of significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region; periodic
disputes with Afghanistan over Helmand water rights
Climate:
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain:
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains;
small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
manganese, zinc, sulfur
Land use:
arable land:
8%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
27%
forest and woodland:
11%
other:
54%
Irrigated land:
57,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,
refinery operations, and industry; deforestation; overgrazing;
desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; shortages of
drinking water
natural hazards:
periodic droughts
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation

@Iran, People

Population:
65,615,474 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.46% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
42.43 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
7.83 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
60.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
65.66 years
male:
64.7 years
female:
66.68 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Iranian(s)
adjective:
Iranian
Ethnic divisions:
Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab
3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Religions:
Shi'a Muslim 95%, Sunni Muslim 4%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and
Baha'i 1%
Languages:
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,
Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Baloch 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
54%
male:
64%
female:
43%
Labor force:
15.4 million
by occupation:
agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21%
note:
shortage of skilled labor (1988 est.)

@Iran, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Islamic Republic of Iran
convent