.69 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 72.1%


male: 78.4%


female: 65.8% (1994 est.)
Location Southeastern Europe, north of Greece Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Map references Europe Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: natural prolongation


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


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.)
Military branches Army (ARM), Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force 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
Military expenditures - dollar figure $200 million (FY01/02 est.) $9.7 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 6% (FY01/02 est.) 3.1% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 553,988 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 18,868,571 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 446,726 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 11,192,731 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2003 est.) 21 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 17,909 (2003 est.) males: 823,041 (2002 est.)
National holiday Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
Nationality noun: Macedonian(s)


adjective: Macedonian
noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
Natural hazards high seismic risks periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast
Natural resources chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Net migration rate -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -4.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2003) crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km
Political parties and leaders Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Union for Integration or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Kastriot HAXHIREXHA]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD [Abdurrahman HALITI]; Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and LDP) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM [leader NA] 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
Political pressure groups and leaders NA 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
Population 2,063,122


note: a census was taken 1-15 November 2002, but results are not yet available (July 2003 est.)
66,622,704 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 24% (2001 est.) 53% (1996 est.)
Population growth rate 0.4% (2003 est.) 0.77% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none 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 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios - 17 million (1997)
Railways total: 699 km


standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2002)
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)
Religions Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3% Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 15 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: NA
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
Telephones - main lines in use 408,000 (1997) 6.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 12,362 (1997) 265,000 (August 1998)
Television broadcast stations 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995) 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Total fertility rate 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 37% (2002 est.) 14% (1999 est.)
Waterways note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders 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
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