Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Local name: ایران
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- Capital
- Tehran
- Population
- 92.4 million
- 17th in the world (2025)
- Area
- 1,648,195 km²
- 17th in the world
- Density
- 56 people/km²
- 130th in the world
In brief
Iran is a country in South Asia. Its capital is Tehran. With 92.4 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 17th in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 1,648,195 km². It shares land borders with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Türkiye and Turkmenistan.
GDP per capita stands at $3,924 (2025), 132nd in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 77.9 years (2024). 77% of the population lives in cities.
History of Iran
In the 6th century BC Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire, the largest of its time, with Persepolis as one of its capitals. After the Parthians and Sasanians, the Arab conquest of the 7th century brought Islam, but the Persian language endured. The Safavids made Shia Islam the state religion in the 16th century. The country took the name Iran in 1935. The 1979 revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the shah and founded the Islamic Republic, followed by an eight-year war with Iraq. In 2022 the death of Mahsa Amini sparked the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.
Geography of Iran
Iran is a high plateau ringed by mountains: the Zagros in the west and the Alborz in the north, where Damavand (5,610 m) is Asia’s highest volcano. Deserts fill the centre, including the Lut, one of the hottest places on Earth. The country borders the Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in the south.
Map of Iran
Flag of Iran
The flag of Iran is red, white and green. Its official proportions are 4:7 (height to width).
- White37%
- Red32%
- Green31%
Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.
What the flag stands for
Green, white and red, with the red emblem of the Islamic Republic in the centre. The phrase “Allahu akbar” is repeated 22 times along the bands, in memory of 22 Bahman, the date of the revolution’s victory in 1979.
Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Iran” and “Flag of Iran”.
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Fact file
| Official name | Islamic Republic of Iran |
|---|---|
| Capital | Tehran |
| Official language | Persian |
| Currency | Iranian rial (IRR, ﷼) |
| Demonym | Iranian |
| Continent | Asia, South Asia |
| Access to the sea | Yes |
| Area | 1,648,195 km² |
| Calling code | +98 |
| Internet domain | .ir, ایران. |
| UN status | Member state |
Economy and society
GDP per capita
$3,924
132nd in the world (2025)
Life expectancy
77.9 years
at birth (2024)
Urban population
77%
Sources: World Bank (2025) for population and economy, Natural Earth for the map, mledoze/countries and Wikidata for reference data. Method.