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Iran

Introduction

Iran, known as Persia until 1935, is situated in the Middle East, between Iraq and Pakistan. It is strategically located on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, vital oil-transporting routes.

It occupies a total land and water area of 1.684 million square kilometres, making it slightly larger than Alaska. It became an Islamic republic in 1979, and from 1980-1988, fought an inconclusive war with Iraq over disputed territory.

Its rugged and mountainous terrain features a high, central basin with deserts and small discontinuous plains along both coasts. Its natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore and lead.

The capital, Tehran, is divided into 28 provinces: Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd and Zanjan.


	Families at an Iraqi frontier post await permission to return

Iran has a population of around 66,622. Half are Persian with the remainder split among a number of other ethnic groups: Azeri (24 per cent), Gilaki and Manzandarni (8 per cent), Kurd (7 per cent) and Arab (3 per cent). Others include Lur, Balock and Turkmen.

The number of languages spoken is equally diverse, although Persian and Persian dialects account for 58 per cent. Drug use remains a problem. It is estimated that there are at least 1.8 million drug users in the country.

Droughts, floods, dust and sand storms are common as well as earthquakes along the western border and in the northeast. Air pollution is also prevalent in many towns.

Since June 4, 1989, the Chief of State has been the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei, appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts. A president is elected by popular vote every four years. The current president is Mohammed Khatami