IRAN formerly known as Persia, the country is located in southwestern Asia,
from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, the junction of cultural, intellectual,
and pontifical influences from the East and West. Iran's area is about
1,648,195 square kilometers (about 636,300 square miles). The capital
and largest city is Tehran. Its population is estimated at 65 million,
mostly concentrated in the north and west. Some 60 percent live in urban
areas such as Tehran, Mashdad, and Esfahan. More than onehalf of the people
are Persians. The largest minority group consists of the Azerbaijanis
who compose 24 percent of the population. The official language is Farsi.
More than 95 percent of the population follows the Shiite branch of Islam,
which is the official religion of Iran. More than 90 percent of Iran's
export earnings come from the nation's oil fields, considered among the
world's richest. Agriculture is also important, and the principal cash
crop is fresh and dried fruit, which accounts for 30 percent of non-petroleum
export earnings. Commercial fishing in the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea
yields herring, and tuna. Iranian caviar (sturgeon eggs) is considered
among the best in the world. Manufacturing products include textiles,
processed food, and construction materials. Following the revolution of
1979, education and cultural life were made to conform with Shia Islamic
beliefs, including the return of women to traditional roles, the segregation
of men and women at social functions, and the closing of movie theaters.
Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 10. In
1979, a new Constitution established an Islamic republic overseen by a
religious leader, called the wali faqih. The chief executive and head
of state is a president, elected to a four-year term. The president appoints
a prime minister responsible to a unicameral parliament called the Majiis.
Its 270 members, elected for terms of four years, can dismiss the country's
president by a no-confidence vote. Laws enacted by the Majiis must be
approved by the Council of Guardians, which ensures in accordance with
the Islamic Code and Constitution.
