
Islamic Finance FAQ: A Global Finance Series
Islamic finance is a fast-growing $2 trillion industry, yet many finance professionals do not know halal from haram. Global Finance's series on Islamic finance explains.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Iran economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Iran best banks and safest banks are also available.
With good demographics and potential opportunities for FDI in a range of sectors, Iran is poised to make the most of further relaxing of economic sanctions.
The Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran
USD 438.3 billion (2017, estimate)
Intl$ 1,551.1 billion (2017, estimate)
2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
5.7% | 9.1% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 6.6% | 3.8% | -6.6% |
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* | ||
-1.9% | 4.3% | 0.4% | 4.5% | 4.1% |
*Estimate
1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2017* |
1.28% | 1.32% | 1.27% | 1.42% | 1.2% |
*Estimate
(2016 estimate)
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
34.7% | 15.6% | 11.9% | 7.4% | 7.2% |
*Estimate
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
10.4% | 10.6% | 10.8% | 11.3% | 11.2% |
*Estimate
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
15.4% | 15.6% | 15.9% | 14.9% | 15% |
*Estimate
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
-0.9% | -1.2% | -1.7% | -1.1% | -1% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: B-
Moody's: N/A
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (Updated January 2017)
2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
USD 345.8 billion | USD 116.6 billion | USD 89.4 billion |
3.3% (2017 estimate)
24.2% (2014)
0.4% (2015)
0.2% (2015)
Petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets, cement, ore
Industrial supplies, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services
China 22.2%, India 9.9%, Turkey 8.4%, Japan 4.5% (2015)
UAE 39.6%, China 22.4%, South Korea 4.7%, Turkey 4.6% (2015)
2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
USD 3,050 million | USD 2,105 million | USD 2,050 million |
2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
USD 166 million | USD 89 million | USD 139 million |
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
N/A
N/A
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 120 out of 190 countries (2017)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 102 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 70 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 86 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 101 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 165 out of 190 countries
Trading Across Borders: 170 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 100 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 27 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 94 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 156 out of 190 countries
76 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Ranking: 171 / Score: 43.49 (Repressed) (2016)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Persian (official), Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic, other
Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.)
1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
52.36 million | 63.862 million | 74.462 million | 80.46 million | 84.995 million |
*Estimate
1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
34% | 50% | 64% | 73% |
Total population: 86.8%
Male: 91.2%
Female: 82.5% (2015 est.)
(age 15 and over can read and write)
9.6% (2014)
37.4 (2013)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Political Rights: 6
Civil Liberties: 6 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed 38.27% Mobile 93.38% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)