Offically the Islamic republic of Iran, country in southwestern Asia, located on the eastern shore of the Persian Gulf.  One of the world's most mountainous countries, Iraq contains Mount Damavand, the hightest peak in Asia west of the Himalayas.  The country's population, while ethnically and linguisticaly diverse, is almost entirely Muslims.  For centuries, the region has been the centre of the Shia branch of Islam (see Shiites).  Iran rankes among the world's leaders in its reverses of oil and natural gas.  As in case in other countries in the petroleum rich Presian Gulf regions. 

 

The export of oil has dominated Iran's economy since the early 20th century.  The population of Iran was estimated at 65, 865, 302 in 2000.  This figure is more than double the 1975 population of 33, 379, 000.  Between 1956 and 1986 Iran's population grew at a rate of more than 3 percent per year.  The growth rate began to decline in the mid 1980s after the government initiated a major population growth contro program.  By 2000 the growth rate had declined to 1 percent per year, with a birth rate of 20 per 1,000 persons and a death rate of 5 per 1,000.  In 1998 44 percent of the population was under age 15, 53 percent was between 15 and 64 and only 4 percent was age 65 or older. 

 

Public social services in Iran included a national health insurance that provides free or low cost heath care in government-run city hospitals and village clinics.  A social security program, funded by a special tax on wages and salaries, provides pensions for retired public sector employee and private sector employees.  It also provides survivor benefits to widows of deceased retirees and veterens killed in action, disability to family heads incapacitated by work-related injuries or catatrosphic illness, and special payments for minor-aged of decesead workers.  Numerous private organizations also provide various social services for low-income people. 

 

In 1998 the GDP was estimated at $113 billion, or $1,830 per capita.  Because of these figures and the country's diversified but small industrial base, the United Nations classifies Iran's economy as semi-developed.  Iran's unit of currency is the riral.  The official exchange rate averaged 1,752 rials to the US dollar in 1998.  However, rials are exchanged on the unafficial market at a rate as much as four times higher.

 

The fagih generally oversees the operation of the government to ensure that its policies and actions conform to Islamic principles.  The figih is a spiritual leader whose religious authority is above that of the president and any other official.

 

Modern Persian is the official language of Iran.  Jafari Shia Islam has been the official religion of Iran since the 16th century.  Followers of Shia Islam, known as Shiites, disagree with Sunnites (who form the majority of Muslims in the Middle East and the Islamic worl) over the rightful succession to the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.

 

 

Vast geographical region of northen Africa, extending east to the west across the continent.  If forms a semiarid transition zone between the Sahara on the north and the west tropical regions on the south.  Desert and srcublands predominate in the north, grading into grasslands and savanna to the south.  The name Sudan (Arab "Black") is a reference to the black people who historically have inhabited the region.