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Introduction
Throughout this paper I will evaluate the Islamic Republic of Iran with a comparison to other Middle Eastern countries and with other countries that have been categorized with Iran because of their economic status. ... In Iran, a majority (89%) of people are Muslim, but they are of a minority sect of Islam—Shiite Muslims. ...
I choose Iran because I speak Persian fluently and have a deep interest in amassing a wealth of knowledge of this particular country. In this paper, we will look at some statistical figures in an attempt to decipher some knowledge about the development and urbanization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This will assist in not only a better knowledge of the state of Iran but also with the ability to make comparisons with other lower middle income country averages and to put it in perspective as far as the Middle East as a whole. ... Urbanization will deal with Iran’s infrastructure and urban development.
Development Status
World Bank Classification
The Islamic Republic of Iran is classified by the World Bank as a Lower middle Income country. ...
General Features of Iran
Geography
Iran is located in the Middle East and it borders the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea. ... Iran has a total landmass of 1. ... Because of the Persian Gulf, Iran has exclusive economic zones that are formed through bilateral agreements; these agreements contribute heavily to the development of the country with significant regard to its oil trade. Iran’s strategic location between the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz create vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport, thus being a contributing factor to Iran’s current wealth and development. (The World Factbook)
Climate and Terrain
The Climate in Iran is mostly arid or semi-arid, but subtropical along the Caspian coast. ... This lack of land usability could be a contributing factor to the heavy trade of perishable goods, of Iran for subsistence. ... Natural hazards affecting the Islamic Republic of Iran are periodic droughts, floods, dust storms, sandstorms, and earthquakes along the western border and in the northeast. (The World Factbook)
Population Dynamics
Iran’s current population was estimated in July of 2003 to be approximately sixty-eight million people. Iran is the second largest country in the Middle East by population. ... On the contrary, the death rate for Iran is six deaths per thousand people. ... The HIV/AIDS prevalence in Iran is very low—less than one percent. ...
Economy
Iran has the second largest economy in the Middle East and is also the second largest oil producer in OPEC. Iran’s economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small scale private trading and service ventures. President Khatami is currently pursuing diversification of Iran’s oil-reliant economy but thus far, he has made very little progress. It has greatly benefited Iran that the oil prices of recent and current years have been relatively high and this has enabled Iran to amass around fifteen billion dollars in foreign exchange reserves; still, this has not solved Iran’s structural economic problems that include a high rate of unemployment and a comparatively high rate of inflation. ... Almost half of the impoverished population in Iran receives some sort of assistance from the government, the remaining portion is often left not targeted and the funds never reach them. ... In comparison to the lower middle-income countries and the Middle Eastern countries, Iran is doing significantly better than the averages. ... According to the World Bank list of economies published in April of 2004 the Islamic Republic of Iran has less indebtedness than many other societies. ... Iran’s unemployment rate is sixteen percent. ... Currently, Iran’s revenues amount to thirty billion and its expenditures amount to thirty-two billion, thus leaving a two billion dollar deficit.
Approximate Word count = 3127
Approximate Pages = 12.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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