Iran vs. Turkmenistan
Introduction
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts (AOE) - a popularly elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iranian relations became strained when a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostages until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. During the period 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism and was subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and concerns over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program until Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Implementation Day in 2016. The US began gradually re-imposing sanctions on Iran after the US withdrawal from JCPOA in May 2018. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, supported by the Supreme Leader, unelected institutions of authority like the Council of Guardians, and the security services reversed and blocked reform measures while increasing security repression. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His controversial reelection in June 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, but the protests were quickly suppressed. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and October 2012, but Iran's internal security situation remained stable. President AHMADI-NEJAD's independent streak angered regime establishment figures, including the Supreme Leader, leading to conservative opposition to his agenda for the last year of his presidency, and an alienation of his political supporters. In June 2013 Iranians elected a centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun ROHANI to the presidency. He is a longtime senior member in the regime, but has made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities, and in July 2015 Iran and the five permanent members, plus Germany (P5+1) signed the JCPOA under which Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran held elections in 2016 for the AOE and Majles, resulting in a conservative-controlled AOE and a Majles that many Iranians perceive as more supportive of the ROHANI administration than the previous, conservative-dominated body. ROHANI was reelected president in May 2017. Economic concerns once again led to nationwide protests in December 2017 and January 2018 but they were contained by Iran's security services. Additional widespread economic protests broke out in November 2019 in response to the raised price of subsidized gasoline. | Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic. Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey. |
Geography
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan | Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan |
| Geographic coordinates | 32 00 N, 53 00 E | 40 00 N, 60 00 E |
| Map references | Middle East | Asia |
| Area | total: 1,648,195 sq km land: 1,531,595 sq km water: 116,600 sq km | total: 488,100 sq km land: 469,930 sq km water: 18,170 sq km |
| Area - comparative | almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska | slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,894 km border countries (7): Afghanistan 921 km, Armenia 44 km, Azerbaijan 689 km, Iraq 1599 km, Pakistan 959 km, Turkey 534 km, Turkmenistan 1148 km | total: 4,158 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 804 km, Iran 1148 km, Kazakhstan 413 km, Uzbekistan 1793 km |
| Coastline | 2,440 km - note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) | 0 km (landlocked); note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast | subtropical desert |
| Terrain | rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts | flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m mean elevation: 1,305 m | highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya (Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya, the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) -81 m mean elevation: 230 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur | petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt |
| Land use | agricultural land: 30.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 18.1% (2018 est.) forest: 6.8% (2018 est.) other: 63.1% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 72% (2018 est.) arable land: 4.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 67.8% (2018 est.) forest: 8.8% (2018 est.) other: 19.2% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 95,530 sq km (2012) | 19,950 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes | earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization | contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; soil erosion; desertification |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport | landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau |
| Total renewable water resources | 137.045 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 24.765 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density | the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat |
Demographics
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 85,888,910 (July 2021 est.) | 5,579,889 (July 2021 est.) note: some sources suggest Turkmenistan's population could be as much as 1 to 2 million people lower than available estimates because of large-scale emigration during the last 10 years |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 24.11% (male 10,472,844/female 10,000,028) 15-24 years: 13.36% (male 5,806,034/female 5,537,561) 25-54 years: 48.94% (male 21,235,038/female 20,327,384) 55-64 years: 7.72% (male 3,220,074/female 3,337,420) 65 years and over: 5.87% (male 2,316,677/female 2,670,254) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 25.44% (male 713,441/female 693,042) 15-24 years: 16.48% (male 458,566/female 452,469) 25-54 years: 44.14% (male 1,214,581/female 1,226,027) 55-64 years: 8.56% (male 221,935/female 251,238) 65 years and over: 5.38% (male 129,332/female 167,996) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 31.7 years male: 31.5 years female: 32 years (2020 est.) | total: 29.2 years male: 28.7 years female: 29.7 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.03% (2021 est.) | 1.02% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 15.78 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 17.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 38.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 46.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.06 years male: 73.71 years female: 76.48 years (2021 est.) | total population: 71.54 years male: 68.5 years female: 74.73 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.93 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 2.04 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | <.1% (2020 est.) | NA |
| Nationality | noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian | noun: Turkmenistani(s) adjective: Turkmenistani |
| Ethnic groups | Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes | Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 54,000 (2020 est.) | NA |
| Religions | Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.) | Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, folk religion <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified <1% (2020 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 3,200 (2020 est.) | NA |
| Languages | Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic major-language sample(s): ????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ???? (Persian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% major-language sample(s): Dünyä Facebooky, esasy maglumat üçin ayrylmaz bir çesme dir. (Turkmen) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.5% male: 90.4% female: 80.8% (2016) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.6% (2015) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2017) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2019) |
| Education expenditures | 4% of GDP (2018) | 3.1% of GDP (2012) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 76.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 53% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 98.6% of population rural: 93.1% of population total: 97.2% of population unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population rural: 6.9% of population total: 2.8% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 98.9% of population rural: 95.7% of population total: 98.1% of population unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2015 est.) rural: 4.3% of population total: 1.9% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 9.259 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.264 million Mashhad, 2.177 million Esfahan, 1.675 million Shiraz, 1.627 million Tabriz, 1.582 million Karaj (2021) | 865,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 4.1% (2010/11) | 3.1% (2019) |
| Health expenditures | 8.7% (2018) | 6.6% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 1.58 physicians/1,000 population (2018) | 2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Hospital bed density | 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 4 beds/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 25.8% (2016) | 18.6% (2016) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 77.4% (2010/11) | 49.7% (2019) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 45.6 youth dependency ratio: 36 elderly dependency ratio: 9.6 potential support ratio: 14.2 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 55.2 youth dependency ratio: 47.8 elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 potential support ratio: 13.5 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia etymology: name derives from the Avestan term "aryanam" meaning "Land of the Noble [Ones]" | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Turkmenistan literally means the "Land of the Turkmen [people]" |
| Government type | theocratic republic | presidential republic; authoritarian |
| Capital | name: Tehran geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 E time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Wednesday in March; ends fourth Friday in September etymology: various explanations of the city's name have been proffered, but the most plausible states that it derives from the Persian words "tah" meaning "end or bottom" and "ran" meaning "[mountain] slope" to signify "bottom of the mountain slope"; Tehran lies at the bottom slope of the Elburz Mountains | name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derived from the Persian words "eshq" meaning "love" and "abad" meaning "inhabited place" or "city," and so loosely translates as "the city of love" |
| Administrative divisions | 31 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan | 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Independence | 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid (Persian) Empire established); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid Dynasty); 1794 (beginning of Qajar Dynasty); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI Dynasty) | 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | Republic Day, 1 April (1979) | Independence Day, 27 October (1991) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979 amendments: proposed by the supreme leader - after consultation with the Exigency Council - and submitted as an edict to the "Council for Revision of the Constitution," a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran's political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended; amended 1989 | history: several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2020 (changed parliament to bicameral) |
| Legal system | religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law | civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President-elect Ebrahim RAISI (since 18 June 2021); First Vice President Eshagh JAHANGIRI (since 5 August 2013) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries elections/appointments: supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term); election last held on 18 June 2012 (next to be held in June 2025) election results: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (CCA) 72.4%, Mohsen Rezaee MIRGHA'ED (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir Hossein Hossein Ghazizadegh HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4% note: 3 oversight bodies are also considered part of the executive branch of government | chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 12 February 2017 (next to be held in February 2024) election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami or Majles (290 seats; 285 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by 2-round vote, and 1 seat each for Zoroastrians, Jews, Assyrian and Chaldean Christians, Armenians in the north of the country and Armenians in the south; members serve 4-year terms); note - all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles elections: first round held on 21 February 2020 and second round for 11 remaining seats held on 11 September 2020 (next full Majles election to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by coalition (first round) - NA; seats by coalition (first round) - conservatives 219, reformists 20, independents 35, religious minorities 5; remaining 11 seats to be decided in April 2020 | description: note: in September 2020, the Turkmenistan Parliament adopted a constitutional amendment creating an upper chamber, making the Parliament bicameral bicameral National Council or Khalk Maslakhaty consists of: People's Council (56 seats; 48 members indirectly elected by provincial councils and 8 members appointed by the president) Assembly or Mejlis Hakynda (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms) elections: People's Council - first held on 25 March 2021 for 48 indirectly elected members (next to be held in 2026); first held on 14 April 2021 for 8 presidentially appointed members (next to be held NA) Assembly - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2026) election results: People's Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 3, independent 45 Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition - men 94, women 31, percent of women 24.8% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a single, renewable 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts | highest courts: Supreme Court of Turkmenistan (consists of the court president and 21 associate judges and organized into civil, criminal, and military chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms subordinate courts: High Commercial Court; appellate courts; provincial, district, and city courts; military courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group) Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front Executives of Construction Party Followers of the Guardianship of the Jurisprudent [Ali LARIJANI] Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Morteza AGHA-TEHRANI, general secretary] Islamic Coalition Party Islamic Iran Participation Front [associated with former President Mohammed KHATAMI] Islamic Law Party Militant Clerics Society Moderation and Development Party National Trust Party National Unity Party Pervasive Coalition of Reformists [Ali SUFI, chairman] (includes Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front, National Trust Party, Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Moderation and Development Party) Principlists Grand Coalition [Ali Reza ZAKANI] (includes Combatant Clergy Association and Islamic Coalition Party, Society of Devotees and Pathseekers of the Islamic Revolution, Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) Progress, Welfare, and Justice Front Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran or PJP [Hosein GHORBANZADEH, general secretary] Resistance Front of Islamic Iran [Yadollah HABIBI, general secretary] Steadfastness Front Union of Islamic Iran People's Party Wayfarers of the Islamic Revolution | Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW] Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW] Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW] note: all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad |
| International organization participation | CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) | ADB, CIS (associate member, has not ratified the 1993 CIS charter although it participates in meetings and held the chairmanship of the CIS in 2012), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: none; Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Embassy of Pakistan, 1250 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073; info@daftar.org | chief of mission: Ambassador Meret ORAZOW (since 14 February 2001) chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-1500 email address and website: turkmenembassyus@verizon.net https://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | embassy: none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran | chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew S. KLIMOW (since 26 June 2019) embassy: 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 744000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070 telephone: [993] (12) 94-00-45 FAX: [993] (12) 94-26-14 email address and website: ConsularAshgab@state.gov https://tm.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band; green is the color of Islam and also represents growth, white symbolizes honesty and peace, red stands for bravery and martyrdom | green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; five white, five-pointed stars and a white crescent moon appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe; the green color and crescent moon represent Islam; the five stars symbolize the regions or welayats of Turkmenistan; the guls reflect the national identity of Turkmenistan where carpet-making has long been a part of traditional nomadic life note: the flag of Turkmenistan is the most intricate of all national flags |
| National anthem | name: "Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran) lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI note 1: adopted 1990; Iran has had six national anthems; the first, entitled Salam-e Shah (Royal Salute) was in use from 1873-1909; next came Salamati-ye Dowlat-e Elliye-ye Iran (Salute of the Sublime State of Persia, 1909-1933); it was followed by Sorud-e melli (The Imperial Anthem of Iran; 1933-1979), which chronicled the exploits of the Pahlavi Dynasty; Ey Iran (Oh Iran) functioned unofficially as the national anthem for a brief period between the ouster of the Shah in 1979 and the early days of the Islamic Republic in 1980; Payandeh Bada Iran (Long Live Iran) was used between 1980 and 1990 during the time of Ayatollah KHOMEINI note 2: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable since the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran | name: "Garassyz, Bitarap Turkmenistanyn" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem) lyrics/music: collective/Veli MUKHATOV note: adopted 1997, lyrics revised in 2008, to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | lion; national colors: green, white, red | Akhal-Teke horse; national colors: green, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Iran dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkmenistan dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years |
Economy
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Iran's economy is marked by statist policies, inefficiencies, and reliance on oil and gas exports, but Iran also possesses significant agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. The Iranian government directly owns and operates hundreds of state-owned enterprises and indirectly controls many companies affiliated with the country's security forces. Distortions - including corruption, price controls, subsidies, and a banking system holding billions of dollars of non-performing loans - weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Private sector activity includes small-scale workshops, farming, some manufacturing, and services, in addition to medium-scale construction, cement production, mining, and metalworking. Significant informal market activity flourishes and corruption is widespread. The lifting of most nuclear-related sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in January 2016 sparked a restoration of Iran's oil production and revenue that drove rapid GDP growth, but economic growth declined in 2017 as oil production plateaued. The economy continues to suffer from low levels of investment and declines in productivity since before the JCPOA, and from high levels of unemployment, especially among women and college-educated Iranian youth. In May 2017, the re-election of President Hasan RUHANI generated widespread public expectations that the economic benefits of the JCPOA would expand and reach all levels of society. RUHANI will need to implement structural reforms that strengthen the banking sector and improve Iran's business climate to attract foreign investment and encourage the growth of the private sector. Sanctions that are not related to Iran's nuclear program remain in effect, and these-plus fears over the possible re-imposition of nuclear-related sanctions-will continue to deter foreign investors from engaging with Iran. | Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan's GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon. Turkmenistan's autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies. Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan's economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions' ability to verify this information. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $1,027,238,000,000 (2019 est.) $1.102 trillion (2018 est.) $1,172,665,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $86.858 billion (2018 est.) $103.7 billion (2017 est.) $81.787 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.7% (2017 est.) 12.5% (2016 est.) -1.6% (2015 est.) | 6.5% (2017 est.) 6.2% (2016 est.) 6.5% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $12,389 (2019 est.) $13,472 (2018 est.) $14,536 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $14,845 (2018 est.) $18,200 (2017 est.) $14,205 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 9.6% (2016 est.) industry: 35.3% (2016 est.) services: 55% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 7.5% (2017 est.) industry: 44.9% (2017 est.) services: 47.7% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 18.7% (2007 est.) | 0.2% (2012 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 29.6% (2005) | lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (2017 est.) 9.6% (2017 est.) 9.1% (2016 est.) note: official Iranian estimate | 8% (2017 est.) 3.6% (2016 est.) |
| Labor force | 30.5 million (2017 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor | 2.305 million (2013 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 16.3% industry: 35.1% services: 48.6% (2013 est.) | agriculture: 48.2% industry: 14% services: 37.8% (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 11.8% (2017 est.) 12.4% (2016 est.) note: data are Iranian Government numbers | 11% (2014 est.) 10.6% (2013) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 40.8 (2017 est.) | 40.8 (1998) |
| Budget | revenues: 74.4 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 84.45 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 5.657 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 6.714 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | petroleum, petrochemicals, gas, fertilizer, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and nonferrous metal fabrication, armaments | natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2017 est.) | 1% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, sugar cane, milk, sugar beet, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, poultry, apples | milk, wheat, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sugar beet, beef, rice |
| Exports | $101.4 billion (2017 est.) $83.98 billion (2016 est.) | $7.458 billion (2017 est.) $6.987 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | crude petroleum, polymers, industrial alcohols, iron, pistachios (2019) | natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cotton fibers, fertilizers (2019) |
| Exports - partners | China 48%, India 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019) | China 82% (2019) |
| Imports | $76.39 billion (2017 est.) $63.14 billion (2016 est.) | $4.571 billion (2017 est.) $5.215 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | rice, corn, broadcasting equipment, soybean products, beef (2019) | iron products, harvesting machinery, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, tractors (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 28%, United Arab Emirates 20%, India 11%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6%, Germany 5% (2019) | Turkey 25%, Russia 18%, China 14%, Germany 6% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $7.995 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $8.196 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $539.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) $425.3 million (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 32,769.7 (2017 est.) 30,914.9 (2016 est.) 30,914.9 (2015 est.) 29,011.5 (2014 est.) 25,912 (2013 est.) | Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar - 4.125 (2017 est.) 3.5 (2016 est.) 3.5 (2015 est.) 3.5 (2014 est.) 2.85 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | 21 March - 20 March | calendar year |
| Public debt | 39.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 47.5% of GDP (2016 est.) note: includes publicly guaranteed debt | 28.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 24.1% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $24.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $25.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $9.491 billion (2017 est.) $16.28 billion (2016 est.) | -$4.359 billion (2017 est.) -$7.207 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $581.252 billion (2019 est.) | $40.819 billion (2018 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 49.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 14% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 14.5% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 26% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -24.9% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 50% (2017 est.) government consumption: 10% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.2% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 26.2% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -14.3% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 37.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 37.6% of GDP (2016 est.) 35.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | 23.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 24.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 18.9% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 272.3 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 21.18 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 236.3 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 15.09 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 6.822 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 3.201 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 4.221 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 4.251 million bbl/day (2018 est.) | 244,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 750,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 67,790 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 157.2 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 600 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 33.72 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 7.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 214.5 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 77.45 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 206.9 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 39.31 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 11.64 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 38.14 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 3.993 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 77.6 million kW (2016 est.) | 4.001 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 84% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 15% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 1.764 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | 191,100 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 1.804 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 160,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 397,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 53,780 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 64,160 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 28,954,855 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34.45 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 648,223 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.85 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 118,061,419 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140.48 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 8,908,821 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 162.86 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .ir | .tm |
| Internet users | total: 58,117,322 percent of population: 70% (July 2018 est.) | total: 1,149,840 percent of population: 21.25% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: challenged by censorship and international sanctions; large, youthful, tech-savvy demographic with unmet demand; state-owned operators provided special offerings for services during pandemic, driving mobile broadband and deployment of 4G to nearly all of the population; government expanding fiber network and preparing for 5G to grow digital economy and smart city infrastructure; importer of broadcasting and computer equipment from UAE and China (2021) (2020) domestic: 35 per 100 for fixed-line and 142 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions; investment by Iran's state-owned telecom company has greatly improved and expanded both the fixed-line and mobile cellular networks; a huge percentage of the cell phones in the market have been smuggled into the country (2019) international: country code - 98; landing points for Kuwait-Iran, GBICS & MENA, FALCON, OMRAN/3PEG Cable System, POI and UAE-Iran submarine fiber-optic cable to the Middle East, Africa and India; (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: stagnant economy, rural geography, and authoritarian rule limit development of the telecom sector; in cooperation with Russian-based partners, operators have installed high-speed fiber-optic lines and upgraded most of the country's telephone switch centers with digital technology; some rural areas lack fixed-line coverage; mobile broadband is in the early stages of development; services are extremely slow, though Trans-Caspian cable will provide international Internet capacity and improvement in services; freedom of press and expression restricted through monitoring, media interruption, and removal of receivers from households; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 163 per 100 persons; first telecommunication satellite was launched in 2015 (2019) international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2018) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 8,771,251 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10.44 (2019 est.) | total: 4,000 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.) |
| Broadcast media | state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates 19 nationwide channels including a news channel, about 34 provincial channels, and several international channels; about 20 foreign Persian-language TV stations broadcasting on satellite TV are capable of being seen in Iran; satellite dishes are illegal and, while their use is subjectively tolerated, authorities confiscate satellite dishes from time to time; IRIB operates 16 nationwide radio networks, a number of provincial stations, and an external service; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2019) | broadcast media is government controlled and censored; 7 state-owned TV and 4 state-owned radio networks; satellite dishes and programming provide an alternative to the state-run media; officials sometimes limit access to satellite TV by removing satellite dishes |
Transportation
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 8,484 km (2014) standard gauge: 8,389.5 km 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified) (2014) broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge (2014) | total: 5,113 km (2017) broad gauge: 5,113 km 1.520-m gauge (2017) |
| Roadways | total: 223,485 km (2018) paved: 195,485 km (2018) unpaved: 28,000 km (2018) | total: 58,592 km (2002) paved: 47,577 km (2002) unpaved: 11,015 km (2002) |
| Waterways | 850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012) | 1,300 km (Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways) (2011) |
| Pipelines | 7 km condensate, 973 km condensate/gas, 20794 km gas, 570 km liquid petroleum gas, 8625 km oil, 7937 km refined products (2013) | 7500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Bandar-e Asaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni container port(s) (TEUs): Bandar Abbas | major seaport(s): Caspian Sea - Turkmenbasy |
| Merchant marine | total: 877 by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 26, general cargo 373, oil tanker 83, other 363 (2020) | total: 68 by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 8, other 54 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 319 (2013) | total: 26 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 140 (2019) over 3,047 m: 42 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 7 | total: 21 (2013) over 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 179 (2013) over 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 135 (2013) under 914 m: 32 (2013) | total: 5 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) under 914 m: 4 (2013) |
| Heliports | 26 (2013) | 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 22 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 237 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 25,604,871 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 290.74 million mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 27 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,457,474 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.92 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | EP | EZ |
Military
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (special operations), Cyber Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (border and security troops, assigned to the armed forces in wartime) (2021) note: the Iranian Navy operates Iran's larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz | Armed Forces of Turkmenistan: National Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces; Federal Border Guard Service (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation is 18-24 months; women exempt from military service (2019) | 18-27 years of age for compulsory male military service; 2-year conscript service obligation; 20 years of age for voluntary service; males may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 6.1% of GDP (2018 est.) 5.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 4.1% of GDP (2016 est.) 4.3% of GDP (2015 est.) (Estimates) | 1.8% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.5% of GDP (2015) 1.3% of GDP (2014) 1.2% of GDP (2013) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information varies; approximately 550-600,000 total active personnel; approximately 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); approximately 150-190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5-15,000 Qods Force); est. 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2021) | information varies; estimated 35,000 active troops (est. 30,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian, Soviet, and US origin (US equipment acquired prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979); weapons imports from Western countries are restricted by international sanctions; since 2010, Iran has received equipment from Belarus, China, and Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2020) | the inventory for Turkmenistan's military is comprised almost entirely of older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkmenistan has opened itself up to equipment from other countries; since 2010, China, Russia, and Turkey are the leading arms suppliers to Turkmenistan (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey | cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian |
| Illicit drugs | despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable control measures along the border with Afghanistan, Iran remains one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world, and has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; regularly enforces the death penalty for drug offences; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 2.1-2.25 million undocumented Afghans, 586,000 Afghan passport holders, 780,000 Afghan refugee card holders, 20,000 Iraqi refugee card holders (2020) stateless persons: 34 (2020) | stateless persons: 3,924 (2020) |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: Iran is a presumed source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Iranian and Afghan boys and girls are forced into prostitution domestically; Iranian women are subjected to sex trafficking in Iran, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, and Europe; Azerbaijani women and children are also sexually exploited in Iran; Afghan migrants and refugees and Pakistani men and women are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Iran; NGO reports indicate that criminal organizations play a significant role in human trafficking in Iran tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; therefore, Iran remained in Tier 3; the government continued a policy of recruiting and using child soldiers, government officials perpetrated sex trafficking of adults and children and continued trafficking both in Iran and overseas; the government continued to force or coerce children and adults to fight for Iranian-led militias operating in Syria and provided financial support to militias fighting in armed conflicts in the region using child soldiers; authorities failed to identify and protect trafficking victims among vulnerable populations; law enforcement treated trafficking victims as criminals, facing severe punishment or death for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit (2020) | current situation: Turkmenistan is a source, and to a much lesser degree, destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Turkmen in search of work in other countries are forced to work in textile sweatshops, construction, and domestic service; some Turkmen women and girls are sex trafficked abroad; Turkey is the primary trafficking destination, followed by Russia, India, and other countries in the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Europe; labor trafficking occurs within Turkmenistan, particularly in the construction industry; government officials require employees in private sector institutions, soldiers, and public sector workers to pick cotton without payment under the threat of penalty, such as dismissal, reduced work hours, or salary deductions to meet government-imposed quotas for the cotton harvest tier rating: Tier 3 - Turkmenistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government approved the 2020-2022 national action plan, continued anti-trafficking awareness campaigns, worked with international organizations on combating trafficking, provided training to its diplomatic corps on human trafficking, and identified potential trafficking victims at the international airport; however, the government used forced labor in the cotton harvest and public works projects; no officials were held accountable for their role in trafficking crimes; authorities did not prosecute or convict any traffickers; no victims were identified and offered protection or assistance programs (2020) |
Environment
| Iran | Turkmenistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 35.09 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 661.71 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 158.71 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 19.02 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 70.63 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 52.09 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 6.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 755 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 839 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 26.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2017 est.) | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2017 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 17.885 million tons (2017 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 894,250 tons (2017 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5% (2017 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 500,000 tons (2013 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
