Introduction

Middle East.

Area : 1,648,043 sq km (636,313 sq miles).

Population : 66.5 million (official estimate 2003).

Population Density : 40.3 per sq km.

Capital : Tehran. Population: 7 million (UN estimate, including suburbs, 2001).

Government : Islamic Republic since 1979. Head of State: Supreme Leader (Rahbar-e Moazam) Seyyed Ali Khameni since 1989. Head of Government: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad since June 2005.

Iran is located in the Middle East, bordered to the north by Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea, the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and the west by Iraq and Turkey. The centre and east of the country are largely barren undulating desert, punctured by qanats (irrigation canals) and green oases, but there are mountainous regions in the west along the Turkish and Iraqi borders and in the north where the Elburz Mountains rise steeply from a fertile belt around the Caspian Sea.

Language : Persian (Farsi) is the most widely spoken language. Arabic is spoken in Khuzestan in the southwest, and Turkish in the northwest around Tabriz. English, French and (to a lesser extent) German are spoken by many businesspeople and officials.

Religion : Predominantly Islamic; mostly Shi'ite, with a minority of Sunnis. The 1976 census recorded 300,000 Christians, 80,000 Jews and 30,000 Zoroastrians.

Time : GMT + 3.5.

GMT + 3.5 (GMT + 4.5 from 20 March to 21 September).

Social Conventions : Feelings about certain countries (such as the USA and the UK) run high, so the visitor should avoid contentious subjects. The Westernisation of the Iranian way of life has been arrested since the fall of the Shah, and Koranic law exercises a much more traditional influence over much of the populace. In general, Western influences are now discouraged. Handshaking is customary, but not with members of the opposite sex. It must be remembered that intimate relations between non-Muslim men and Muslim women is illegal, and may incur imprisonment. Visitors should address hosts by their surname or title. Iranians are very hospitable and like to entertain. It is also customary to be offered tea, and guests are expected to accept such offers of hospitality. Because of Islamic customs, dress should be conservative and discreet, especially women's. This has been especially enforced of late; women should cover their heads when in the public sphere, wear loose-fitted clothing, and ensure that their arms and legs are also concealed. Businesspeople are expected to wear a suit and more formal attire is also needed in smart dining rooms and for important social functions. During Ramadan, smoking, eating and drinking in public are prohibited between sunrise and sunset; however, facilities are always available in major hotels.

Electricity : 230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the round two-pin type. 

    

      

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