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 IRAN
Humanitarian Country Profile |
| Background | Last update: February 2007 |
Historically known as Persia, Iran was one of the greatest empires of the ancient world, which was frequently invaded. Iran's hereditary monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, fled the country in 1979 after decades of corrupt and authoritarian rule, and mounting religious and political unrest. Exiled Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to lead an Islamic revolution and formed the world's first Islamic republic the same year. An eight-year war with Iraq followed.
In the elections of 1992 and 1996, former president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani's support increased and at the presidential election of 1997 Mohammad Khatami, Rafsanjani's cultural adviser, succeeded him. Khatami promised greater freedom and tolerance and was supported mainly by women, younger voters and intellectuals.
In June 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former mayor of the capital, Tehran, and famous for his conservative approach and for rolling back reforms put in place by modernists before him was elected president. He has not been shy of confronting the West and has pushed ahead with a national nuclear programme that has brought international condemnation.
Peace and security
Since the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) ended, Iran has had peace.
IDPs/Refugees
Iran hosts more refugees - nearly two million - than any other country in the world. Most are from Afghanistan and are dispersed throughout the country. Fewer than 5 percent of refugees in Iran live in camps. About 24,000 Iranians have sought refuge in neighbouring Iraq.
Tens of thousands have left the country for a combination of political and economic reasons, resulting in a significant brain drain.
More than 160,000 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan from Iran during the first eight months of 2005, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Democracy and governance
Elections in recent years ushered in a more liberal era under President Mohammed Khatami (1997-2005), who brought economic and political reforms. But the president held little real power, with conservatives able to limit political liberalisation through the courts and mosques in what remains a highly restrictive system. After the fall of the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan sought to resolve their differences, having long vied for influence in Afghanistan. Iran, a Shia state, opposed the Taliban.
During Khatami's years as president, reforms such as greater freedom of the press were implemented and relations with the West improved. But the 2005 elections brought the more hardline conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad into power, who overturned many reforms.
Media
Media watchdog Freedom House and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have described Iran as "not free", noting that press freedom in Iran worsened in 2005. The constitution provides press freedom except when ideas are contrary to Islamic principles or are detrimental to public rights. Independent print media are mildly critical of government policies, but harassment and arrests take place. Broadcast media remain firmly under government control. The government also systematically censors the internet.
Economy
Iran relies heavily on oil and is the second-largest OPEC oil producer - the economy is thus dominated by the fluctuating oil price. Iran has sought more cordial relations with neighbouring Arab countries, in part to attract much-needed foreign investment.
Other mineral resources include copper, iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, sulphur, uranium and low-grade coal.
About 10 percent of the land in is arable; agriculture contributes just over 20 percent to the gross national product.
Iran's Human Development Index moved from 97th position in 2000 to 90th in 2002, but remains classified as "medium", according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Population
Iran has a population of almost 70 million, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The population growth rate is 1.2 percent a year. Fertility rates are declining - in 1990, women had on average five children, by 2005 that had dropped to 3.5. The country also has a large number of young people, with 45 percent of the population under 18.
About half of the population is of Persian descent, while the Azerbaijani account for at least 25 percent. Minorities in Iran are Kurds, Lors, Bakhtiaris, Baluchis, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians and Jews. About 89 percent are Shia Muslims; 10 percent are Sunni.
The national language is Farsi (Persian), which is written in Arabic script. Kurdish dialects are spoken by Kurds in the north and central Zagros Mountains. Other languages include Turkish, Armenian and Arabic.
Development indicators
About 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line (2002). Infant mortality decreased between 1990 and 2005, from 61 deaths per 1,000 live births to 31. Childhood mortality fell by almost half between 1990 and 2005. Life expectancy rose from 65.9 years in 1990 to 72.6 in 2005.
According to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report of 2004, Iran's achievements included a drop in the number of people in extreme poverty and under the national poverty line. A drop in maternal mortality rates was acknowledged. There was also an improvement in the net enrolment rate in primary schooling.
However, notable challenges remain. Poverty is still a concern, as is education in deprived provinces; job opportunities for women; maternal health; the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; and access to information and communication technology (ICT).
Education
Iran has an adult literacy rate of 77 percent, according to UNICEF. The net school enrolment rate is above 97 percent and is almost equal between girls and boys. Developments in the education system have been positive, but there are differences within Iranian provinces. However, differences between urban and rural regions in terms of school performance have narrowed.
Children
UNICEF acknowledged that the government is serious about tackling child abuse, the problem of street children and child protection issues, if they are raised in their proper perspective and in a constructive manner.
UNICEF acknowledged that the state-run radio and TV broadcast a larger number of child rights programmes.
Iran still executes children under the age of 18.
Health
Only 83 percent of the population had access to proper sanitation in 2000, according to UNFPA, while 2002 figures showed 92 percent had access to clean water.
The average life expectancy in Iran is 72 for women and 67 for men, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003.
HIV/AIDS
There were officially 2,271 people living with HIV/AIDS in 2001, but the WHO estimated the number at 22,000-30,000. The main mode of transmission is contaminated syringes. According to UNAIDS, most drug users who participated in a study were sexually active, either buying or selling sex and only 53 percent had ever used a condom. According to the UNDP, experts stress that there is a danger that HIV rates are increasing in particular groups, such as youth, drug users and sex workers.
Food security
Iran is supporting about two million refugees and according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the humanitarian needs of these refugees are a financial burden on Iran's economy. WFP operations have provided mainly Afghan and Iraqi refugees with emergency food aid.
Since Iran is located in an earthquake risk zone, emergency food aid is required when an earthquake hits. In December 2003, for example, a 6.3 earthquake struck Kerman province and the city of Bam, resulting in substantial emergency food aid.
Gender issues
Legal and societal discrimination against women is widespread. Obtaining legal redress is difficult for women because women's testimonies in court are only worth half that of a man's. Women in Iran do not have equal inheritance rights to men and the Council of Guardians rejected a proposal in 2004 to make Iran a state party to the UN Women's Convention.
Women have access to primary and advanced education and are represented in many professional fields, including medicine, dentistry, journalism and agriculture. However, improvements are needed in job opportunities for women, especially those with education.
In late 2000, the Council of Guardians rejected a bill proposing a rise in the legal age of marriage for women from nine to 15. However, marriage at the minimum age is rare.
To obtain a passport, women must get permission from their husband, father or other living male relative. Married women must receive written permission from their husband for trips outside the country.
Human rights
Human rights violations in Iran are comprehensive. According to HRW, at least 159 people were executed in 2004. At least 10 people younger than 18 when the crime was committed were sentenced to death; however, HRW believes this figure is significantly higher in reality, while noting that torture continues to be routine in many prisons. HRW also reports religious discrimination regarding access to education and employment.
Freedom of expression and opinion is suppressed and the Iranian authorities launched a campaign in 2000 regarding closure of newspapers and imprisonment of journalists and editors. In 2005, the authorities systematically censored the internet.
In a concluding statement from the dialogue between the European Union (EU) and Iran in March 2000, the EU reiterated longstanding human rights concerns, including the use of torture, unequal rights for women, the death penalty, religious discrimination and the lack of an independent judiciary.
In November the same year, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the human rights situation in Iran.
Please see gender issues for more on human rights and women. |
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| Iran in figures | · Population: 69.5 million
· Pop. growth rate: 1.2%
· Pop. below poverty line: 40%
· Life expectancy: 70.25 years
· Infant mortality: 31 per 1000
· Access to med. services: n/a
· HIV prevalence: 0.01%
· Access to clean water: 95%
· Access to electricity: n/a
· Literacy rate: 77%
· Doctors/people: n/a
· Displaced people: n/a
· Refugees: 2 million
· Human development index: 0.746 (HDI 2006 Rank 96)
Source: UNDP |
| Basic facts | Capital: Tehran
Language: Farsi (Persian)
Ethnic Groups %: Persian 51, Azeri 24, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8, Kurd 7, Arab 3, other 7%
Religions %: Shia Muslim 89, Sunni Muslim 10, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Bahai 1%
Geography: Desert and mountains, semi-arid, subtropical along the Caspian coast
Border countries: Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulphur
Agriculture products: Wheat, rice, other grains, sugarbeets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool, caviar
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