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June 13, 2010: Iran remains a sham democracy. Real democracies give freedom to an opposition that is not trying to overthrow it by force. One year has passed since President Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election. Hopes of the demonstrators for change around the corner has faded. But government oppression continues. The BBC reports that, "Monitoring of the internet and phones has risen to new levels." Iranian exiles have become "less willing to speak out... Many Iranians have fallen into a sullen acquiescence, frustrated that their hope for change have slipped away."
More Iranians think of themselves as middle class and are reported by the BBC as having aspiration for a freer, more secular lifestyle. The population is young and outward looking. The BBC describes those wanting political change as having been "unable to broaden their core support into the working classes, and also into the diverse regions of Iran, where the different ethnic groups have also been antagonized by Mr Ahmadinejad."
Newsweek Magazine in February wrote that inflation could threaten Iran's regime. It was officially 13.5% annually then but, according to Newsweek, "could be twice as high." Earlier this month the government reports reduced inflation. Behind the inflation is government spending. Bankers have blamed growth in the money supply and rising global prices.
March 2008: In parliamentary elections, conservatives maintain their 70 percent majority, despite inflation that has reached 19 percent. Iranians are supporting what they see as their nation under attack. Liberal reformers, who dominated the political scene from the late 1990s to 2004 win ten more seats, to 50 -- 17.2 percent of the 290 seats.
Between Iraq and Pakistan. Size equivalent to 1,284 by 1,284 kilometers, or roughly 800 by 800 miles. 2440 kilometers of coastline along the Persian Gulf. A lot of desert and mountains. Capital: Teheran.
ear-an, not eye-ran
Called Persia until 1935. Became an Islamic republic in 1979 with the overthrow of what had been Iran's monarchy.
Sex outside of marriage is illegal. Punishment by death can be imposed, or the lash.
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
Factbook: "Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector, reliance on the oil sector, which provides the majority of government revenues, and statist policies, which create major distortions throughout the system. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically limited to small-scale workshops, farming, and services."
2009 $12,900 (ranks 87th)
2008: $13,000
2007: $12,300
2009: 2.6%
2008: 3.5%
2007: 6.5%
2009: 11.8%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
2005: Top ten percent of the population, 29.6%; bottom ten percent, 2.6%
2009: 19.4% of GDP
2009: 16.8%
petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments.
2009: $70.16 billion v. $57.16 billion (favorable)
2008: China, Japan, India, South Korea, Turkey and Italy
2006: 2.5%
Living in an urban area: 68% (2008)
July 2010: 67.037 million. Growth rate: 0.94% (ranks 125th)
July 2009: 66.429 million.
July 2008:
65.875 million.
2010: More leaving than arriving. A net loss of 2.17 persons per 1,000 population.
2009: More leaving than arriving. A net loss of 2.62 persons per 1,000 population.
2008: More leaving than arriving. A net loss of 3.28 persons per 1,000 population.
2007: More leaving than arriving. A net loss of 4.29 persons per 1,000 population.
2009: 35.78
2008: 36.93
2007: 38.12
2009: 71.14
2008: 70.86.
Iran is one of three countries with a law against flag desecration.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2010 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.