Basic Data ( Fact and Figures )

 

 

 
Time : GTM+3.5 hrs
Entry requirements : Travel regulations should be checked before traveling
Passport : Required by all except certain sea men
Visa : Required by most nationals and must be obtained in advance from a Consulate General.
Currency : No currency restrictions on entering. Credit and charge cards are accepted.
The Dollar, Sterling and the D-Mark are the most easily traded.
Weight and measures : Metric system.
Health precautions : Details of health requirements should be checked before traveling.
Mandatory : Cholera and yellow-fever certificates likely to be required if traveling from infected area.
Advisable : Typhoid, paratyphoid and cholera inoculations advisable. AIDS certificate if staying more than three months.
Air access :  
National carriers : Iran Air, Asseman
Other airlines : Aeroflot, Air India, Alitalia, Austrian, British Airways,
Emirates, Gulf Air, Lufthansa, MAS, PIA, Swissair, Syrian Arab, Turkish.
International airports : Mehrabad (Code: THR), 12 Km west of Tehran, with
duty-free shop, buffet restaurant, bank post office, shops; Shiraz
(Code: SYZ), 15Km From city, with buffet, post office, shops; Bandar Imam
Khomeini (Code: BND); Isfahan.
Surface access : There are roads from Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan via 15 border roadways.
There are rail lines from Turkey, and Turkmenistan.
Main ports : BandarShahid Rajai, Bandar Imam Khomeni (containers), Bandar Bushehr, Bandar Anzali, Bandar Chahbahar, Bandar Nowshahr, Khorramshahr (the main port), and Khargh Island (Oil terminal).
Electricity supply : 220v AC, 50 cycles.
Car hire : International driving license (along with two photographs) required.
City transport :  
Taxis : Taxis are not metered and frequently shared.
Those hired by telephone or by hotels are more expensive. Tipping is not expected.
National transport :  
Air : Iran Air, Asseman and several private airlines run frequent services between most cities and Tehran.
Road : Surfaced roads serve main centers and total network comprises 140,000 km.
Buses : Scheduled long-distance coach services available including Tehran-Anzali, Khorramshahr Bandar Imam Khomeini, Tehran-Zahedan and all other main cities and towns.
Rail : Rail service on 6,000 km network with three classes of service past, with sleeping accommodations, air-conditioning and restaurant service available.
Public holidays :  
Fixed dates : 11 February (Victory of the Islamic Revolution), 19 March (Petroleum Nationalization Day), 21-24 March (Nowruz, the Iranian New Year), 1 April (Islamic Republic Day), 5 June (Passing away of Imam Khomeini)
Variable dates : Exact dates of Islamic religious festivals are determined by the lunar Calendar, Birth of Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H), Eid-e-Qorban, Eid-e-Qadir, Tasua & Ashoura, Imam Ali's Martyrdom, Birthday of Twelfth Imam and other religious holiday in Iran; Thursday is a half day for offices only-shops and markets are open.
Working hours :  
Government and business : 0700/0800 - 1500/1600 (closed Fri.)
Banking : 0800-1600;(Thu) 0800-1130 (Closed Fri).
Telecommunications :  
Telephone : Dialing code for Iran, IDD Access code +98 followed by area code (631 for Abadan, 31 for Isfahan, 51 for Mashhad, 71 for Shiraz, 21 for Tehran).
Telex and telefax : There are telex and telefax service at major hotels in Tehran and at most post offices across the country.
E-mail and Internet services are also widely available.
Banking :  
Central Bank : Bank Markazi Jomhouri Islami Iran.
Main Center : Tehran.
Head offices : Agricultural Bank of Iran, Bank of Industry and Mines, Bank Mellat, Bank Melli Iran, Bank Refah Kargaran, Bank Saderat Iran, Bank Sepah, Bank Tejarat, Export Development Bank of Iran.
Foreign Representative Offices : ABM Amro Bank, Banca Commerciale Italiana, Banque Nationale de Paris, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, Grindlays Bank, Llyods Bank, Creditbank, Societe Generale, Bank of Tokyo.

Fact and Figures about Iran

BASIC FACTS
 
Official Name
Islamic Republic of Iran
Capital
Tehran
Area
1,648,000 sq km
636,300 sq mi
 
 
 
PEOPLE
 
Population
- Population Growth Rate
- Projected Population in 2023
- Projected Population in 2050
 
68,278,826 (2003 estimate)
1.08% (2003 Estimate)
85,480,125 (2025 estimate)
92,460,873 (2050 estimate)
Population Density
41 persons per sq km (2003 estimate)
107 persons per sq mi (2003 estimate)
 
Urban / Rural Distribution
- Share Urban
- Share Rural
 

65% (2001 estimate)
35% (2001 estimate)
 
Largest Cities with Population
- Tehran
- Mashhad
- Esfahan
 

6,758,845 (1996)
1,887,405 (1996)
1,266,072 (1996)
 
Ethnic Groups
- Persian 60%
- Azarbaijani & Other Turkic
- Kurdish
- Lur
- Baluchi, Turkmen, & Other
 
 
Languages
- Persian(Farsi) and Persian Dialects.
- Turkic and Turkic Dialects
- Kurdish
- Luri, Baluchi, Arabic, Turkmen and Other
 
 
Religious Affiliations
- Shia Muslims
- Sunni Muslims
- Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian
 

93%
6%
1%
 
HEALTH & EDUCATION
Life & Expectancy
- Total
- Female
- Male
 

69.3 years (2003 estimate)
70.7 years (2003 estimate)
68 years (2003 estimate)
 
Infant Mortality Rate
44 deaths per 1,000 births (2003 estimate)
Population per physician
1,176 people (1996)
Population per Hospital Bed
625 people (1996)
Literacy Rate
- Total
- Female
- Male
 

79.4 percent (2003 estimate)
73 percent (2003 estimate)
85.6 percent (2003 estimate
 
Education expenditure as a share of gross national product (GNP)
4.6 percent (1999-2000)
Number of years of compulsory schooling
5 years (2000)
Number of students per teacher, primary school
26 students per teacher (1999-2000)
GOVERNMENT
Form of Government
Islamic republic
Head of State
supreme religious leader
Head of Government
President
Legislature
Consultative Assembly
Voting Qualifications
age 15
Constitution
1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and to eliminate the prime ministry
Highest Court
Supreme Court
Armed Forces
Army, Navy, Air Force, Revolutionary Guard
First Level Political divisions
 
ECONOMY
Gross domestic product (GDP, in U.S.$)
$114.1 billion (2001))
G.D.P per Capita (U.S.$)
$1,770 (2001)
G.D.P by Economic Sector
- Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing
- Industry
- Services
 

18.6 percent (2001)
32.9 percent (2001)
48.4 percent (2001)
 
Monetary Unit
1 Iranian rial (IR)
Agriculture
- Wheat, barley, potatoes, rice, grapes, fresh and dried fruit, sugar beets, sugarcane, vegetables, pulses, maize, tea, tobacco, oilseeds, pistachio nuts, mutton and poultry
 
Mining
- Petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, manganese
 
Manufacturing
- Textiles, food products, construction material, non electrical machinery, iron and steel, petrochemicals
 
Major exports
- Crude petroleum and petroleum products, carpets, fruits, nuts, animal hides
 
Major imports
- Machinery, iron and steel, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, refined petroleum products
 
Major trade partners for exports
- Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Italy, and China
 
Major trade partners for imports
- Germany, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Italy, and France
 

 

 
 
 

 Back