Iran
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Tehran
- Population
- 89,177,357 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 1,648,195 sq km
- Government
- theocratic republic
- Religions
- Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen, and Turkic tribes
- Currency
- Iranian rials (IRR)
- Life Expectancy
- 75.6 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .ir
- 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
- Major Exports
- plastics, iron ore, alcohols, natural gas, refined copper (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile.