Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran)

http://www.humantruth.info/iran.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

Iran Islamic Republic of Iran
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	125th best
Capital	Tehran
Land Area	1 628 550km²₁
Location	Asia, The Middle East
Population	81.8m₂
Life Expectancy	73.87yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$13 001 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	IR, IRN, 364₅
Internet Domain	.ir₆
Currency	Rial (IRR)₇
Telephone	+98₈

1. Overview

#iran

“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 - a popularly elected 86-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 for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and its nuclear weapons ambitions. 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, through control of unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from being enacted and increased repressive measures. 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. 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. In mid-February 2011, opposition activists conducted the largest antiregime rallies since December 2009, spurred by the success of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. Protester turnout probably was at most tens of thousands and security forces were deployed to disperse protesters. Additional protests in March 2011 failed to elicit significant participation largely because of the robust security response, although discontent still smolders. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and October 2012.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“If travel is most rewarding when it surprises, then Iran, with its bazaars, mighty deserts and sublime architecture, might just be the most rewarding destination on Earth. Before you come to Iran, you might be thinking the main reasons to visit are because it´s a bit adventurous and there´s a lot to see from the years when Persia was a great world power. At some levels you´d be right.
Iran´s sights will put you in the footsteps of some of history´s most outstanding figures. And certainly you won´t find yourself crowded out of any sights, which is fun.
The highlights, together with the atmospheric teahouses, bustling bazaars, deserts punctuated by historic oases and rugged mountain ranges, give Iran more than its fair share of fantastic places to see. But to think of Iran only in terms of `sights´ is to miss the real story.
If you like people, you´ll like Iran. The Iranians, a nation made up of numerous ethnic groups and influenced over thousands of years by Greek, Arab, Turkic and Mongol occupiers, are endlessly welcoming and eager to show off and explain their intricate culture.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Iran National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₁
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
4	Hong Kong	0.952
5	Australia	0.951
	...
73	Sri Lanka	0.782
74	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.780
75	St Kitts & Nevis	0.777
76	Iran	0.774
77	Ukraine	0.773
78	Macedonia	0.770
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₁
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
4	Luxembourg	$84 649
5	Ireland	$76 169
	...
89	Ukraine	$13 256
90	Armenia	$13 158
91	Turkmenistan	$13 021
92	Iran	$13 001
93	S. Africa	$12 948
94	Suriname	$12 672
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂_,₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂_,₁₃
1	Taiwan	28.6
2	Norway	29.4
3	Denmark	31.2
4	Sweden	32.2
5	Finland	32.6
	...
122	Algeria	97.2
123	Burkina Faso	97.4
124	Suriname	98.6
125	Iran	98.9
126	Bangladesh	98.9
127	Honduras	99.1
	Asia Avg	87.1
	World Avg	86.1
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Iran's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

Iran's population is predicted to rise to 84.44 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.60. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population (2018)₂
Pos.		Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
	...
16	Congo, DR	84.1m
17	Germany	83.1m
18	Turkey	82.3m
19	Iran	81.8m
20	Thailand	69.4m
21	UK	67.1m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
68	Romania	74.2
69	Cape Verde	74.1
70	Morocco	74.0
71	Iran	73.9
72	Macedonia	73.8
73	Nicaragua	73.8
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₄
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₄
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
55	Trinidad & Tobago	1.63
56	Montenegro	1.63
57	S. Africa	2.39
58	Iran	1.60
59	Venezuela	2.41
60	Ecuador	2.41
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)₁₅
Pos.		Lower is better Per 100₁₅
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
4	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
	...
89	Bolivia	12.7
90	Nicaragua	13.1
91	Paraguay	13.2
92	Iran	13.4
93	Samoa	13.7
94	Algeria	14.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)₁₆
Pos.		%₁₆
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
	...
101	Moldova	3.5%
102	Slovakia	3.4%
103	Turkmenistan	3.4%
104	Iran	3.3%
105	Kyrgyzstan	3.3%
106	Chad	3.3%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants (2010)₁₇
Pos.		%₁₇
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
4	Grenada	65.5%
5	St Kitts & Nevis	61.1%
	...
156	Serbia	2.0%
157	Venezuela	1.8%
158	S. Africa	1.7%
159	Iran	1.7%
160	Libya	1.7%
161	Gabon	1.7%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #iran #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)₁₈_,₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₈_,₁₉
1	Sweden	9.2
2	Norway	14.7
3	Denmark	14.7
4	Netherlands	15.8
5	New Zealand	17.5
	...
175	Palau	131.0
176	Tonga	132.9
177	Syria	133.1
178	Iran	133.8
179	Zimbabwe	134.5
180	Marshall Islands	134.6
	Asia Avg	99.8
	World Avg	87.7
q=199.

Iran is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Iran does worse than average when it comes to the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₂₀, speed of uptake of HR treaties₂₁, opposing gender inequality₂₂, LGBT equality₂₃ and in its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₄. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₅, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₆, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₇ (amongst the worst in Asia), supporting press freedom₂₈ (amongst the highest in Asia) and in freethought₂₉. "Authorities [in 2017] continued to target journalists, online media activists, and human rights defenders in an ongoing crackdown"₃₀. There is no religious freedom, or freedom of thought, in Iran₃₁_,₃₀_,₃₂ , with minorities being heavily persecuted, and broadcasted attacks on all religious groups that are not Shia Muslim, "with the Bahá'ís and Jews being the most frequent targets"₃₃.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Iran

5. Iran's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #Iran #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2020)₃₄_,₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₄_,₃₅
1	Hong Kong	18.3
2	Maldives	41.0
3	Singapore	42.6
4	Japan	51.0
5	S. Korea	51.3
	...
16	Uzbekistan	68.4
17	Saudi Arabia	69.3
18	Qatar	70.6
19	Iran	75.5
20	UAE	75.8
21	Bahrain	77.3
22	Armenia	78.4
	Asia Avg	80.1
q=50.

Health (2020)₃₄_,₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₄_,₃₅
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
4	Singapore	42.6
5	Japan	51.0
	...
29	Denmark	74.3
30	Germany	74.4
31	Austria	74.5
32	Iran	75.5
33	Antigua & Barbuda	75.6
34	Sweden	75.6
35	UAE	75.8
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₃₄. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₃₄.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₃₄, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₃₄.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Iran does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Iran comes in the best 20 in its immunizations take-up₃₆. It does better than average for its alcohol consumption rate₃₇, its fertility rate₁₄, its average life expectancy₁₁ and in its adolescent birth rate₂₂. Iran does not succeed in everything, however. Iran does worse than average for its smoking rate₃₈ and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₉. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years.

Life Expectancy (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
68	Romania	74.2
69	Cape Verde	74.1
70	Morocco	74.0
71	Iran	73.9
72	Macedonia	73.8
73	Nicaragua	73.8
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption (2016)₃₇
Pos.		Lower is better Per Capita₃₇
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
	...
25	Algeria	0.9
26	Malaysia	0.9
27	Comoros	0.9
28	Iran	1.0
29	Vanuatu	1.0
30	Papua New Guinea	1.2
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₄
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₄
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
55	Trinidad & Tobago	1.63
56	Montenegro	1.63
57	S. Africa	2.39
58	Iran	1.60
59	Venezuela	2.41
60	Ecuador	2.41
	Asia Avg	2.46
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates (2014)₃₈
Pos.		Higher is worse₃₈
182	Montenegro	4 125
181	Belarus	3 831
180	Lebanon	3 023
179	Macedonia	2 732
178	Russia	2 690
	...
116	Chile	930
115	Turkmenistan	925₄₀
114	Thailand	895
113	Iran	869
112	Laos	836
111	Sweden	831
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
4	UK	4
5	Norway	5
	...
115	Haiti	115
116	Malawi	116
117	Swaziland	117
118	Iran	118
119	Yemen	119
120	Seychelles	120
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults (2016)₄₁
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₁
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
4	Ethiopia	20.9
5	Nepal	21.0
	...
147	Hungary	61.6
148	Costa Rica	61.6
149	Tunisia	61.6
150	Iran	61.6
151	Bulgaria	61.7
152	Algeria	62.0
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015)₂₂
Pos.		Lower is better Per 1000₂₂
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
	...
74	India	24.5
75	Samoa	25.0
76	Rwanda	26.3
77	Iran	26.7
78	Turkey	27.6
79	Kazakhstan	27.9
	Asia Avg	29.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015)₃₆
Pos.		Higher is better Avg %₃₆
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
4	Niue	98.8
5	Mongolia	98.7
	...
9	Sri Lanka	98.4
10	St Lucia	98.2
11	Bahrain	98.2
12	Iran	98.1
13	Finland	98.1
14	Saudi Arabia	98.0
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Iran's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Taiwan	10.0
2	Japan	21.9
3	S. Korea	24.0
4	Singapore	27.9
5	Israel	32.2
	...
18	Vietnam	67.1
19	Armenia	70.0
20	Azerbaijan	70.1
21	Iran	71.7
22	Kyrgyzstan	71.8
23	Thailand	72.9
24	India	73.8
	Asia Avg	79.0
q=51.

Modernity and Learning (2020)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
4	Estonia	15.8
5	Denmark	16.0
	...
80	Egypt	70.4
81	Macedonia	71.0
82	Aruba	71.5
83	Iran	71.7
84	Kyrgyzstan	71.8
85	Albania	72.4
86	Thailand	72.9
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research and Development (2016)
Pos.		Higher is better % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₄₂
2	Israel	4.11₄₂
3	Japan	3.58₄₂
4	Finland	3.17₄₂
5	Sweden	3.16₄₂
	...
75	Moldova	0.35₄₃
76	Ecuador	0.34₄₄
77	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.33₄₃
78	Iran	0.31₄₅
79	Nepal	0.30₄₅
80	Kuwait	0.30₄₃
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education (2018)₄₆
Pos.		Higher is better₄₆
1	Luxembourg	100.0%
2	Estonia	100.0%
3	Austria	100.0%
4	Canada	100.0%
5	Finland	100.0%
	...
75	Panama	72.2%
76	UAE	70.7%
77	Brunei	70.1%
78	Iran	69.8%
79	Vietnam	69.4%
80	Venezuela	69.2%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling (2021)₄₇
Pos.		Higher is better Years₄₇
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
4	Belgium	19.6
5	Sweden	19.4
	...
67	St Vincent & Grenadines	14.7
68	Algeria	14.6
69	Ecuador	14.6
70	Iran	14.6
71	Oman	14.6
72	Trinidad & Tobago	14.5
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
	...
87	Benin	87
88	Pakistan	88
89	Seychelles	89
90	Iran	90
91	Antigua & Barbuda	91
92	Burkina Faso	92
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Religiosity (2018)₄₈
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₈
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
	...
69	Malaysia	77
70	Colombia	77
71	Dominican Rep.	78
72	Iran	78
73	Tunisia	78
74	Bangladesh	80
	Asia Avg	55.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ (2006)₄₉
Pos.		Higher is better₄₉
1	Hong Kong	108
2	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4	Japan	105
5	Taiwan	105
	...
78	Jordan	84
79	Afghanistan	84
80	UAE	84
81	Iran	84
82	Pakistan	84
83	Panama	84
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users (2016)₅₀
Pos.		Higher is better₅₀
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
	...
97	Dominican Rep.	52%
98	Uzbekistan	51%
99	Armenia	50%
100	Iran	49%
101	Tunisia	48%
102	Moldova	48%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet (2012)₅₁
Pos.		Lower is better₅₁
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
4	Australia	18
5	Hungary	19
	...
42	Myanmar (Burma)	75
43	Uzbekistan	77
44	Syria	83
45	China	85
46	Cuba	86
47	Iran	90
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security (2013)₅₂
Pos.		Lower is better₅₂
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
4	Hong Kong	0.12
5	Mexico	0.16
	...
34	Burkina Faso	0.79
35	Ivory Coast	0.82
36	Ethiopia	0.84
37	Iran	0.85
38	Laos	0.86
39	Spain	0.88
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

IPv6 Uptake (2017)₅₃
Pos.		Higher is better Ratio₅₃
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
	...
71	Ukraine	0.1
72	Lithuania	0.1
73	Vanuatu	0.1
74	Iran	0.1
75	Zambia	0.1
76	Panama	0.1
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

Iran has a consistently awful long-term record on corruption.

World Giving Index (2013-2021)₅₄
Pos.		Lower is better₅₄
1	Myanmar (Burma)	2.7
2	New Zealand	4.0
3	USA	4.7
4	Australia	4.9
5	Indonesia	9.0
	...
23	Malaysia	27.8
24	Thailand	28.9
25	Puerto Rico	29.0
26	Iran	29.0
27	Austria	29.3
28	Germany	31.0
	Asia Avg	62.5
	World Avg	67.9
q=160.

Corruption (2022)₅₅
Pos.		Higher is better Points₅₅
1	Denmark	90.0
2	Finland	87.0
3	New Zealand	87.0
4	Norway	84.0
5	Singapore	83.0
	...
146	Uganda	26.0
147	Guinea	25.0
148	Bangladesh	25.0
149	Iran	25.0
150	Central African Rep.	24.0
151	Lebanon	24.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness (2018)₅₆
Pos.		Higher is better₅₆
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
4	Iceland	7.5
5	Switzerland	7.5
	...
103	Gabon	4.8
104	Palestine	4.7
105	S. Africa	4.7
106	Iran	4.7
107	Ivory Coast	4.7
108	Ghana	4.7
	Asia Avg	5.29
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity and Culture (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
4	Switzerland	4
5	Sweden	5
	...
154	Venezuela	154
155	Yemen	155
156	Iraq	156
157	Iran	157
158	Gabon	158
159	Central African Rep.	159
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid and Development (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
4	Netherlands	4
5	Switzerland	5
	...
145	Samoa	145
146	Jamaica	146
147	Syria	147
148	Iran	148
149	India	149
150	Cameroon	150
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index (2021)₅₇
Pos.		Lower is better₅₇
1	Iceland	1.10
2	New Zealand	1.25
3	Denmark	1.26
4	Portugal	1.27
5	Slovenia	1.32
	...
138	Palestine	2.61
139	Ethiopia	2.61
140	Mexico	2.62
141	Iran	2.64
142	Ukraine	2.66
143	Israel	2.67
	Asia Avg	2.22
	World Avg	2.08
q=163.

Peacekeeping and Security (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
	...
80	Albania	80
81	Gabon	81
82	Russia	82
83	Iran	83
84	Serbia	84
85	Mexico	85
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees and UN Treaties (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
	...
65	Mozambique	65
66	Burkina Faso	66
67	Kyrgyzstan	66
68	Iran	68
69	Malawi	69
70	Latvia	70
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism (2019)₅₈
Pos.		Lower is better Score₅₈
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
	...
109	China	4.47
110	S. Africa	4.51
111	Israel	4.53
112	Iran	4.72
113	Chad	4.76
114	Russia	4.90
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)₅₉
Pos.		Higher is better %₅₉
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
4	Kuwait	+81.2
5	Dominican Rep.	+79.5
	...
26	Lesotho	+22.5
27	Italy	+22.5
28	Turkey	+21.8
29	Iran	+17.8
30	France	+17.7
31	Algeria	+17.3
	Asia Avg	+07.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance (2018)₆₀
Pos.		Higher is better₆₀
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
4	Malta	80.9
5	Sweden	80.5
	...
77	UAE	58.9
78	Jamaica	58.6
79	Namibia	58.5
80	Iran	58.2
81	Belize	57.8
82	Philippines	57.7
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency (2014)₆₁
Pos.		Higher is better₆₁
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
4	Colombia	17.54
5	Ireland	17.54
	...
97	Canada	05.56
98	China	05.52
99	Nepal	05.35
100	Iran	05.32
101	Kenya	05.24
102	Kazakhstan	05.10
	Asia Avg	09.14
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.		Earlier is better Signed
1	China	1993 Dec 29
2	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
3	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
4	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
5	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
	...
153	Trinidad & Tobago	1996 Oct 30
154	Congo, (Brazzaville)	1996 Oct 30
155	Kyrgyzstan	1996 Nov 04
156	Iran	1996 Nov 04
157	S. Sudan	2014 May 18
158	Mauritania	1996 Nov 14
	Asia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment (2011)₆₂
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₂
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
4	Trinidad & Tobago	74.5%
5	Costa Rica	74.2%
	...
42	Italy	49.6%
43	Vietnam	49.1%
44	Honduras	48.1%
45	Iran	47.9%
46	Turkey	47.4%
47	Sudan	46.9%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)₆₃
Pos.		Higher is worse₆₃
184	Chad	40.90
183	Central African Rep.	40.10
182	Sierra Leone	39.00
181	Somalia	38.90
180	Nigeria	37.10
	...
78	Moldova	9.60
77	Seychelles	9.60
76	Mauritius	9.40
75	Iran	9.20
74	Libya	9.10
73	Tunisia	9.00
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) (2017)₆₄
Pos.		Lower is better %₆₄
1	Ukraine	25.0
2	Belarus	25.4
3	Slovenia	25.4
4	Czechia	25.9
5	Moldova	25.9
	...
95	Morocco	39.5
96	Uruguay	39.5
97	Sri Lanka	39.8
98	Iran	40.0
99	Micronesia	40.1
100	Philippines	40.1
	Asia Avg	35.2
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#bah�'�_faith #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #iran #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #secularisation

Religiosity (2018)₄₈
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₈
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
	...
69	Malaysia	77
70	Colombia	77
71	Dominican Rep.	78
72	Iran	78
73	Tunisia	78
74	Bangladesh	80
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)₆₅
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₅
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czechia	61
5	Estonia	49
	...
52	Mozambique	5
53	Zimbabwe	4
54	Namibia	4
55	Iran	4
56	Mexico	4
57	Portugal	4
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₆₆:

Christian	0.2%
Muslim	99%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.1%

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 99.6% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 78% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Muslim (official) 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%₆₇.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: There is no religious freedom or freedom of thought in Iran₃₁_,₃₀_,₃₂. It is illegal to criticize Islam or to fail to obey Islamic law₃₂. Sociologists Grim & Finke place Iran into the worst possible persecution category, along with 13 other countries. Severe restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of belief stem simultaneously from top-down pressure from government, from institutionalized Islam, and from bottom-up grassroots movements that often go even further than the government in harassing those who do not believe the right things (2011)₆₈. The targets are anyone who is not Shia Muslim, "with the Bahá'ís and Jews being the most frequent targets"₃₃_,₃₂.

Apostasy - choosing to leave a religion - is not by name a criminal offence in Iran, but judges use a variety of legal provisions to find apostates guilty and punish them₃₂.

The vague crime of moharebeh ("enmity against God"), is used by the government to execute and jail dozens of people, often for political acts or for criticisms of the government, because they use the logic that the theocratic government of Iran is itself a representative of God₃₂. "Iranian writer and human rights defender, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, and blogger Soheil Arabi, are two individuals who have been imprisoned for long periods on these grounds"₃₂.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union in 2012 documented the worst-possible forms of bias and prejudice, stemming from religious dogma and governmental intolerance of dissent.

Links: