Geography
Area: 1.6 million sq. km. (636,294 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Alaska.
Cities: Capital--Tehran. Other cities--Isfahan, Tabriz, Mashhad, Shiraz.
Terrain: Desert and mountains.
Climate: Semiarid; subtropical along the Caspian coast.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Iranian(s).
Population (2005 est.): 69 million.
Population growth rate (2005): 0.86%.
Ethnic groups: Persians 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%; Sunni Muslim 9%; Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%.
Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%.
Education: Literacy (total population age 15 and over who can read and write, 2004)--79.4%.
Health (2005 est.): Infant mortality rate--41.58 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth (2005)--total population: 69.96.
Work force (2001): Agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% est. There is a shortage of skilled labor.

Government
Type: Islamic republic.
Constitution: Ratified December 1979, revised 1989.
Branches: Executive--"Leader of the Islamic Revolution" (head of state), president, and Council of Ministers. Legislative--290-member Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles). Judicial--Supreme Court.
Political parties: The following organizations appeared to have achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000: Assembly of the Followers of the Imam's Line, Freethinkers' Front Islamic Iran Participation Front, Moderation and Development Party, Servants of Construction Party, and Society of Self-sacrificing Devotees. At elections to the seventh Majles in February 2004, a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, won a majority of the seats.
Administrative subdivisions: 30 provinces.
Suffrage: Universal at 15.