Contents
Country Overview
Iran is a large, linguistically diverse country situated between the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Its terrain includes the Zagros and Alborz mountains and extensive arid plateaus. The Islamic Republic established in 1979 combines elected offices with institutions under the authority of a supreme leader. Energy reserves, manufacturing and trade underpin the economy, which also faces inflation, sanctions and conflict-related disruptions. Its Persian-language literary legacy and diverse regional cultures form an important part of West Asian history.
CapitalTehranSeat of central government [1]
Population92.42 millionWorld Bank, 2025 estimate [3]
Nominal GDPUS$362.68 billionWorld Bank, 2025 [2]
Supreme leaderMojtaba KhameneiSelected March 2026 [10]
PresidentMasoud PezeshkianElected 2024; serving November 2026 [11]
UNESCO World Heritage30 properties28 cultural; 2 natural [13]
Data and status note: The World Bank 2025 population is an estimate rather than a census; the latest listed census was 2016. The 2024 WTO trade record is a compiled reporting series and should not be assumed to include all oil flows or sanction-affected transactions. Ali Khamenei died in 2026 and was succeeded by Mojtaba Khamenei; older official rosters may be stale. Religious and political rights are distinguished from formal constitutional provisions.
Identity & State Formation
- Official state name
- Islamic Republic of Iran (Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran). [1]
- Common short name
- Iran; Persia is a historical name used in many cultural contexts. [1] [21]
- Capital
- Tehran, the national administrative and political center. [1]
- UN statistical area
- Southern Asia in the UN M49 statistical system; frequently discussed as part of West Asia or the Middle East in other regional frameworks. [1]
- System of government
- Islamic republic combining a supreme leader, elected president, parliament and clerical oversight institutions. [8] [12]
- 1979 revolution
- Overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy and established the Islamic Republic. [12]
- Constitutional order
- Constitution of 1979, subsequently revised in 1989. [12]
- Official language
- Persian (Farsi); other Iranian and non-Iranian languages are widely spoken. [21]
- Currency
- Iranian rial (IRR); market, regulated and accounting exchange rates may differ. [7]
- Calendar
- Iranian solar Hijri calendar is used for official civil dating. [21]
- National holiday
- Islamic Republic Day, observed in early April under the Iranian calendar. [21]
- Provinces
- 31 provinces, known as ostans. [1]
- Largest city
- Tehran is the main metropolitan center. [2]
- Historical Achaemenid capital
- Persepolis is a major surviving ceremonial complex from the Achaemenid period. [13]
- Safavid historical center
- Isfahan's monuments reflect Safavid-era political, architectural and cultural development. [13]
- Persianate cultural sphere
- Persian literature and courtly traditions influenced neighboring societies over centuries. [21]
- Geostrategic setting
- Borderlands connect Central Asia, South Asia, the Caucasus, Mesopotamia and the Gulf. [1]
- Iranian plateau
- Much of the country occupies highland basins and surrounding mountain chains. [16]
- Caspian connection
- Iran has a southern Caspian Sea shore. [1]
- Gulf connection
- Its southern shoreline spans the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. [1]
- Coastal strategic passage
- The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy-shipping chokepoint. [18]
- Independence chronology
- Iran's state continuity predates modern independence movements; the Islamic Republic began in 1979, not through a colonial-independence declaration. [21]
Geography & Population
- Area
- Approximately 1.65 million square kilometers, depending on land/water definitions. [1]
- Northern neighbors
- Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan border northern Iran. [1]
- Western neighbors
- Türkiye and Iraq border Iran on the west. [1]
- Eastern neighbors
- Afghanistan and Pakistan border Iran on the east. [1]
- Total land-border neighbors
- Seven sovereign countries, counting Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. [1]
- Alborz Mountains
- Mountain arc south of the Caspian coast, including Damavand. [16]
- Zagros Mountains
- Major folded mountain chain along western and southwestern Iran. [16]
- Mount Damavand
- Prominent volcanic peak in the Alborz range, roughly 5,600 meters high. [16]
- Central plateau
- Vast interior highlands with salt flats, desert basins and oases. [16]
- Dasht-e Kavir
- Large salt-desert basin on the Iranian plateau. [16]
- Lut Desert
- UNESCO natural World Heritage desert landscape, noted for extreme heat and landforms. [13]
- Hyrcanian Forests
- UNESCO-recognized forest landscape along the southern Caspian zone. [13]
- Caspian lowlands
- Humid northwestern and northern coastal regions contrast with the arid interior. [16]
- Khuzestan lowlands
- Southwestern plain contains important agriculture and hydrocarbon infrastructure. [2]
- Principal climate pattern
- Predominantly dry and semi-arid, with wetter Caspian and mountain districts. [16]
- Precipitation
- Uneven and seasonally variable, with persistent drought risk. [16]
- Earthquakes
- Tectonically active fault systems create substantial seismic exposure. [16]
- Water stress
- Aquifer depletion, river-basin pressures and drought are major resource challenges. [16]
- Major river: Karun
- Important southwestern river for settlements, irrigation and power infrastructure. [16]
- Major river: Zayandeh Rud
- A central Iranian river system affected by water-allocation and flow pressures. [16]
- Tehran urban region
- Country's largest concentration of population, administration and economic activity. [2]
- Isfahan
- Major urban and industrial center with historic monuments. [13]
- Mashhad
- Large northeastern city and major Shi'a pilgrimage center. [21]
- Shiraz
- Southern cultural center associated with Persian poetry and nearby ancient sites. [13]
- Tabriz
- Northwestern city with major commercial traditions and Azerbaijani cultural ties. [13]
- Population 2025
- 92,417,681 persons in the World Bank population series. [3]
- 2016 census
- 79,926,270 persons in the last listed complete census. [5] [4]
- Population-series distinction
- 2016 enumerated residents and 2025 modeled population are not directly comparable reference types. [5] [3]
- Urbanization
- Urban settlement predominates; rural and nomadic communities remain important in some regions. [2]
- 2024 life expectancy
- Approximately 78 years in World Bank / WHO-linked indicator series. [2] [20]
Economy & International Trade
- 2025 nominal GDP
- US$362.68 billion, World Bank current-dollar series. [2]
- 2025 GDP per person
- About US$3,924.4 at current exchange rates. [2]
- 2025 real GDP change
- −2.8% in the published World Bank annual series. [2]
- 2025 consumer inflation
- 42.2% in the World Bank consumer-price series. [2]
- 2025 modeled unemployment
- 8.3% under the harmonized ILO-modeled measure. [2]
- GDP calculation caution
- Current-dollar GDP depends on exchange rates and is not a purchasing-power-parity estimate. [2] [7]
- Oil resources
- Large crude oil reserves have long shaped public finance and trade. [18]
- Natural gas resources
- Significant gas reserves support power generation, heating and petrochemicals. [18]
- OPEC membership
- Iran belongs to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. [18]
- Petroleum fields
- Southwestern production districts and offshore Gulf facilities are important. [18]
- Petrochemical industry
- Methanol, polymers, liquefied gases and nitrogen fertilizer are export industries. [6]
- Automotive manufacturing
- A long-established domestic vehicle and components sector supplies the internal market. [2]
- Steel production
- Iron and steel industries support construction and manufacturing. [6]
- Copper mining
- Mineral resources include copper and other metallic ores. [2]
- Agriculture
- Wheat, rice, horticultural products, nuts and fruit are important farming outputs. [2]
- Pistachios and saffron
- Products associated with Iran's specialty agricultural trade and cultural economy. [2]
- Tourism potential
- Historical cities, landscapes and religious travel attract cultural interest, subject to security conditions. [13]
- Banking and finance
- Monetary administration operates under sanctions, inflation and banking-system challenges. [7]
- Central bank
- Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. [7]
- Currency conditions
- Official, administrative and market rial exchange rates may diverge substantially. [7]
- Sanctions exposure
- US and other international sanctions restrict aspects of trade, finance and investment. [12]
- Trade reporting caveat
- WTO's 2024 profile may not represent all crude petroleum and other sanction-affected flows. [6]
- 2024 reported merchandise exports
- US$56.001 billion in the WTO tariff and trade profile. [6]
- 2024 reported merchandise imports
- US$68.554 billion in the same profile. [6]
- 2024 reported merchandise balance
- Approximately US$12.553 billion deficit on those reported WTO-profile totals. [6]
- 2024 export destination: China
- US$14.578 billion, or 26.0% of reported goods exports. [6]
- 2024 export destination: Iraq
- US$11.696 billion, or 20.9% of reported goods exports. [6]
- 2024 export destination: UAE
- US$7.164 billion, or 12.8% of reported goods exports. [6]
- 2024 import origin: UAE
- US$21.009 billion, or 30.6% of recorded goods imports. [6]
- 2024 import origin: China
- US$17.799 billion, or 26.0% of recorded goods imports. [6]
- 2024 import origin: Türkiye
- US$11.164 billion, or 16.3% of recorded goods imports. [6]
- Leading listed goods export
- WTO HS 271111 liquefied natural gas, US$6.442 billion in reported 2024 product data. [6]
- Propane exports
- WTO product data list US$3.246 billion of liquefied propane for 2024. [6]
- Methanol exports
- WTO product data list about US$2.303 billion in 2024. [6]
- Leading listed goods import
- Non-monetary unwrought gold, US$6.317 billion in 2024 reporting. [6]
- Maize imports
- US$3.153 billion in 2024 WTO product data. [6]
- Smartphone imports
- US$2.566 billion in reported 2024 product data. [6]
- Trade corridors
- Overland corridors with Iraq, Türkiye, Afghanistan and Central Asia complement Gulf maritime routes. [6]
- Electricity sector
- Natural gas and thermal generation supply much of electricity demand, with development of other capacity. [18] [2]
- Economic priorities
- Inflation stabilization, jobs, infrastructure repair and access to finance remain central development challenges. [7]
Selected economic and demographic indicators, 2025
World Bank values; current-dollar GDP is not PPP GDP and excludes any claim of a new census. [2] [3]
| Indicator | Value | Measure / caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,417,681 | World Bank modeled estimate |
| Nominal GDP | US$362.68 billion | Current-dollar total |
| GDP per capita | US$3,924.4 | Current dollars |
| Real GDP growth | −2.8% | Annual change |
| Consumer price inflation | 42.2% | Annual rate |
| Unemployment | 8.3% | ILO-modeled estimate |
WTO recorded merchandise trade, 2024
These are the WTO online profile totals, which may omit or reclassify crude petroleum flows affected by trade reporting and sanctions. [6]
| Series | 2024 US$ billion | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Goods exports | 56.001 | WTO-profile observed trade |
| Goods imports | 68.554 | WTO-profile observed trade |
| Export less import balance | −12.553 | Calculated on the two reported values |
| Natural gas (LNG) product exports | 6.442 | HS 271111 in reported product breakdown |
| Propane product exports | 3.246 | HS 271112 in reported product breakdown |
Principal recorded merchandise partners, 2024
Partner values below refer to the same WTO profile and may not be comparable with customs or oil-sector estimates. [6]
| Partner / direction | Value, US$ billion | Share of stated direction |
|---|---|---|
| China — exports | 14.578 | 26.0% |
| Iraq — exports | 11.696 | 20.9% |
| UAE — exports | 7.164 | 12.8% |
| UAE — imports | 21.009 | 30.6% |
| China — imports | 17.799 | 26.0% |
| Türkiye — imports | 11.164 | 16.3% |
People & Society
- Major national language
- Persian is the official language and widely used across government, education and media. [21]
- Azerbaijani communities
- Turkic-speaking Azerbaijani Iranians are prominent in northwestern districts. [21]
- Kurdish communities
- Kurdish-speaking communities inhabit parts of western Iran. [21]
- Lur and Bakhtiari communities
- Iranian-language communities have longstanding western and southwestern cultural traditions. [21]
- Baluch communities
- Baluchi-speaking communities live especially in southeastern border areas. [21]
- Arab communities
- Arabic-speaking communities are found particularly in Khuzestan and southern coastal regions. [21]
- Turkmen communities
- Turkmen-speaking communities have roots in northeastern districts. [21]
- Religious majority
- Twelver Shi'a Islam is the official religious tradition and majority affiliation. [12]
- Sunni Muslim communities
- Sunni communities occur among several ethnic and regional populations. [21]
- Recognized religious minorities
- Constitutionally recognized minority faiths include Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. [9]
- Baha'i communities
- Baha'is live in Iran but do not have the same formal constitutional recognition as listed minority religions. [22]
- Persian literature
- Poets including Ferdowsi, Hafez, Saadi and Rumi are central to Persian literary heritage. [21]
- Nowruz
- Persian New Year at the spring equinox is a widely observed cultural celebration. [15]
- Yalda
- Winter-solstice traditions remain widely celebrated and are inscribed internationally. [15]
- Mehregan
- Historic seasonal festival associated with Iranian cultural traditions. [15]
- Persian carpets
- Regional weaving practices are important crafts and internationally recognized heritage. [15]
- Iranian architecture
- Courtyard gardens, tile work, vaulted bazaars and mosques reflect a range of historic traditions. [13]
- Persian garden tradition
- UNESCO World Heritage serial property recognizes historical garden design. [13]
- Food traditions
- Rice, bread, stews, herbs, fruits, grilled meats and tea vary substantially by region. [21]
- Urban culture
- Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Mashhad are major centers of cultural production. [13]
- Universities
- Public and private higher-education institutions educate specialists across sciences and humanities. [21]
- Health system
- Public and private health services coexist, with regional access and financing differences. [20]
- Women's rights
- Legal rules and enforcement involving dress, family law and public life are subjects of domestic and international rights disputes. [22]
- Internet regulation
- Online access and platform restrictions are major public-policy and rights issues. [22]
- Sports
- Football is widely followed; wrestling and volleyball are also prominent. [21]
- Diaspora
- Iranian communities overseas connect the country with global academic, cultural and commercial networks. [21]
Government & Institutions
- Supreme leader in November 2026
- Mojtaba Khamenei, selected by the Assembly of Experts in March 2026. [10]
- Supreme leader succession
- Ali Khamenei, supreme leader from 1989, died during the February 2026 war; succession was reported March 8. [10]
- President
- Masoud Pezeshkian, elected in 2024 and in office in November 2026. [11]
- Presidential function
- President heads the executive branch subject to constitutional limits and the supreme leader's powers. [12]
- Islamic Consultative Assembly
- Unicameral Majles (Islamic Parliament). [8]
- Statutory Majles seats
- 290 statutory seats, according to IPU/Parline. [8] [9]
- Last parliamentary election
- Held in March 2024, with subsequent stages for some seats. [8]
- Electoral arrangements
- Candidates are reviewed for eligibility under Iranian election institutions. [12]
- Guardian Council
- Exercises constitutional review and candidate-vetting powers within the Islamic Republic. [12]
- Assembly of Experts
- Clerical assembly empowered to select and oversee the supreme leader under the constitutional framework. [10] [12]
- Expediency Council
- Institution involved in resolving certain legislative and constitutional disputes and advising leadership. [12]
- Judiciary
- Has its own chief and court hierarchy under the constitutional order. [12]
- Executive appointments
- Ministers lead portfolios, with legislative oversight and confirmation arrangements. [12]
- Religious-minority seats
- Five parliamentary seats are set aside for specified recognized religious minorities. [9]
- Zoroastrian representation
- One reserved Majles seat for Zoroastrians. [9]
- Jewish representation
- One reserved Majles seat for Jewish Iranians. [9]
- Assyrian/Chaldean representation
- One reserved Majles seat for Assyrian and Chaldean Christians. [9]
- Armenian Christian representation
- Two reserved seats for distinct Armenian Christian constituencies. [9]
- Provincial governance
- Governors and subnational administrations operate within a centralized state system. [12]
- Local councils
- City and village councils participate in local administration under national law. [12]
- Security institutions
- Regular armed forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have distinct structures and responsibilities. [12]
- Foreign and defense leadership
- Supreme leader holds commanding authority within the state system. [12]
- Political participation
- Elected institutions operate with noncompetitive or restricted candidacy rules relative to pluralist electoral models. [8] [22]
- Civil liberties
- Domestic and international monitoring has raised concerns about protest rights, expression and due process. [22]
- 2026 conflict transition
- The change of supreme leader followed US–Israeli strikes in the opening phase of the 2026 conflict. [10]
- Policy uncertainty
- Security, diplomacy and economic policy may evolve rapidly following 2026 leadership changes and fighting. [10] [7]
Iranian constitutional institutions
Formal institutional roles and the March 2026 change of supreme leader should not be confused with government practice assessments. [8] [10] [12]
| Institution | Structure | Reference point |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Leader | National supreme authority | Mojtaba Khamenei, from March 2026 |
| President | Executive leadership | Masoud Pezeshkian, elected 2024 |
| Majles | Unicameral legislature | 290 statutory seats |
| Assembly of Experts | Selects supreme leader | Chosen successor in March 2026 |
| Guardian Council | Electoral and legal oversight | Constitutional role |
International Profile
- United Nations
- Original UN member from 1945. [19]
- WTO status
- Not a WTO member; tariff/trade profiles are informational, not membership status. [6]
- OPEC membership
- Founding participant in the oil-exporting countries organization. [18]
- IAEA relationship
- Nuclear safeguards and verification remain major international issues. [17]
- Nuclear diplomacy
- Negotiations and disputes concern enrichment, monitoring, sanctions and regional security. [17] [12]
- Persian Gulf position
- Extensive Gulf shore and nearby shipping corridors shape strategic interests. [18]
- Strait of Hormuz
- International energy shipping passes through waters near Iran's southern coast. [18]
- Iraq ties
- Shared border, pilgrimage, power imports and commerce create extensive bilateral connections. [6]
- China ties
- Largest reported destination for 2024 WTO-profile merchandise exports. [6]
- UAE ties
- Large partner for imports and re-export activity in the 2024 recorded profile. [6]
- Türkiye ties
- Longstanding shared frontier, energy and overland commerce. [6]
- Afghanistan ties
- Trade, migration and border security connect the two neighbors. [6]
- Pakistan ties
- Border communities, commerce and security concerns shape bilateral relations. [6]
- Armenia ties
- Short northern boundary supports Caucasus links and transit. [1]
- Azerbaijan ties
- Shared frontier, historical ties and regional diplomacy are consequential. [1]
- Russia ties
- Diplomatic, energy and security relationships have grown in importance. [12]
- Sanctions diplomacy
- US and multilateral sanctions decisions affect international investment and finance. [12] [7]
- Regional armed groups
- Iranian policy and alleged support to various regional armed factions are subjects of international dispute. [12]
- 2025 nuclear-site strikes
- United States and Israeli strikes affected Iranian facilities in 2025, before the 2026 conflict. [12]
- 2026 war and succession
- Major strikes and the death of Ali Khamenei changed the regional and internal leadership context. [10]
- Humanitarian concerns
- Civilian protection, displacement and access to services are important during conflict. [22]
- Climate commitments
- Drought, water stress and rising heat create regional cooperation needs. [16]
- World Heritage count
- 30 World Heritage properties as of 2026: 28 cultural and two natural. [13]
- Alamut castles
- New 2026 inscription recognizing medieval fortified sites of the Nizari Isma'ili tradition. [14]
- Persepolis
- Achaemenid ceremonial remains inscribed in 1979. [13]
- Meidan Emam, Isfahan
- Safavid monumental urban square inscribed by UNESCO in 1979. [13]
- Golestan Palace
- Qajar-era palace complex in Tehran; a UNESCO cultural property. [13]
- Pasargadae
- UNESCO property associated with the early Achaemenid dynasty. [13]
- Bam and its Cultural Landscape
- Historic fortified settlement recognized by UNESCO. [13]
- Lut Desert
- Natural World Heritage property inscribed in 2016. [13]
- Hyrcanian Forests
- Natural World Heritage forest property inscribed in 2019. [13]
- Intangible heritage
- UNESCO lists 27 inscribed elements associated with Iran in its country inventory. [15]
- Nowruz traditions
- Multinational intangible heritage inscription shared with other countries. [15]
- Mirror-work tradition
- Ayeneh-Kari, Iranian decorative mirror-work, inscribed on UNESCO's list in 2025. [15]
- World Heritage classification
- Inscribed physical sites, tentative-list entries and intangible heritage are separate registries. [13] [15]
Selected UNESCO World Heritage properties
A selection from Iran’s 30 inscribed sites, not a complete national list. [13] [14]
| Property | Classification | Year inscribed |
|---|---|---|
| Persepolis | Cultural | 1979 |
| Meidan Emam, Esfahan | Cultural | 1979 |
| Pasargadae | Cultural | 2004 |
| Lut Desert | Natural | 2016 |
| Hyrcanian Forests | Natural | 2019 |
| Alamūt Castle and Related Fortifications | Cultural | 2026 |
Sources and Methodology
Iranian statistical releases, World Bank indicators and international trade records are not interchangeable. The World Bank 2025 population is an estimate; the 2016 census is a counted enumeration. US-dollar GDP is a nominal exchange-rate statistic, and sanctions may complicate exchange-rate comparisons. WTO product/partner trade entries are reporting-source estimates, and recorded merchandise figures can exclude certain crude petroleum transactions. The UN M49 location is statistical, not geopolitical endorsement; descriptions of institutions distinguish formal constitutional authority from assessments of political practice.
Editorial cutoff: November 6, 2026 (Pacific Time). All stated population counts, prices, elections, and legal statuses have specific reference dates or qualifications. This page should be updated following major new statistical releases or changes of government.
- United Nations Statistics Division — M49 — Western Asia statistical geography and geographic codes.
- World Bank — Iran country indicators — 2025 GDP, growth, prices, employment, population and development indicators.
- World Bank — Iran resident population — 2025 modeled population, not a counted census.
- United Nations — Census dates and returns — 2016 Iranian census and scheduled census cycles.
- UN Statistics — Population and vital statistics tables — Iran 2016 census count and distinction from later estimates.
- World Trade Organization — Iran trade profile — reported 2024 merchandise trade, partners, products and nonmember tariff status.
- International Monetary Fund — Iran — macroeconomic context and inflation uncertainty.
- Inter-Parliamentary Union — Iran parliament — Majles 290 seats, election year and chamber description.
- IPU Parline — Iran parliamentary membership — reserved religious-minority seats and parliamentary data.
- Reuters — Selection of new supreme leader, March 8, 2026 — Mojtaba Khamenei succession after the death of Ali Khamenei.
- Contemporary Iranian presidential reporting — November 4, 2026 — Masoud Pezeshkian serving as president in November 2026.
- UK House of Commons Library — Iran 2026 briefing — governance, economy, nuclear diplomacy and regional developments, with dated context.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Iran — 30 inscribed World Heritage properties, including 2026 Alamut.
- UNESCO — Alamūt Castle and Related Fortifications — 2026 inscription and cultural significance of the Alamut system.
- UNESCO — Iran intangible heritage — 27 inscribed intangible heritage elements and annual inventory.
- World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal — Iran — drought, aridity, heat, water and climatic risk.
- International Atomic Energy Agency — Iran — nuclear safeguards and verification framework.
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries — OPEC — petroleum production and international producer association.
- United Nations — Member States — membership of the United Nations.
- World Health Organization — Iran — health and longevity statistics.
- UNESCO — Iranian cultural heritage — education, cultural preservation and institutional cooperation.
- UN Human Rights Office — Islamic Republic of Iran — human-rights and international monitoring context.