Iran

​​ = =

JK

=** ​The Basics **= **__The Economy__** - JK **GDP:** $876 billion (2009 est.) World Rank: 17
 * GDP per capita:** $12,900 (2009 est.) World Rank: 85
 * Inflation rate:** 16.8% (2009 est.) World Rank: 215
 * Oil Production Rate:** 4.174 million bbl/day (2008 est.) World Rank: 4
 * Export Partners:** China 15.3%, Japan 14.3%, India 10.4%, South Korea 6.4%, Turkey 6.4%, Italy 4.5% (2008)


 * Labor Force**: 25.02 million (shortage of skilled labor)- YX
 * Unemployment Rate**: 11.8% - YX


 * Total Exports**: $70.16 billion (37th in the world) - YX
 * Biggest Exports**: petroleum, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets - YX
 * Total Imports**: $57.16 billion (41st in the world) - YX


 * __Education__** - JK
 * Education Expenditures:** 5.1% of GDP (2006) World Rank: 67
 * Literacy Rate:** 77% World Rank: 109 (Male 83.5% Female 70.4%)
 * Primary School Enrollment:** 95% World Rank: 17
 * Secondary School Enrollment:** 77% World Rank: 23


 * Corruption Perceptions Index: 1.8 - 168/180 (1-10 scale with 10 least corrupt) J**


 * __The Military__** - JK
 * Military Expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP World Rank: 67
 * Armed Forces Personnel:** 513,000 World Rank: 8
 * Personnel as Percentage of Labor Force:** 2.12% World Rank: 38

JK JK  JK
 * __Demographics__** - JK
 * Population:** 66,429,284 World Rank: 19
 * Median Age:** 27
 * Population Growth Rate:** 0.883% World Rank: 137
 * Life Expectancy at Birth:** 71.14 years World Rank: 132
 * Fertility Rate:** 1.71 children born per woman World Rank: 170

**Languages: ** Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% JK JK  JK  **__Climate__ JK  Mostly arid or semi-arid, subtropical along Caspian coast **__**Terrain**__ JK Rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts __**Quick Stats- **__ BB Iran is ranked 17th of 87 countries for life satisfaction inequality. Iranians drive on the right side of the road, and 23% of them own automobiles. Iran is ranked 23rd out of 220 countries for the amount of railways in the country. Iran has the largest Shi’ite population of any country in the world (61,924,500). Iran has the largest percentage of Shi’ites out of their total Muslim population of any country in the world (89%). Most of the world’s refugees come from Iran. = Political Culture - SR = **Supreme Leader:** Ali Khamenei of the Combatant Clergy Association party, since 4 June 1989 **President:** Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, since 10 August 2005 **Monarchy** of Iran overthrown in 1979
 * Religions: ** Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
 * Ethnic Groups: **Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

=CULTURE - MJ=



=Persian History= The Persian Empire, one of the oldest empires of the world, left a definite legacy to its now-country in art and architecture.



Sources: www.nationmaster.com www.ciaworldfactbook.gov

All pictures and layout done by mj unless otherwise noted.