Iran, Islamic Republic of

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan·Upper middle income

Population: 90.6M; 17th of 217
GDP: $437B; 36th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $4,771; 139th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 77.7; 74th of 217
Human development: 0.774; 75th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Jordan

Tunisia

Algeria

Morocco

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

traditionally state-controlled economy but reforming state-owned financial entities; strong oil/gas, agricultural, and service sectors; recent massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty; increasing poverty

Area: 1,648,195 km²
Resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Borders: Afghanistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Iraq 1,599 km; Pakistan; Turkey; Turkmenistan 1,148 km

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Muslim99.8%

Religious diversity: 0.0529 / 10 · very low · 190th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

IRN

JOR

TUN

DZA

GDP

current US$

$437B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$1.42B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

39.9%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

13%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

36.4%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

90.6M–––

Population density

people per km²

55.2–––

Urban population

% of total

77.3%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.7–––

Net migration

people

190K–––

Population under 15

% of total

22.4%–––

Population 65+

% of total

8.2%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

5.3%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

2.9%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

39.2K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

4,234.9–––

Electricity generation

TWh

387.8–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

2.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.234–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.327–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.34–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

1.6–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

2.73–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

3.65–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

69.8%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.62–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

27.6%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

41.8%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

33.4%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

34.3%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

68.5%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

3.88–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

0.0529–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.42–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.55–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

3.02–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.51–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

8.81–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.78–––

Would fight for country

% yes

73.8%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.47–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

2.1%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#36/214

$437B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#139/214

$4,7712024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#106/203

$17,660latest

GDP growth

annual %

#114/214

3%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#131/207

$4,6602024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#205/213

34.2%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#77/201

$1.42B2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#150/205

39.9%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#63/206

13%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#34/208

36.4%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#141/187

9%latest

Gini index

0–100

#89/168

35.9latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#82/168

2.5%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#17/217

90.6Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#149/216

55.2latest

Urban population

% of total

#71/215

77.3%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#74/217

77.7latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#131/217

1.7latest

Net migration

people

#8/217

190K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#109/217

22.4%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#111/217

8.2%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#84/196

10.7latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#80/196

11.8latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#121/192

5.3%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#100/195

1.5latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#102/160

89%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#155/199

2.9%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#62/194

60.7%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#52/139

94.2%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#107/210

79.6%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#19/214

166.32023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#107/208

122023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#64/215

7,225.72024

Access to electricity

% of population

#51/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#33/198

39.2K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#70/202

4,234.92024

Electricity generation

TWh

#12/202

387.82024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#162/202

6.2%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#159/202

92.1%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#198/204

792.62024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#177/204

8.72024

Share of global CO₂

#7/204

2.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#164/193

11.82023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#146/172

0.1822022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#143/172

0.1052022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#147/178

252022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#163/193

-1.132022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#155/193

-0.8822022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#156/193

-1.022022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#176/193

-1.592022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#157/172

0.3942022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#101/104

0.2342020

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#63/105

0.3272020

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#26/113

9.342020

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#93/112

1.62020

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#73/114

2.732020

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#94/114

3.652020

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#36/114

1.52020

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#71/111

2.332020

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#12/113

69.8%2020

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#30/109

2.622020

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#20/112

27.6%2020

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#11/112

41.8%2020

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#79/114

33.4%2020

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#55/114

34.3%2020

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#24/110

68.5%2020

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#84/109

3.882020

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#190/193

0.05292020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#191/193

0%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#74/114

14.8%2020

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#43/112

2.422020

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#29/113

2.552020

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#15/110

3.022020

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#49/111

2.512020

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#31/104

8.812020

National pride

mean, 1–4

#21/114

3.782020

Would fight for country

% yes

#51/113

73.8%2020

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#38/114

2.472020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#75/189

0.7742021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#115/170

0.4592021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#104/164

5.152025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#75/113

6.922020

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#96/114

6.22020

Global Peace Index

1–5

#143/158

2.82023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#58/161

2.1%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.