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Compare Madagascar (2003) - Iran (2003)

Compare Madagascar (2003) z Iran (2003)

 Madagascar (2003)Iran (2003)
 MadagascarIran
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara 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: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958)


15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 29.3% (male 10,279,588; female 9,727,668)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 22,916,431; female 22,095,124)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,625,113; female 1,634,902) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Airports 121 (2002) 309 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 29


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 2 (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: 92


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 46


under 914 m: 44 (2002)
total: 187


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 138


under 914 m: 39 (2002)
Area total: 587,040 sq km


land: 581,540 sq km


water: 5,500 sq km
total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Arizona slightly larger than Alaska
Background Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar. 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 over disputed territory. Over the past decade, popular dissatisfaction with the government, driven by demographic changes, restrictive social policies, and poor economic conditions, has created a powerful and enduring pressure for political reform.
Birth rate 42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 17.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $553 million


expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
revenues: $29.5 billion


expenditures: $31.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Capital Antananarivo Tehran
Climate tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Coastline 4,828 km 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Constitution 19 August 1992 by national referendum 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar


conventional short form: Madagascar


local long form: Republique de Madagascar


local short form: Madagascar


former: Malagasy Republic
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 Malagasy franc (MGF) Iranian rial (IRR)
Death rate 11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2002) $8.7 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT


embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101


mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo


telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56


FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA


chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526


FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603


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 claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on Helmand River tributaries in response to prolonged drought in region; thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran; despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iraq over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues from eight-year war persist; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran insists on division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors, while other littoral states have generally agreed to equidistant seabed boundaries - Iran has threatened Azerbaijanian hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters
Economic aid - recipient $838 million (1997) $408 million (2002 est.)
Economy - overview Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization, which has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-fourth of GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Export earnings primarily are earned in the small industrial sector, which features textile manufacturing and agriculture processing. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. The separatist political crisis of 2002 undermined macroeconomic stability, with the estimated drop in output being subject to a wide margin of error. Poverty reduction will be the centerpiece of economic policy for the next few years. 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. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $15 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not solved Iran's structural economic problems, including high unemployment and inflation.
Electricity - consumption 772.1 million kWh (2001) 115.9 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 830.2 million kWh (2001) 124.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 36.1%


hydro: 63.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 97.1%


hydro: 2.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Environment - current issues soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, 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 Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Exchange rates Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998) rials per US dollar 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,752.93 (1999), 1,751.86 (1998)


note: 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 Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly


election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister by President RAVALOMANANA
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%
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals
Exports - partners France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4% (2002) Japan 17.4%, China 8.6%, UAE 7.6%, Italy 6.6%, South Korea 4.9%, South Africa 4.4% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 21 March - 20 March
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side 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 - $12.59 billion (2002) purchasing power parity - $458.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 25%


industry: 12%


services: 63% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 19%


industry: 26%


services: 55% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -11.9% (2002 est.) 7.6% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 20 00 S, 47 00 E 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Geography - note world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Heliports - 13 (2002)
Highways total: 49,827 km


paved: 5,780 km


unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
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%: 3%


highest 10%: 29% (1999)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin 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 2 million drug users in the country
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies
Imports - partners France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002) Germany 10.9%, Italy 9%, France 7.9%, China 7.4%, South Korea 6.5%, UAE 4.4%, Japan 4.1%, Russia 4% (2002)
Independence 26 June 1960 (from France) 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2000 est.) 5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.)
Industries meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments
Infant mortality rate total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 44.17 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 44.31 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 44.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.4% (2001 est.) 15.3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, 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, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) 100 (2002)
Irrigated land 10,900 sq km (1998 est.) 75,620 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle Supreme Court
Labor force 7.3 million (2000) 21 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 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: 4.41%


permanent crops: 0.93%


other: 94.66% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.17%


permanent crops: 1.16%


other: 88.67% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Malagasy (official) 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 French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms


elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22
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 2000 with a runoff held 5 May 2000 (next to be held February 2004)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers 189, conservatives 54, independents 42, seats reserved for religious minorities 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 56.14 years


male: 53.82 years


female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)
total population: 69.35 years


male: 68.04 years


female: 70.73 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.9%


male: 75.5%


female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.4%


male: 85.6%


female: 73% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
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: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT


ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)
total: 139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 DWT


ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment 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 $52.3 million (FY02) $9.7 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY02) 3.1% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 20,343,063 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 12,094,551 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age (2003 est.) 21 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 163,864 (2003 est.) males: 870,711 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 June (1960) 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)
Nationality noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)


adjective: Malagasy
noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
Natural hazards periodic cyclones periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast
Natural resources graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.86 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 (2003)
Political parties and leaders Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON] a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000, and groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, emerged at the local level in early 2003
Political pressure groups and leaders Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM active pro-reform student groups include the "Organization for Strengthening Unity"; 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 Association, and Islamic Engineers Society; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various Monarchist organizations; 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, and Komala
Population 16,979,744 (July 2003 est.) 68,278,826 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 71% (1999 est.) 40% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 3.03% (2003 est.) 1.08% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara 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 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001) AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Railways total: 732 km


narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
total: 7,201 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 7,107 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2002)
Religions indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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: 0.99 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 15 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: system is above average for the region


domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions


international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
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
Telephones - main lines in use 55,000 (2000) 6.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 63,100 (2000) 265,000 (August 1998)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001) 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Total fertility rate 5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.9% (1998) 16.3% (2003 est.)
Waterways of local importance only 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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