Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / New Zealand (2002) - Iran (2006) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare New Zealand (2002) - Iran (2006)

Compare New Zealand (2002) z Iran (2006)

 New Zealand (2002)Iran (2006)
 New ZealandIran
Administrative divisions 16 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, West Coast 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 22.2% (male 443,921; female 422,804)


15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,299,973; female 1,290,097)


65 years and over: 11.5% (male 196,640; female 254,602) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,204,785/female 8,731,429)


15-64 years: 69% (male 24,133,919/female 23,245,255)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,653,827/female 1,719,218) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Airports 106 (2001) 321 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 46


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
total: 129


over 3,047 m: 41


2,438 to 3,047 m: 26


1,524 to 2,437 m: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 31


under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 67


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 26


under 914 m: 39 (2002)
total: 192


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 140


under 914 m: 43 (2006)
Area total: 268,680 sq km


land: NA sq km


water: NA sq km


note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly larger than Alaska
Background The Polynesian Maoris reached New Zealand in about the 800 AD. The British proclaimed their sovereignty over the islands in 1840 and began settlement that same year. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances. 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 floundered as conservative politicians prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and made electoral gains against reformers. Parliamentary elections in 2004 and the August 2005 inauguration of a conservative stalwart as president, completed the reconsolidation of conservative power in Iran's government.
Birth rate 14.23 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $16.7 billion


expenditures: $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01)
revenues: $48.82 billion


expenditures: $60.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2005 est.)
Capital Wellington name: Tehran


geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 26 E


time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate with sharp regional contrasts mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Coastline 15,134 km 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Constitution consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: New Zealand


abbreviation: NZ
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 New Zealand dollar (NZD) -
Death rate 7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $31.1 billion (2001 est.) $19.06 billion (2005 est.)
Dependent areas Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS


embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington


mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001


telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000


FAX: [64] (4) 478-1701


consulate(s) general: Auckland
none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD


chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800


FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, 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; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073
Disputes - international territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) 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 dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors
Economic aid - donor ODA, $99.7 million (FY00/01) -
Economic aid - recipient - $408 million (2002 est.)
Economy - overview Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. While per capita incomes have been rising, however, they remain below the level of the four largest EU economies, and there is some government concern that New Zealand is not closing the gap. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus far the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, achieving about 3% growth in 2001, but the New Zealand business cycle tends to lag the US cycle by about six months, so the worst of the downturn may not hit until mid-2002. 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 Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 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 $40 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.
Electricity - consumption 33.315 billion kWh (2000) 132.1 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 840 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 600 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 35.823 billion kWh (2000) 142.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 27%


hydro: 66%


nuclear: 0%


other: 7% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside 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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
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
Ethnic groups New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4% Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Exchange rates New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997) rials per US dollar - 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), 1,753.6 (2001)


note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA September 2002)


cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)


head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005)


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


note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts, a popularly elected body of 86 religious scholars constitutionally charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing his performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or Council for the Discernment of Expediency is a policy advisory and implementation board consisting of permanent and temporary members representing all major government factions, some of whom are appointed by the Supreme Leader; the Council exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree; 3) Council of Guardians or Council of Guardians of the Constitution is a 12-member board of clerics and jurists serving six-year terms that determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law; the Council also vets candidates for suitability and supervises national elections


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


election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%
Exports $14.2 billion (2001 est.) 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
Exports - partners Australia 20.4%, US 14.5%, Japan 13.5%, UK 5.4%, South Korea, China (2000) Japan 16.6%, China 11%, Italy 5.8%, South Korea 5.7%, South Africa 5.7%, Turkey 5.6%, Netherlands 4.5%, France 4.3% (2005)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 21 March - 20 March
Flag description blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation 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 - $75.4 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8%


industry: 23%


services: 69% (1999)
agriculture: 11.6%


industry: 42.4%


services: 46% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $19,500 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3.1% (2001 est.) 6.9% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 00 S, 174 00 E 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Geography - note about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Heliports 1 (2002) 15 (2006)
Highways total: 92,200 km


paved: 53,568 km (including at least 144 km of expressways)


unpaved: 38,632 km (1996)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0%


highest 10%: 30% (1991 est.)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
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; lacks anti-money-laundering laws
Imports $12.5 billion (2001 est.) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies
Imports - partners Australia 22.5%, US 17.5%, Japan 11%, UK 4%, China, Germany (2000) Germany 13.8%, UAE 8.3%, China 8.3%, Italy 7%, France 6.2%, South Korea 5.4%, Russia 4.8% (2005)
Independence 26 September 1907 (from UK) 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2001 est.) 3% excluding oil (2005 est.)
Industries food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments
Infant mortality rate 6.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 40.3 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 40.49 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.6% (2001 est.) 13.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO ABEDA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 36 (2000) -
Irrigated land 2,850 sq km (1998 est.) 76,500 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court
Labor force 1.92 million (2001 est.) 23.68 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10% (1995) (1995) 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: 5.8%


permanent crops: 6.44%


other: 87.76% (1998 est.)
arable land: 9.78%


permanent crops: 1.29%


other: 88.93% (2005)
Languages English (official), Maori (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 English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Legislative branch unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms)


elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 9, UF 8, other 2
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats - formerly 270 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004 (by-elections next to be held in December 2006; general election to be held in 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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.15 years


male: 75.17 years


female: 81.27 years (2002 est.)
total population: 70.26 years


male: 68.86 years


female: 71.74 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


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


total population: 79.4%


male: 85.6%


female: 73% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Map references Oceania Middle East
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


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


continental shelf: natural prolongation
Merchant marine total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 68,427 GRT/106,627 DWT


ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1 (2002 est.)
total: 141 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 39, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 12, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 3


foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
Military branches New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (Niruye Havayi Jomhuriye Islamiye Iran; 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 (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $515.6 million (2002 est.) $4.3 billion (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY2001/02) 3.3% (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,010,316 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 850,185 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 26,480 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) 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); and various Islamic observances that change in accordance with the lunar-based hejira calendar
Nationality noun: New Zealander(s)


adjective: New Zealand
noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
Natural hazards earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
Natural resources natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Net migration rate 4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 150 km condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 17,099 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,521 km; refined products 7,808 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana Motuhake) [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [William (Bill) English]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; United Future or UF [leader NA]; United New Zealand or UNZ [Peter DUNNE] 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; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General Mehdi KARRUBI formed the National Trust Party; 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
Political pressure groups and leaders NA 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 Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); 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
Population 3,908,037 (July 2002 est.) 68,688,433 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 40% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 1.12% (2002 est.) 1.1% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington -
Radio broadcast stations AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios 3.75 million (1997) -
Railways total: 3,908 km


narrow gauge: 3,908 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2001)
total: 7,256 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005)
Religions Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986) Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 15 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems


domestic: NA


international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
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; 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
Telephones - main lines in use 1.92 million (2000) 18.986 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2.2 million (2000) 7.222 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997) 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Total fertility rate 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.8 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.5% (2001 est.) 11.2% (2004 est.)
Waterways 1,609 km


note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation requirements
850 km (850 km on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2006)
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.