Getting To Know Iran, A Country That Humiliates Israel

Comparison of mainland Iran with several countries (Theruesize)

JAKARTA - Iran, which has an area that stretches from the Kaspia Sea in the north to Oman Bay in the south, is now in the spotlight and international attention. Especially after Israel carried out an attack on the second largest country in the Middle East on June 13.

Iran's landscape varies as has its history, with major access to critical waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, where 20 percent of world oil flows. With a population of 92 million, Iran is the 17th largest country in the world by population and land area. Iran's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) is $418bn, ranking 36th in terms of economic size. It has an unemployment rate of about 7.2 percent.

The adult literacy rate in the country is 89 percent, with youth literates approaching 99 percent, although this rate varies between rural and urban areas. Reporting from Aljazeera, the country is rich in oil and gas, ranking as the ninth largest oil producer in the world and the third largest natural gas producer.

Iran is the second largest country in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia and the 17th largest in the world, covering about 1.65 million square kilometers (636,000 square miles). Iran covers about a sixth of the equivalent mainland region in the United States, nearly as large as the state of Alaska.

It is about a sixth European size, about a fifth of Australia's size, roughly half India's size and about 80 times larger than Israel's.

Three Big Cities In Iran

With 9.6 million people, Tehran has been the capital city since 1795 and is the country's largest city. Located under the Alborz Mountains, Tehran's history has existed for more than 6,000 years.

Mashhad, in the northeast, is the second largest city in Iran with 3.4 million people and history spanning more than 1,200 years. It is a major religious and cultural center and is home to the Imam Reza Temple, which carries millions of pilgrims from around the world.

Isfahan, the third-largest city, is home to about 2.3 million people. More than 2,500 years, the city was once the capital of the Safawi Empire, which runs from 1501 to 1722. Isfahan hosted the main educational institution and is the center of textiles, steel and manufacturing, along with the nuclear and aerospace industries.

Iran is dominated by Shia Muslims, forming about 90 percent of the population, while Sunni Muslims and other Muslim sects account for about 9 percent. The remaining 1 percent includes about 300,000 Baha'i, 300,000 Christians, 35,000 Zoroasters, 20,000 Jews, and 10,000 Sabane Mandean according to Minority Rights Group.