Chapter 56

Total fertility rate: 4.52 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups: Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%

Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.1% male: 78.4% female: 65.8% (1994 est.)

@Iran:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form : Iran

Data code: IR

Government type: theocratic republic

National capital: Tehran

Administrative divisions: 25 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshahan, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan note: there may be two new provinces named Qom and Qazvin

Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday: Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: supreme leader (rahbar-e moazam) and functional chief of state - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Ali Akbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI (since 3 August 1989); First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA August 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval elections: supreme leader appointed for life by the Council of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 11 June 1993 (next to be held 23 May 1997) election results: Ali Akbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI elected president; percent of vote - Ali Akbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI 63%

Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (270 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 March and 19 April 1996 (next to be held NA March 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Iran has no political parties; the most important political "groupings" are - Tehran Militant Clergy Association, Secretary General Ayatollah Mohammad EMAMI-KASHANI; Militant Clerics Association, Mehdi MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA; Servants of Reconstruction (G-6), Mohammad HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI, Hosein MARASHI

Political pressure groups and leaders: groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; 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; the Society for the Defense of Freedom

International organization participation: CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy, headed by Faramarz FATH-NEJAD; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) 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

Economy

Economy - overview: 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. Under President RAFSANJANI, the government adopted a number of market reforms to reduce the state's role in the economy, but most of these changes have moved slowly or have been reversed because of political opposition. In the early 1990s, Iran experienced a financial crisis caused by an import surge that began in 1989 and general financial mismanagement. In 1993-1994, Iran rescheduled $15 billion in debt, with the bulk of payments due in 1996-97. The strong oil market in 1996 has helped ease financial pressures, however, and Tehran has so far made timely debt service payments. In 1996, Iran's oil earnings - which account for 85% of total export revenues - climbed 20% from the previous year. Iran's financial situation will remain tight through the end of the decade, and continued timely debt service payments will depend, in part, on persistent strong oil prices during the next few years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $343.5 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry : 37% services: 42% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 23% (1996)

Labor force: total: 15.4 million by occupation: agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21% (1988 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor; 1.38% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: over 30% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1994 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 25.12 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 74.76 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,137 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Exports: total value : $21.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hides, iron, steel partners: Japan, Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium/Luxembourg, Spain, and Germany

Imports: total value: $13.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products partners: Germany, Japan, Italy, UK, UAE, Russia, France

Debt - external: $30 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $40 million (1993)

Currency: 10 Iranian rials (IR) = 1 toman; note - domestic figures are generally referred to in terms of the toman

Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IR) per US$1 - 1,755.12 (January 1997), 1,750.76 (1996), 1,747.93 (1995), 1,748.75 (1994), 1,267.77 (1993), 65.55 (1992); black market rate: 4,600 rials per US$1 (March 1997); note - as of May 1995, the "official rate" of 1,750 rials per US$1 is used for imports of essential goods and services and for oil exports, whereas the "official export rate" of 3,000 rials per US$1 is used for non-oil exports and imports not covered by the official rate

Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March

@Iran:Communications

Telephones: 3.02 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: microwave radio relay extends throughout country; system centered in Tehran international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean Region); HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE

Radio broadcast stations: AM 77, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 14.3 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 28

Televisions: 3.9 million (1992 est.)

@Iran:Transportation

Railways: total: 7,286 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 7,192 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (1996 est.)

Highways: total : 158,000 km paved: 93,378 km (including 460 km of expressways) unpaved: 64,622 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 904 km; 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

Pipelines: crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km

Ports and harbors: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar Beheshti, Bandar-e 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bandar-e Bushehr, Bandar-e Khomeyni, Bandar-e Mah Shahr, Bandar-e Torkeman, Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine: total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,436,384 GRT/6,095,124 DWT ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, container 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9, short-sea passenger 1 note: Iran owns an additional 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 141,992 DWT that operate under the registry of Cyprus (1996 est.)

Airports: 227 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 115 over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m : 29 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 25 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 112 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m : 98 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 12 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces), Revolutionary Guards (includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and Basij-mobilization-forces), Law Enforcement Forces

Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 15,700,662 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 9,332,944 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 650,804 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: according to official Iranian data, Iran budgeted 8,283.9 billion rials for defense in 1997; note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using current exchange rates could produce misleading results

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al-Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); it jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) - over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium poppy for the domestic and international drug trade; net opiate importer but also a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe ______________________________________________________________________

IRAQ

@Iraq:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water : 4,910 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 3,631 km border countries : Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km

Coastline: 58 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows which melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland : 0% other: 79% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 25,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment - current issues: government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified : Environmental Modification

@Iraq:People

Population: 22,219,289 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47% (male 5,353,088; female 5,181,960) 15-64 years: 50% (male 5,565,926; female 5,442,949) 65 years and over: 3% (male 314,705; female 360,661) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.52 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population : 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 57.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.38 years male: 66.31 years female: 68.5 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.26 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 70.7% female : 45% (1995 est.)

@Iraq:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq

Data code: IZ

Government type: republic

National capital: Baghdad

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)

Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional Constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA); Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Revolutionary Command Council; Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17 October 1995 (next to be held NA) election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of Revolutionary Command Council vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of Revolutionary Command Council vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by SADDAM Husayn to represent the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party, SADDAM Husayn, central party leader

Political pressure groups and leaders: political parties and activity severely restricted; opposition to regime from disaffected members of the Ba'th Party, Army officers, tribes, and Shi'a religious and ethnic Kurdish dissidents; the Green Party (government-controlled)

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi O. T. AL ZUBAIDI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad, which is in the Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club); address: P. O. Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 719-6138, 719-6139, 718-1840, 719-3791; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Economy

Economy - overview: The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of industrial production and foreign trade while leaving some small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The economy has been dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s, financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran, led the government to implement austerity measures and to borrow heavily and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses of at least $100 billion from the war. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high priority by the government, also was under financial constraints. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture. Industrial and transportation facilities, which suffered severe damage, have been partially restored. Oil exports are at 25% of the prewar level following the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 986 in December 1996. Shortages of spare parts continue. The UN-sponsored economic embargo has reduced exports and imports and has contributed to the sharp rise in prices. The Iraqi Government has been unwilling to abide by UN resolutions so that the economic embargo could be removed. The government's policies of supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. In accord with a UN resolution Iraq agreed to an oil-for-food deal in 1996, under which it would export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for badly needed food and medicine. The first oil was pumped in December 1996, and the first supplies of food and medicine should arrive in March 1997. Per capita output for 1995-96 and living standards are well below the 1989-90 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $42 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: total: 4.4 million (1989) by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22% note : severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about 1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues : $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 6.83 million kW (1996)

Electricity - production: 31.8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,362 kWh (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton; cattle, sheep

Exports: $NA commodities: crude oil partners: Jordan, Turkey (1996)

Imports: $NA commodities: manufactures, food partners: France, Turkey, Jordan, Vietnam, Australia (1996)

Debt - external: very heavy relative to GDP but amount unknown (1996)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate - Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 1,200 (May 1997), 3,000 (December 1995); subject to wide fluctuations

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Iraq:Communications