# Geognos Data Export: Middle East
Generated: 2026-02-14T06:35:33.925Z

## Armenia
**Slug:** armenia
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇦🇲
**Codes:** cek: am, iso2: AM, iso3: ARM, iso_num: 051, genc: ARM, stanag: ARM, internet: .am

### Introduction

**Background:**
Armenia prides itself on being the first state to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Armenia has existed as a political entity for centuries, but for much of its history it was under the sway of various empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, Ottoman, and Russian. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire instituted a policy of forced resettlement that, coupled with other harsh practices targeting its Armenian subjects, resulted in at least 1 million deaths; these actions have been widely recognized as constituting genocide. During the early 19th century, significant Armenian populations fell under Russian rule. Armenia declared its independence in 1918 in the wake of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, but it was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenia, along with Azerbaijan and Georgia, was initially incorporated into the USSR as part of the Transcaucasian Federated Soviet Socialist Republic; in 1936, the republic was separated into its three constituent entities, which were maintained until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
For over three decades, Armenia had a longstanding conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan about the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which historically had a mixed Armenian and Azerbaijani population, although ethnic Armenians have constituted the majority since the late 19th century. In 1921, Moscow placed Nagorno-Karabakh within Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed that sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a cease-fire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a second military conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020; Armenia lost control over much of the territory it had previously captured, returning the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the territories around it to Azerbaijan. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain control over Nagorno-Karabakh; after an armed conflict that lasted only one day, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during the first period of conflict with Armenia and has since maintained a closed border, leaving Armenia with closed borders both in the west (with Turkey) and east (with Azerbaijan). Armenia and Turkey engaged in intensive diplomacy to normalize relations and open the border in 2009, but the signed agreement was not ratified in either country. In 2015, Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union alongside Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU.
In 2018, former President of Armenia (2008-18) Serzh SARGSIAN of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) tried to extend his time in power, prompting protests that became known as the “Velvet Revolution.” After SARGSIAN resigned, the National Assembly elected the leader of the protests, Civil Contract party chief Nikol PASHINYAN, as the new prime minister. PASHINYAN’s party has prevailed in subsequent legislative elections, most recently in 2021.

### Geography

**Location:**
Southwestern Asia, between Turkey (to the west) and Azerbaijan; note - Armenia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both

**Geographic coordinates:**
40 00 N, 45 00 E

**Map references:**
Asia

**Area:**
total : 29,743 sq km
land: 28,203 sq km
water: 1,540 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly smaller than Maryland

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,570 km
border countries (4): Azerbaijan 996 km; Georgia 219 km; Iran 44 km; Turkey 311 km

**Coastline:**
0 km (landlocked)

**Maritime claims:**
none (landlocked)

**Climate:**
highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

**Terrain:**
Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

**Elevation:**
highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
lowest point: Debed River 400 m
mean elevation: 1,792 m

**Natural resources:**
small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 58.6% (2023 est.)
arable land: 15.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 11.8% (2023 est.)
other: 13.5% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
1,559 sq km (2022)

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
fresh water lake(s): Lake Sevan - 1,360 sq km

**Population distribution:**
most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second-largest city in the country

**Natural hazards:**
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

**Geography - note:**
landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 2,963,837 (2025 est.)
male: 1,451,842
female: 1,511,995

**Nationality:**
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian

**Ethnic groups:**
Armenian 98.1%, Yezidi 1.1%; less than 1%: Russian, other, Assyrian, Kurd, Ukrainian, Greek (2022 est.)

**Languages:**
Armenian 97.2%, Russian 1.4%, Ezidian 1.0%; less than 1%: other, unknown (2022)
major-language sample(s):
Աշխարհի Փաստագիրք, Անփոխարինելի Աղբյւր Հիմնական Տեղեկատվւթյան. (Armenian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Armenian Apostolic 95.2%, not stated 1.7%; less than 1%: Catholic, no religion, Evangelical, Shar-fadinian, other, Armenian Orthodox, Jehovah's Witness, Pagan, Molokan (2022 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 275,589/female 250,630)
15-64 years: 67% (male 991,490/female 1,004,101)
65 years and over: 15.3% (2024 est.) (male 189,336/female 265,619)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 26.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 39.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 37.6 years
female: 40.3 years

**Population growth rate:**
-0.45% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
10.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-5.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second-largest city in the country

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 63.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
1.095 million YEREVAN (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Mother's mean age at first birth:**
25.2 years (2019 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
19 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.4 years
female: 80.1 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.8 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
12.3% of GDP (2021)
6.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
3.36 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

**Hospital bed density:**
4.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 84.6% of population (2022 est.)
total: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 15.4% of population (2022 est.)
total: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
20.2% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 3.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 21.5% (2025 est.)
male: 47.6% (2025 est.)
female: 1.6% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.6% (2016 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
61.5% (2022 est.)

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 0% (2016)
women married by age 18: 5.3% (2016)
men married by age 18: 0.4% (2016)

**Education expenditure:**
2.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
8.7% national budget (2025 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 99.8% (2023 est.)
male: 99.8% (2023 est.)
female: 99.9% (2023 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 14 years (2023 est.)
male: 14 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
soil pollution from toxic chemicals; deforestation; river pollution; threats to drinking water supplies from use of hydropower; nuclear power plant located in earthquake zone

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

**Climate:**
highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 58.6% (2023 est.)
arable land: 15.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 11.8% (2023 est.)
other: 13.5% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 63.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
7.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 48,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.934 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 5.162 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
28.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 492,800 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.5% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 542 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 150 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 2.38 billion cubic meters (2022)

**Total renewable water resources:**
7.769 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic
etymology: the etymology of the country's name remains obscure; according to tradition, the local name for the country, Hayastan, comes from Hayk, the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah; the name Armenia was first recorded in a rock inscription from A.D. 521 in modern-day Iran

**Government type:**
parliamentary democracy; note - constitutional changes adopted in December 2015 transformed the government to a parliamentary system

**Capital:**
name: Yerevan
geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: name origin is unclear; it may derive from the name of a local ethnic group, or from the ancient fortress of Erebuni that was built on the current site of Yerevan in 782 B.C.

**Administrative divisions:**
11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

**Legal system:**
civil law system

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires approval by the president, the National Assembly, and a referendum with at least 25% registered-voter participation and more than 50% of votes; constitutional articles on the form of government and democratic procedures are not amendable

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Armenia
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (since 13 March 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 10 September 2021)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly in 3 rounds, if needed, for a single 7-year term; prime minister indirectly elected by majority vote in two rounds, if needed, by the National Assembly
most recent election date: 3 March 2022
election results:
2022: Vahagn KHACHATURYAN elected president in second round; note - Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (independent) ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 71-0
2018: Armen SARKISSIAN elected president in first round; note - Armen SARKISSIAN (indpendent) ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 90-10
expected date of next election: 2029

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: National Assembly (Azgayin Zhoghov)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 107 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 6/20/2021
parties elected and seats per party: Civil Contract Party (71); Armenia Alliance (29); I Have the Honour Alliance (7)
percentage of women in chamber: 38.3%
expected date of next election: June 2026
note 1: additional seats allocated as necessary; the numbers usually change with each parliamentary convocation
note 2: four mandates are reserved for national minorities; no more than 70% of the top membership of a party list can belong to the same sex; political parties must meet a 5% threshold and alliances a 7% threshold to win seats; at least three parties must be seated in the Parliament

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Appeals Court (consists of the Criminal Chamber with a chairman and 5 judges and the Civil and Administrative Chamber with a chairman and 10 judges – with both civil and administrative specializations); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body of selected judges and legal scholars; judges appointed by the president; judges can serve until age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 4 appointed by the president, and 5 elected by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70
subordinate courts: criminal and civil appellate courts; administrative appellate court; first instance courts; specialized administrative and bankruptcy courts

**Political parties:**
Armenia Alliance or HD
Armenian National Congress or ANC
Bright Armenia or BA
Civil Contract or KP
Hanrapetutyun Party or HP
Heritage
I Have Honor Alliance (formerly known as the Republican Party of Armenia) PUD
Orinats Yerkir or OY
Prosperous Armenia or PAP

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Narek MKRTCHYAN (since 19 September 2025)
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
email address and website: armembassyusa@mfa.am
https://usa.mfa.am/en/
consulate(s) general: Glendale (CA)

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David ALLEN (since 16 January 2026)
embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082
mailing address: 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone: [374] (10) 464-700
FAX: [374] (10) 464-742
email address and website: acsyerevan@state.gov
https://am.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 321 B.C. (Kingdom of Armenia established under the Orontid Dynasty), A.D. 884 (Armenian Kingdom reestablished under the Bagratid Dynasty); 1198 (Cilician Kingdom established); 28 May 1918 (Democratic Republic of Armenia declared)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange
meaning: red stands for the blood shed for liberty, blue for the Armenian skies and hope, and orange for the land and the courage of the workers who farm it

**National symbol(s):**
Mount Ararat, eagle, lion

**National color(s):**
red, blue, orange

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Mer Hayrenik" (Our Fatherland)
lyrics/music: Mikael NALBANDIAN/Barsegh KANACHYAN
history: adopted 1991; based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922), but with different lyrics

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (3 cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin; Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley; Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
upper-middle income, fast-growing Caucasus economy; stable fiscal and monetary regime but vulnerable to geopolitical shocks; economic and energy ties to Russia but seeking more EU and US trade; key copper and gold exporter; business-friendly and anti-corruption reforms; persistent unemployment; influx of migrants from Ukraine war easing

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$60.909 billion (2024 est.)
$57.516 billion (2023 est.)
$53.108 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
5.9% (2024 est.)
8.3% (2023 est.)
12.6% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$20,100 (2024 est.)
$19,400 (2023 est.)
$17,900 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$25.787 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
0.3% (2024 est.)
2% (2023 est.)
8.6% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 7.9% (2024 est.)
industry: 23.2% (2024 est.)
services: 61.5% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 66.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 10.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.5% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 76.3% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -75.8% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
milk, potatoes, grapes, vegetables, wheat, tomatoes, watermelons, apricots, apples, barley (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
brandy, mining, diamond processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging and pressing machines, electric motors, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry, software, food processing

**Industrial production growth rate:**
6.2% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
1.51 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
13.4% (2024 est.)
13.3% (2023 est.)
13.4% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 26.2% (2024 est.)
male: 24.8% (2024 est.)
female: 27.9% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Population below poverty line:**
24.8% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
27.2 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 4% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 22.9% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
4.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
6% of GDP (2023 est.)
10.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $5.812 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $6.27 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
48.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
22.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
-$997.086 million (2024 est.)
-$556.329 million (2023 est.)
$64.725 million (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$18.618 billion (2024 est.)
$14.338 billion (2023 est.)
$10.118 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
Russia 37%, UAE 25%, Hong Kong 7%, China 5%, Georgia 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
gold, diamonds, copper ore, broadcasting equipment, jewelry (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$19.087 billion (2024 est.)
$14.532 billion (2023 est.)
$10.265 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
Russia 29%, China 12%, Vietnam 6%, Georgia 5%, Iran 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, gold, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$3.685 billion (2024 est.)
$3.607 billion (2023 est.)
$4.112 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$6.002 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
drams (AMD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
392.73 (2024 est.)
392.476 (2023 est.)
435.666 (2022 est.)
503.77 (2021 est.)
489.009 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 4.265 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 7.012 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 1.3 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 194.045 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 530.327 million kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 43% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 29% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 19% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Nuclear energy:**
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.42GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 31.1% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025)

**Coal:**
production: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 24 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 23,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 317 million metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

**Natural gas:**
consumption: 2.631 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.631 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
54.689 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 297,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 4.01 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
government-run Public Television network operates alongside 100 privately owned TV stations that provide local to near-nationwide coverage; three Russian TV companies are broadcast under interstate agreements; subscription cable TV services are available in most regions; several major international broadcasters are available, including CNN; Armenian TV completed conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in 2016; Public Radio of Armenia is a national, state-run broadcast network that operates alongside 18 privately owned radio stations (2024)

**Internet country code:**
.am

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 546,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
EK

**Airports:**
11 (2025)

**Heliports:**
1 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 686 km (2017)

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Armenian Republic Armed Forces: Armenian Army (includes land, air, air defense forces) (2025)
note: the Police of the Republic of Armenia is responsible for internal security, while the National Security Service is responsible for national security, intelligence activities, and border control

**Military expenditures:**
5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
5.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
4.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
5% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 40-50,000 active Armenian Armed Forces (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the military's inventory includes mostly Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years however, Armenia has looked to other countries besides Russia to provide military hardware, including France and India (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-27 for voluntary (men and women), contract (men and women) or compulsory (men) military service; contract military service is 3-12 months or up to 5 years; conscripts serve 24 months; all citizens aged 27-50 are registered in the military reserve and may be called to serve if mobilization is declared (2025)
note: in 2023, Armenia approved six-month voluntary service for women, after which they have the option to switch to a five-year contract; previously, women served on a contract basis; as of 2021, women made up about 10% of the active-duty military

**Military - note:**
the Armenian Armed Forces were officially established in 1992, although their origins go back to 1918; the modern military’s missions include deterrence, territorial defense, crisis management, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response, as well as socio-economic development projects; territorial defense is its primary focus, particularly in regards to tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan; Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in open conflicts over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in 1991-94 and 2020; Azerbaijan seized the entire enclave in 2023
Armenia has traditionally had close military ties with Russia; it has been a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and committed troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force until suspending its engagement in 2024; Armenia has relations with NATO going back to 1992 when Armenia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council; in 1994, it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program and has contributed to the NATO force in Kosovo, as well as the former NATO deployment in Afghanistan (2025)

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 145,354 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 4 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 373 (2024 est.)

---

## Azerbaijan
**Slug:** azerbaijan
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇦🇿
**Codes:** cek: aj, iso2: AZ, iso3: AZE, iso_num: 031, genc: AZE, stanag: AZE, internet: .az

### Introduction

**Background:**
Azerbaijan -- a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population -- was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades.
Beginning in 1988, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was populated largely by ethnic Armenians but incorporated into Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast in the early 1920s. In the late Soviet period, an ethnic-Armenian separatist movement sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. After decades of cease-fire violations and sporadic flare-ups, a second sustained conflict began in 2020 when Azerbaijan tried to win back the territories it had lost in the 1990s. After significant Azerbaijani gains, Armenia returned the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories to Azerbaijan. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh; after a conflict that lasted only one day, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia.
Since gaining its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has significantly reduced the poverty rate and has directed some revenue from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the country’s political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism. The country’s leadership has remained in the ALIYEV family since Heydar ALIYEV, the most highly ranked Azerbaijani member of the Communist Party during the Soviet period, became president during the first Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1993.

### Geography

**Location:**
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

**Geographic coordinates:**
40 30 N, 47 30 E

**Map references:**
Asia

**Area:**
total : 86,600 sq km
land: 82,629 sq km
water: 3,971 sq km
note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the final status of the region has yet to be determined

**Area - comparative:**
about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine

**Land boundaries:**
total: 2,468 km
border countries (5): Armenia 996 km; Georgia 428 km; Iran 689 km; Russia 338 km; Turkey 17 km

**Coastline:**
0 km (landlocked)
note: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)

**Maritime claims:**
none (landlocked)

**Climate:**
dry, semiarid steppe

**Terrain:**
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

**Elevation:**
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
mean elevation: 384 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 57.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 14.4% (2023 est.)
other: 27.7% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
14,693 sq km (2022)

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km

**Population distribution:**
highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population

**Natural hazards:**
droughts

**Geography - note:**
both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 10,694,370 (2025 est.)
male: 5,354,376
female: 5,339,994

**Nationality:**
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani

**Ethnic groups:**
Azerbaijani 94.8%, other 1.8%; less than 1%: Talish, Russian, Avar, Sakhur, Tartar, Georgian, Jewish, Kurd
(2019 est.)
note: Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan on the basis of the borders recognized when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, was populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians; Azerbaijan has over 80 ethnic groups

**Languages:**
Azerbaijani 96.1%, other 1.4%; less than 1%: Russian, Avar, Talyshi, Turkish, Tatar, Sakhur, Tat, Ukrainian, Georgian, Hebrew (2019 est.)
major-language sample(s):
Dünya fakt kitabı, əsas məlumatlar üçün əvəz olunmaz mənbədir (Azerbaijani)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: Russian is widely spoken

**Religions:**
Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.)
note: religious affiliation for the majority of Azerbaijanis is largely nominal, percentages for actual practicing adherents are probably much lower

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 1,269,241/female 1,104,529)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 3,659,441/female 3,656,493)
65 years and over: 9% (2024 est.) (male 401,551/female 558,984)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 45.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 31.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 14 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 7.1 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 34.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 32.8 years
female: 36 years

**Population growth rate:**
0.4% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
11.13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 57.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh

**Major urban areas - population:**
2.432 million BAKU (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Mother's mean age at first birth:**
24 years (2019 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.5 years
female: 78.6 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.69 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.79 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 94.5% of population (2022 est.)
total: 97.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 5.5% of population (2022 est.)
total: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
4.7% of GDP (2021)
4.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
3.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

**Hospital bed density:**
3.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
19.9% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 18.4% (2025 est.)
male: 37.9% (2025 est.)
female: 0.1% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
3% (2023 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
59.7% (2019 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
11.9% national budget (2025 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 99.8% (2023 est.)
male: 99.8% (2023 est.)
female: 99.7% (2023 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 13 years (2023 est.)
female: 13 years (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution from oil spills, pesticides, and toxic defoliants used in producing cotton; surface and underground water pollution from untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural run-off

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
dry, semiarid steppe

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 57.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 14.4% (2023 est.)
other: 27.7% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 57.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
38.892 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 17,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 13.954 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 24.921 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 268.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 188.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 93.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 1 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.93 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.4% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 408 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 598 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 11.962 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
34.675 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: Azarbaycan
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology: the name can be translated as "Fire Keeper" or "The Land of Fire," from the local word azer, or "fire," and baydjan, a word derived from the Iranian word baykan, or "guardian;" may refer to fire worshippers who lived in the region

**Government type:**
presidential republic

**Capital:**
name: Baku (Baki, Baky)
geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time
etymology: the name may derive from the Old Persian word badkuba, meaning "windward" and referring to its windy location on the shore of the Caspian Sea
note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world

**Administrative divisions:**
66 districts (rayonlar; singular - rayon), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular)
districts: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab
cities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax

**Legal system:**
civil law system

**Constitution:**
history: several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least 63 members of the National Assembly; passage requires at least 95 votes of Assembly members in two separate readings of the draft amendment six months apart and requires presidential approval after each of the two Assembly votes, followed by presidential signature; constitutional articles on the authority, sovereignty, and unity of the people cannot be amended

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Ali ASADOV (since 8 October 2019)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds (if needed) for a 7-year term; a single individual is eligible for unlimited terms; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
most recent election date: 7 February 2024
election results:
2024: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 92.1%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 2.2%; on 16 February 2024, Ali ASADOV reappointed prime minister by parliamentary vote, 105-1
2018: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 86%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 3.1%, other 10.9%
expected date of next election: 2031

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: National Assembly (Milli Majlis)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 125 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 9/1/2024
parties elected and seats per party: New Azerbaidjan Party (YAP) (68); Independents (44); Other (13)
percentage of women in chamber: 20.8%
expected date of next election: November 2029

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, vice chairman, and 23 judges in plenum sessions and organized into civil, economic affairs, criminal, and rights violations chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis; judges appointed for 10 years; Constitutional Court chairman and deputy chairman appointed by the president; other court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis to serve single 15-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (replaced the Economic Court in 2002); district and municipal courts

**Political parties:**
Azerbaijan Hope Party or ÜMİD
Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party or ADMP
Azerbaijan National Independence Party or AMİP
Civic Solidarity Party or VHP
Democratic Reforms Party or DiP
Great Order Party or BAP
Justice, Law, Democracy Party or ƏHD
Great Order Party or BQP
Motherland Party or AVP
National Front Party or MCP
National Revival Movement Party or MDHP
New Azerbaijan Party or YAP
Republican Alternative Party or REAL
Unity Party or VƏHDƏT

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Khazar IBRAHIM (since 15 September 2021)
chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911
email address and website:
azerbaijan@azembassy.us
https://washington.mfa.gov.az/en
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Amy CARLON (since 23 June 2025)
embassy: 111 Azadlig Avenue, AZ1007 Baku
mailing address: 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
telephone: [994] (12) 488-3300
FAX: [994] (12) 488-3330
email address and website:
BakuACS@state.gov
https://az.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

**Independence:**
30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)

**National holiday:**
Republic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), red, and green; a vertical crescent moon and an eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band
meaning: the blue band stands for Azerbaijan's Turkic heritage, red for modernization and progress, and green for Islam; the crescent moon and star are a Turkic insignia; the eight star points represent the eight Turkic peoples of the world

**National symbol(s):**
flames of fire

**National color(s):**
blue, red, green

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Azerbaijan Marsi" (March of Azerbaijan)
lyrics/music: Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV
history: adopted 1992; originally written in 1919 during a brief period of independence, but did not become the official anthem until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Walled City of Baku; Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape; Historic Center of Sheki; Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and "Koc Yolu" Transhumance Route

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
upper-middle income, oil-dependent Caucasus economy; minimal economic diversification and dominance of state-owned enterprises; growth and fiscal consolidation supported by oil revenues, but risks remain from demand shocks; potential economic gains from Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire; education investments to diversify and retain human capital

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$225.198 billion (2024 est.)
$216.388 billion (2023 est.)
$213.497 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
4.1% (2024 est.)
1.4% (2023 est.)
4.7% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$22,100 (2024 est.)
$21,300 (2023 est.)
$21,100 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$74.316 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
2.2% (2024 est.)
8.8% (2023 est.)
13.9% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 5.7% (2024 est.)
industry: 42.6% (2024 est.)
services: 42.3% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 55.4% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 14.4% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.8% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 4.3% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 45.9% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -36.8% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, apples, maize, cotton (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

**Industrial production growth rate:**
2.1% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
5.02 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
5.6% (2024 est.)
5.7% (2023 est.)
5.7% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 13.7% (2024 est.)
male: 12.3% (2024 est.)
female: 15.3% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 42.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
5% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $30.966 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $22.95 billion (2022 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
16.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
15.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
$4.671 billion (2024 est.)
$8.329 billion (2023 est.)
$23.478 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$34.113 billion (2024 est.)
$35.487 billion (2023 est.)
$47.274 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
Italy 37%, Turkey 19%, Israel 5%, Greece 4%, Russia 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, plastics, electricity (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$27.339 billion (2024 est.)
$25.016 billion (2023 est.)
$21.274 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
Russia 17%, China 16%, Turkey 14%, Georgia 4%, Germany 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$12.699 billion (2024 est.)
$13.749 billion (2023 est.)
$11.338 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$12.378 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1.7 (2024 est.)
1.7 (2023 est.)
1.7 (2022 est.)
1.7 (2021 est.)
1.7 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 8.383 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 23.857 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 3.246 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 212 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 2.197 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 93.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 6,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 10,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 618,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 109,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 7 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 35.775 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 12.703 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 23.65 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.173 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.699 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
66.467 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 1.33 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 11.3 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
TV is the most popular medium; many homes are hooked up to satellite; all Azerbaijan-based channels promote government positions; state-owned AzTV runs three national channels, and state-funded iTV is a national public service broadcaster; 4 national privately-owned stations; Turkish, Russian, and western TV is available on cable; analog terrestrial TV was phased out in 2016-17; radio outlets focus on entertainment, with around a dozen stations on FM in Baku; newspaper distribution is largely limited to Baku (2023)

**Internet country code:**
.az

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 2.15 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
4K

**Airports:**
32 (2025)

**Heliports:**
5 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 2,944.3 km (2017)
broad gauge: 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 312 (2023)
by type: general cargo 40, oil tanker 44, other 228

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Azerbaijan Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Navy Forces, Special Forces, State Border Service, Coast Guard
Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, local police forces; Special State Protection Service (SSPS): National Guard (2025)
note: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service (intelligence, counterterrorism) are responsible for internal security; the SSPS is under the president and provides protective services to senior officials, foreign missions, significant state assets, government buildings, etc; the National Guard also serves as a reserve for the Army

**Military expenditures:**
5.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
5% of GDP (2021 est.)
5% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
information varies widely; estimated 100,000 active Armed Forces personnel (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
Baku has been actively upgrading the military's inventory for over a decade with equipment acquisitions from several sources, including Belarus, China, Israel, Russia, and Türkiye; while most of the military's equipment was once Soviet-era material, it now fields quantities of modern armaments, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems, fighter aircraft, tanks, and UAVs (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 18-35 years of age voluntary/contractual service for men (18-40 for women volunteers); 18 months service for conscripts, 36 months for voluntary/contractual service (2025)

**Military - note:**
the Azerbaijani military was established in 1991, although its origins go back to 1918; territorial defense is the military’s primary focus, particularly with regards to neighboring Armenia; Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in open conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in 1991-94 and 2020; Azerbaijan seized the entire enclave in 2023; a secondary focus for the military is guarding against Iran
key bilateral security relationships include Israel, Russia, and Turkiye; Azerbaijan's ties with Turkiye have included weapons transfers, technical advice, bilateral training exercises, and military support during its conflicts with Armenia; Azerbaijan is not part of NATO but has had a cooperative relationship with it dating back to when it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has provided troops to NATO-led missions in Kosovo (1999-2008) and Afghanistan (2002-2014) (2025)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos; established 2010 as a state-owned satellite operating company); Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency (NASA; Azərbaycan Milli Aerokosmik Agentliyi, MAKA; established 1992; since 2006, has operated under the Ministry of Defense Industry) (2025)

**Space program overview:**
largely focused on the acquisition and operation of satellites; operates foreign-built communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of China, the ESA (bilaterally with individual member states such as France), Israel, Russia, Turkey, and the US; Azercosmos is the largest satellite operator in the Caucasus region (2025)

**Key space-program milestones:**
2013 - first communications satellite (Azerspace-1) built by US company and launched on European rocket
2014 - took operational control over remote sensing (RS) satellite (SPOT-7, now Azersky) from a French company (satellite ceased operations in 2023)
2017 - second communications satellite (Azerspace-2) built by US company and launched on European rocket
2023 - agreed to participate in China's International Lunar Research Station Cooperation project, which aims to establish a base on the Moon in the 2030s; signed agreement with Israel to jointly develop two multi-spectral RS satellites (Azersky-2 program) for scheduled launches in 2026 and 2028 (2025)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 6,698 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 657,996 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 271 (2024 est.)

---

## Bahrain
**Slug:** bahrain
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇧🇭
**Codes:** cek: ba, iso2: BH, iso3: BHR, iso_num: 048, genc: BHR, stanag: BHR, internet: .bh

### Introduction

**Background:**
In 1783, the Sunni AL-KHALIFA family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2022, the United States designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally.
The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its Shia-majority population. In 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government responded to similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the US-brokered Abraham Accords with Israel. In 2023, Bahrain and the United States signed the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement to enhance cooperation across a wide range of areas, from defense and security to emerging technology, trade, and investment.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

**Geographic coordinates:**
26 00 N, 50 33 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 760 sq km
land: 760 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

**Land boundaries:**
total: 0 km

**Coastline:**
161 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

**Climate:**
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

**Terrain:**
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

**Elevation:**
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

**Natural resources:**
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.)
arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.)
forest: 4.3% (2023 est.)
other: 84.2% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
40 sq km (2012)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq

**Natural hazards:**
periodic droughts; dust storms

**Geography - note:**
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 1,579,544 (2025 est.)
male: 945,265
female: 634,279

**Nationality:**
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini

**Ethnic groups:**
Bahraini 47.4%, Asian 43.4%, other Arab 4.9%, African 1.4%, North American 1.1%, Gulf Co-operative countries 0.9%, European 0.8%, other 0.1% (2020 est.)

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 74.2%, other 25.9% (2020 est)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 143,399/female 139,667)
15-64 years: 77.7% (male 762,190/female 454,616)
65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 34,433/female 32,583)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 29.1 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 23.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 17 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 33.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 34.6 years
female: 31.2 years

**Population growth rate:**
0.79% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
12.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
2.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
709,000 MANAMA (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 80.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.1 years
female: 82.7 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.81 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
4.3% of GDP (2021)
8.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
0.74 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
29.8% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 1.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 17.3% (2025 est.)
male: 24.3% (2025 est.)
female: 4.8% (2025 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
56.4% (2020 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
8.3% national budget (2025 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 97.8% (2024 est.)
male: 98.7% (2024 est.)
female: 96.3% (2024 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 16 years (2023 est.)
male: 15 years (2023 est.)
female: 17 years (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
desertification; drought; coastal degradation from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources; saline contamination from lowered water table

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.)
arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.)
forest: 4.3% (2023 est.)
other: 84.2% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
47.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: -1,401 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 8.825 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 38.995 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
51.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 165.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 0.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 163.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 1.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 951,900 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.1% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 275.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 14.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 144.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
116 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, State of Bahrain
etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies on each side of the archipelago

**Government type:**
constitutional monarchy

**Capital:**
name: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: name derives from the Arabic word al-manama, meaning "place of rest" or "place of dreams"

**Administrative divisions:**
4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)

**Legal system:**
mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1973; latest adopted 14 February 2002, entry into force 14 February 2002
amendment process: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and "inherited rule" cannot be amended

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals

**Suffrage:**
20 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: National Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Watani)
legislative structure: bicameral

**Legislative branch - lower chamber:**
chamber name: Council of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab)
number of seats: 40 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/12/2022 to 11/19/2022
percentage of women in chamber: 20%
expected date of next election: November 2026

**Legislative branch - upper chamber:**
chamber name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)
number of seats: 40 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/27/2022
percentage of women in chamber: 25%
expected date of next election: November 2026

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Court of Cassation (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointments by royal decree for a specified tenure
subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court; Administrative Courts of Appeal; military courts
note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts (involving personal status and family law) are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim; the Courts are supervised by the Supreme Judicial Council.

**Political parties:**
note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulla bin Rashed AL KHALIFA (since 21 July 2017)
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
email address and website:
ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org
https://www.mofa.gov.bh/Default.aspx?language=en-US&tabid=7702
consulate(s) general: New York

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Stephanie HALLETT (since 19 December 2025); Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth A. LITCHFIELD
embassy: Building 979, Road 3119, Block 331, Zinj District, P.O. Box 26431, Manama
mailing address: 6210 Manama Place, Washington DC 20521-6210
telephone: [973] 17-242700
FAX: [973] 17-272594
email address and website:
ManamaConsular@state.gov
https://bh.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
15 August 1971 (from the UK)

**National holiday:**
National Day, 16 December (1971)
note: 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection

**Flag:**
description: red, with a white serrated band of five white points on the left side
meaning: red is the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
history: until 2002, the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag

**National symbol(s):**
a white serrated band with five white points on top of a red field

**National color(s):**
red, white

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Bahrainona" (Our Bahrain)
lyrics/music: unknown
history: adopted 1971; Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, but they were changed in 2002 after Bahrain became a kingdom

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Dilmun Burial Mounds; Qal'at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun; Bahrain Pearling Path

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
high-income, growing Middle Eastern island economy; oil and aluminum exporter with diversification led by services, construction and manufacturing; regional finance and tourism hub; high public debt linked to oil revenue dependence and limited tax base; vulnerable to water reservoir depletion

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$93.937 billion (2024 est.)
$91.185 billion (2023 est.)
$87.781 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
3% (2024 est.)
3.9% (2023 est.)
6.2% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$59,100 (2024 est.)
$57,800 (2023 est.)
$57,600 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$47.737 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
0.9% (2024 est.)
0.1% (2023 est.)
3.6% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.)
industry: 43.4% (2023 est.)
services: 51.9% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 38.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 14.6% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 27.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.8% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 87.4% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -70.1% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
lamb/mutton, dates, milk, tomatoes, chicken, eggs, sheep offal, sheepskins, eggplants, chillies/peppers (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism

**Industrial production growth rate:**
0.1% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
913,300 (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
1.2% (2024 est.)
1.2% (2023 est.)
1.4% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 5.2% (2024 est.)
male: 2.5% (2024 est.)
female: 12.4% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 13.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $5.538 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $9.982 billion (2020 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
111.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
2.8% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
$2.282 billion (2024 est.)
$2.699 billion (2023 est.)
$6.839 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$41.303 billion (2024 est.)
$40.344 billion (2023 est.)
$44.58 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
UAE 16%, Saudi Arabia 15%, South Africa 8%, USA 6%, India 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore, aluminum wire, jewelry (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$33.044 billion (2024 est.)
$32.374 billion (2023 est.)
$33.066 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 13%, Saudi Arabia 12%, UAE 11%, Brazil 8%, Australia 7% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
iron ore, aluminum oxide, ships, cars, gold (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$4.949 billion (2024 est.)
$5.118 billion (2023 est.)
$4.775 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.376 (2024 est.)
0.376 (2023 est.)
0.376 (2022 est.)
0.376 (2021 est.)
0.376 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 7.031 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 35.09 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 467.898 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 480.883 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.093 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
exports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 190,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 72,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 186.5 million barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 19.55 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 19.878 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 81.98 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 81.383 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
554.202 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 256,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 2.56 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 160 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 6 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station has broadcasts for Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2023)

**Internet country code:**
.bh

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 268,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
A9C

**Airports:**
3 (2025)

**Heliports:**
8 (2025)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 184 (2023)
by type: general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 169

**Ports:**
total ports: 4 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 3
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Al Manamah, Khalifa Bin Salman, Mina Salman, Sitrah

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force
Ministry of Interior: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard (2025)
note 1: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy
note 2: the Ministry of Interior is responsible for internal security and oversees police and specialized security units responsible for maintaining internal order; the National Guard's primary mission is to guard critical infrastructure such as the airport and oil fields and is a back-up to the police; the Guard is under the Ministry of Interior but reports directly to the king

**Military expenditures:**
3% of GDP (2024 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
information varies; approximately 10,000 active Bahrain Defense Force; approximately 3,000 National Guard (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the military's inventory is comprised of mostly older US armaments alongside smaller quantities from other countries, such as France, Germany, Turkey, and the UK (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-55 to voluntarily join the reserves (2025)

**Military - note:**
the BDF (established 1968) is responsible for territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft
Bahrain’s closest security partners are Saudi Arabia and the US; Bahraini leaders have said that the security ties of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5th Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; Bahrain also has close security ties with the UK, which maintains a naval support facility there
Bahrain hosts the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Unified Maritime Operations Center and is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
Bahrain Space Agency (BSA; established 2014) (2025)

**Space program overview:**
focuses on promoting space research and science, applying space-related technologies, and building capacity in the fields of satellite manufacturing, tracking, control, data processing and analysis, and remote sensing; cooperates with a variety of foreign agencies and commercial entities, including those of India, Italy, Japan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the UAE, and the US; also a member of the Arab Space Coordination Group (2025)

**Key space-program milestones:**
2022 - first scientific nanosatellite (Light-1 CubeSat) built with assistance from the UAE and launched by Japan; joined US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration
2023 - first domestically built technology-demonstrator nanosatellite (Kuwait Sat-1) launched by US
2025 - first domestically built remote-sensing nanosatellite (Al Munther) launched by US

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force
note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
note 2: in addition to the al-Ashtar Brigades and the IRGC/Qods Force, Saraya al-Mukhtar (aka The Mukhtar Brigade) is an Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Bahrain, reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from the IRGC; Saraya al-Mukhtar's self-described goal is to depose the Bahraini Government with the intention of paving the way for Iran to exert greater influence in Bahrain; the group was designated by the US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in Dec 2020

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 371 (2024 est.)

---

## Gaza Strip
**Slug:** gaza-strip
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇵🇸
**Codes:** cek: gz, iso2: PS, iso3: PSE, iso_num: 275, genc: XGZ, stanag: PSE, internet: .ps, comment: ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

### Introduction

**Background:**
The Gaza Strip has been under the de facto governing authority of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) since 2007 and has faced years of conflict, poverty, and humanitarian crises. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip area has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo Accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank.
In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began in response to perceived Israeli provocations, and in 2001, negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel in 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land borders, maritime territorial waters, cyberspace, telecommunications, and airspace. In 2006, HAMAS won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. Since HAMAS's takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since negotiated a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them.
Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and the Israel Defense Forces periodically exchange projectiles and air strikes, respectively, threatening broader conflict. In 2021, HAMAS launched rockets into Israel, sparking an 11-day conflict that also involved other Gaza-based militant groups. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process negotiated ceasefires, averting a broader conflict. Since 2018, HAMAS has coordinated demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel security fence. HAMAS has also stood by while other militant groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, fought brief conflicts with Israel, most recently in August 2022 and May 2023.
On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants inside the Gaza Strip launched a combined unguided rocket and ground attack into Israel. The attack began with a barrage of more than 3,000 rockets fired toward Israel from Gaza, and included thousands of terrorists infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air via paragliders. Militants attacked military bases, clashed with security forces mostly in southern Israel, and simultaneously infiltrated civilian communities. During the attack, terrorists carried out massacres and murdered civilians, including torture, acts of abuse and rape, a massacre at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, as well as kidnapping approximately 240 civilians, including men, women, children, and soldiers. These attacks were followed soon after by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) air strikes inside Gaza. The next day, Israeli Prime Minister NETANYAHU formally declared war on Gaza. The IDF on 28 October launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza that is ongoing as of April 2024.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

**Geographic coordinates:**
31 25 N, 34 20 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.

**Land boundaries:**
total: 72 km
border countries (2): Egypt 13 km; Israel 59 km

**Coastline:**
40 km

**Maritime claims:**
see entry for Israel

**Climate:**
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

**Terrain:**
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

**Elevation:**
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

**Natural resources:**
arable land, natural gas

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.)
arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.8% (2023 est.)
other: 32.1% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
(2013) 151 sq km; note - includes the West Bank

**Population distribution:**
population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north

**Natural hazards:**
droughts

**Geography - note:**
once a strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 2,184,652 (2025 est.)
male: 1,108,222
female: 1,076,430

**Ethnic groups:**
Palestinian Arab

**Languages:**
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.)
note: Israel dismantled its settlements in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 38.8% (male 427,450/female 404,288)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 627,235/female 620,903)
65 years and over: 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 31,655/female 30,112)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 69.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 64.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 19.9 years (2025 est.)
male: 19.3 years
female: 19.8 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.96% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
26.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
2.77 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Major urban areas - population:**
778,000 Gaza (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 75.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.7 years
female: 77.4 years

**Total fertility rate:**
3.14 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.52 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
total: 98.9% of population
unimproved:
total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Health expenditure:**
13.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Physician density:**
2.17 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 99% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 1% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.1% (2020 est.)
note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
62.4% (2020 est.)
note: data includes Gaza and the West Bank

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 0.7% (2020)
women married by age 18: 13.4% (2020)
note: includes both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Education expenditure:**
5.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Literacy:**
total population: 98% (2022 est.)
male: 99% (2022 est.)
female: 97% (2022 est.)
note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
soil degradation; desertification; water pollution from chemicals and pesticides; salination of fresh water; improper sewage treatment; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

**Climate:**
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.)
arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.8% (2023 est.)
other: 32.1% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Particulate matter emissions:**
31.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2024 est.)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 251 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 37 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 158 million cubic meters (2022)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

**Total renewable water resources:**
837 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gaza, Gaza Strip
local long form: none
local short form: Qita' Ghazzah
etymology: named for the largest city in the enclave, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as "Ghazzat"); "Strip" refers to its elongated shape along the Mediterranean

### Economy

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$20.339 billion (2024 est.)
$27.694 billion (2023 est.)
$29.016 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Real GDP growth rate:**
-26.6% (2024 est.)
-4.6% (2023 est.)
4.1% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Real GDP per capita:**
$3,800 (2024 est.)
$5,400 (2023 est.)
$5,800 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$13.711 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
53.7% (2024 est.)
5.9% (2023 est.)
3.7% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.)
industry: 17.4% (2022 est.)
services: 58.3% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 95.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 21% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
tomatoes, milk, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, pumpkins/squash, grapes, goat milk (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
textiles, food processing, furniture

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-32.2% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Labor force:**
1.391 million (2022 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Unemployment rate:**
24.5% (2022 est.)
26.4% (2021 est.)
25.9% (2020 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 36.1% (2022 est.)
male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
female: 56.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Population below poverty line:**
29.2% (2016 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
36.4 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2.5% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 27.1% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Remittances:**
5.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
18.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
24% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Budget:**
see entry for the West Bank

**Taxes and other revenues:**
21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Current account balance:**
-$2.899 billion (2024 est.)
-$2.895 billion (2023 est.)
-$2.037 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Exports:**
$2.885 billion (2024 est.)
$3.413 billion (2023 est.)
$3.533 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Exports - partners:**
Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Exports - commodities:**
scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Imports:**
$8.264 billion (2024 est.)
$11.637 billion (2023 est.)
$12.257 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Imports - partners:**
Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Imports - commodities:**
cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$1.328 billion (2024 est.)
$1.323 billion (2023 est.)
$896.9 million (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Exchange rates:**
see entry for the West Bank

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 988 million kWh (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 66.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 33.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Coal:**
exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Petroleum:**
refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Energy consumption per capita:**
14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 383,653 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)
note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 4,148,420 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2023 est.)
note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Broadcast media:**
1 TV station and about 10 radio stations; satellite TV accessible

**Internet country code:**
.ps
note: IANA has designated .ps for the Gaza Strip, same as the West Bank

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 431,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
HAMAS maintains security forces inside Gaza in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing ostensibly reports to the HAMAS Political Bureau but operates with considerable autonomy; there are several other militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip, most notably the Al-Quds Brigades of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which are usually but not always beholden to HAMAS's authority (2025)
note: HAMAS is a US designated Foreign Terrorist Organization; see Terrorist Organizations under References

**Military expenditures:**
not available

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
prior to the start of the 2023-2025 conflict with Israel, the military wing of HAMAS was estimated to have 20-30,000 fighters (2024)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Army of Islam; Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ); Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
IDPs: 2,032,011 (2024 est.)

---

## Georgia
**Slug:** georgia
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇬🇪
**Codes:** cek: gg, iso2: GE, iso3: GEO, iso_num: 268, genc: GEO, stanag: GEO, internet: .ge

### Introduction

**Background:**
The region of present-day Georgia once contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis (known as Egrisi locally) and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Persian, Arab, and Turk domination was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short when the Mongols invaded in 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
In 2003, mounting public discontent over rampant corruption, ineffective government services, and a government attempt to manipulate parliamentary elections touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, who had been president since 1995. In the aftermath of this "Rose Revolution," new elections in 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI and his United National Movement (UNM) party into power. SAAKASHVILI made progress on market reforms and governance, but he faced accusations of abuse of office. Progress was further complicated when Russian support for the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia led to a five-day conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, which included Russia invading large portions of Georgian territory. Russia initially pledged to pull back from most Georgian territory but then unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces have remained in those regions.
Billionaire Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and left the country after his presidential term ended in 2013. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and in the years since, the prime minister position has seen frequent turnover. In 2021, SAAKASHVILI returned to Georgia, where he was immediately arrested to serve six years in prison on outstanding abuse-of-office convictions.
Popular support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals, and Georgia applied for EU membership in 2022, becoming a candidate country in December 2023. Georgia and the EU have a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, and since 2017, Georgian citizens have been able to travel to the Schengen area without a visa.

### Geography

**Location:**
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia, with a sliver of land north of the Caucasus extending into Europe; note - Georgia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both

**Geographic coordinates:**
42 00 N, 43 30 E

**Map references:**
Asia

**Area:**
total : 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: approximately 12,560 sq km, or about 18% of Georgia's area, is Russian-occupied; the seized area includes all of Abkhazia and the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region, Racha-Lechkhumi, Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti

**Area - comparative:**
slightly smaller than South Carolina; slightly larger than West Virginia

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,814 km
border countries (4): Armenia 219 km; Azerbaijan 428 km; Russia 894 km; Turkey 273 km

**Coastline:**
310 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

**Climate:**
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

**Terrain:**
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; fertile soils in river valley flood plains and foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

**Elevation:**
highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,193 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 1,432 m

**Natural resources:**
timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 34.1% (2023 est.)
arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 27.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 44.6% (2023 est.)
other: 21.2% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
4,330 sq km (2012)

**Population distribution:**
settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

**Natural hazards:**
earthquakes

**Geography - note:**
note 1: strategically located east of the Black Sea, Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
note 2: the world's four deepest caves are all in Georgia, including two that are the only known caves on earth deeper than 2,000 m: Krubera Cave at -2,197 m (-7,208 ft; reached in 2012) and Veryovkina Cave at -2,212 (-7,257 ft; reached in 2018)

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 4,877,662 (2025 est.)
male: 2,327,882
female: 2,549,780

**Nationality:**
noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian

**Ethnic groups:**
Georgian 86.8%, Azeri 6.3%, Armenian 4.5%, other 2.3% (includes Russian, Ossetian, Yazidi, Ukrainian, Kist, Greek) (2014 est.)

**Languages:**
Georgian (official) 87.6%, Azeri 6.2%, Armenian 3.9%, Russian 1.2%, other 1% (including Abkhaz, the official language in Abkhazia) (2014 est.)
major-language sample(s):
მსოფლიო ფაქტების წიგნი, ძირითადი ინფორმაციის აუცილებელი წყარო. (Georgian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Eastern Orthodox Christian (official) 83.4%, Muslim 10.7%, Armenian Apostolic Christian 2.9%, other 1.2% (includes Roman Catholic Christian, Jehovah's Witness, Yazidi, Protestant Christian, Jewish), none 0.5%, unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 520,091/female 489,882)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 1,500,036/female 1,572,637)
65 years and over: 16.7% (2024 est.) (male 322,941/female 495,374)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 59.9 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 32.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 27.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.7 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 38.6 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.9 years
female: 40.6 years

**Population growth rate:**
-0.45% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
11.74 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
12.89 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 60.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia

**Major urban areas - population:**
1.082 million TBILISI (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Mother's mean age at first birth:**
25.9 years (2019 est.)
note: data does not cover Abkhazia and South Ossetia

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
20 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 23.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.7 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 72.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 68.7 years
female: 77.2 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.94 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.94 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 88.5% of population (2022 est.)
total: 95% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 11.5% of population (2022 est.)
total: 5% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
7.4% of GDP (2022)
10.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
5.64 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Hospital bed density:**
4.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 72.5% of population (2022 est.)
total: 87.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 27.5% of population (2022 est.)
total: 12.9% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
21.7% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 28.7% (2025 est.)
male: 53.9% (2025 est.)
female: 7.5% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.1% (2018 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
65.3% (2018 est.)

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 0.3% (2018)
women married by age 18: 13.9% (2018)
men married by age 18: 0.5% (2018)

**Education expenditure:**
4% of GDP (2024 est.)
12.2% national budget (2024 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 99.7% (2024 est.)
male: 99.8% (2024 est.)
female: 99.6% (2024 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 16 years (2023 est.)
male: 16 years (2023 est.)
female: 17 years (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy water pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals; land and forest degradation; biodiversity loss; waste management

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 34.1% (2023 est.)
arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 27.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 44.6% (2023 est.)
other: 21.2% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 60.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
10.7 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 812,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 4.469 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 5.419 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 800,000 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19.6% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 504.96 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 354.46 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 433.96 million cubic meters (2022)

**Total renewable water resources:**
63.33 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: Republic of Georgia
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology: the Western name probably derives from the name of the local people, the Gurz, whose name origin is uncertain; the native name "Sak'art'velo" means "Land of the Kartvelians" and refers to the core central Georgian region of Kartli

**Government type:**
semi-presidential republic

**Capital:**
name: Tbilisi
geographic coordinates: 41 41 N, 44 50 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name comes from the Georgian word tbili, meaning "warm" and referring to the hot sulfur springs in the area

**Administrative divisions:**
9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (kalaki), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)
regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli; note - the breakaway region of South Ossetia consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti
city: Tbilisi
autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)
note 1: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses
note 2: the United States recognizes the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as part of Georgia

**Legal system:**
civil law system

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1921, 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995, effective 17 October 1995
amendment process: proposed as a draft law supported by more than one half of the Parliament membership or by petition of at least 200,000 voters; passage requires support by at least three fourths of the Parliament membership in two successive sessions three months apart and the signature and promulgation by the president of Georgia

**International law organization participation:**
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Georgia
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President Mikheil KAVELASHVILI (since 29 December 2024)
head of government: Prime Minister Irakli KOBAKHIDZE (since 8 February 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
election/appointment process: president elected by a 300-member College of Electors; prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president
most recent election date: 14 December 2024
election results:
2024: Mikheil KAVELASHVILI (Georgian Dream Party) was formally inaugurated on 29 December 2024
2024: Irakli KOBAKHIDZE approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 84-10
2018: Salome ZOURABICHVILI elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Salome ZOURABICHVILI (independent, backed by Georgian Dream) 59.5%, Grigol VASHADZE (UNM) 40.5%; Irakli GARIBASHVILI approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 89-2
expected date of next election: 2029

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Parliament (Sakartvelos Parlamenti)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 150 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/26/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Georgian Dream (89); Coalition for Changes (19); Unity - National Movement (16); Strong Georgia – Lelo, For people, For Liberty! (14); For Georgia (12)
percentage of women in chamber: 16.8%
expected date of next election: October 2028

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges organized into several specialized judicial chambers; number of judges determined by the president of Georgia); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the High Council of Justice (a 14-member body consisting of the Supreme Court chairperson, common court judges, and appointees of the president of Georgia) and appointed by Parliament; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed 3 each by the president, by Parliament, and by the Supreme Court judges; judges appointed for 10-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional (town) and district courts
note: the Abkhazian and Ajarian Autonomous republics each have a supreme court and a hierarchy of lower courts

**Political parties:**
Ahali
Citizens
Conservative Party
Droa
European Georgia - Movement for Liberty
For Georgia
For the People
Freedom Square
Georgian Dream
Girchi - More Freedom
Law and Justice
Lelo for Georgia
National Democratic Party
People's Power
Progress and Freedom
Republican Party
State for the People
Strategy Aghmashenebeli
United National Movement or UNM

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Tamar TALIASHVILI (since 24 July 2025)
chancery: 1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0864
email address and website:
embgeo.usa@mfa.gov.ge
https://georgiaembassyusa.org/contact/
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alan S. PURCELL (since 16 July 2025)
embassy: 29 Georgian-American Friendship Avenue, Didi Dighomi, Tbilisi, 0131
mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
telephone: [995] (32) 227-70-00
FAX: [995] (32) 253-23-10
email address and website:
askconsultbilisi@state.gov
https://ge.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CPLP (associate), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-11, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: A.D. 1008 (Georgia unified under King BAGRAT III)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day, 26 May (1918)
note: 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia; 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

**Flag:**
description: white rectangle with a central red cross extending to all four sides of the flag; each of the four quadrants displays a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross (also known as Bolnisi cross), which has equal-length arms that are slightly wider at the end than in the center
history: sometimes referred to as the Five-Cross Flag, the design is based on a 14th-century banner of the Kingdom of Georgia

**National symbol(s):**
Saint George, lion

**National color(s):**
red, white

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Tavisupleba" (Liberty)
lyrics/music: Davit MAGRADSE/Zakaria PALIASHVILI (adapted by Joseb KETSCHAKMADSE)
history: adopted 2004, after the Rose Revolution; based on music from the operas "Abesalom da Eteri" and "Daisi"

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Gelati Monastery (c); Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (c); Upper Svaneti (c); Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands (n)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
upper-middle income, fast-growing South Caucasus economy; regionally focused exporter of cars, metal ores, and energy; financial and migrant inflows resulting from Ukraine conflict; EU accession talks suspended over disputed election and foreign influence law; low inflation but persistent high unemployment

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$91.849 billion (2024 est.)
$83.935 billion (2023 est.)
$77.838 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
9.4% (2024 est.)
7.8% (2023 est.)
11% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$25,000 (2024 est.)
$22,600 (2023 est.)
$21,000 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$33.776 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
1.1% (2024 est.)
2.5% (2023 est.)
11.9% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 5.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 19.1% (2024 est.)
services: 62.8% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 71.3% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 48.4% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -56% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
milk, grapes, potatoes, maize, wheat, tangerines/mandarins, tomatoes, barley, apples, eggs (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
steel, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese, copper, gold), chemicals, wood products, wine

**Industrial production growth rate:**
5.4% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
1.833 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
11.5% (2024 est.)
11.6% (2023 est.)
11.7% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 29.9% (2024 est.)
male: 28.4% (2024 est.)
female: 32.4% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Population below poverty line:**
11.8% (2023 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
34.8 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 39% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2.7% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 26.9% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
11.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
13.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
15.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $8.686 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $9.307 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
43.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
23.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
-$1.491 billion (2024 est.)
-$1.709 billion (2023 est.)
-$1.105 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$16.321 billion (2024 est.)
$15.173 billion (2023 est.)
$13.24 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
Azerbaijan 13%, Turkey 11%, Armenia 11%, Russia 10%, Kyrgyzstan 8% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
cars, copper ore, electricity, garments, wine (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$18.915 billion (2024 est.)
$17.816 billion (2023 est.)
$15.665 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
Turkey 16%, USA 13%, Russia 11%, China 8%, Germany 6% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, natural gas, garments (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$4.447 billion (2024 est.)
$5.002 billion (2023 est.)
$4.886 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$9.085 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
laris (GEL) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2.721 (2024 est.)
2.628 (2023 est.)
2.916 (2022 est.)
3.222 (2021 est.)
3.109 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 4.526 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 12.569 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 4.913 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 4.234 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.148 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 23.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 75.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
production: 148,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 384,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 80 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 223,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 900.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 35 million barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 10.77 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.775 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.764 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 8.495 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
56.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 258,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 6.14 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 161 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-owned Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) includes Channel 1, Channel 2, and Adjara TV; independent commercial TV broadcasters include Imedi, Rustavi 2, Pirveli TV, Maestro, Kavkasia, Georgian Dream Studios (GDS), Obiektivi, Mtavari Arkhi, and TOK TV (Russian language); Tabula and Post TV are web-based TV outlets; Georgian Orthodox Church operates a satellite-based television station called Unanimity; 26 regional TV broadcasters; TV shifted to digital in 2015; several dozen private radio stations; GPB operates 2 radio stations (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.ge

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 82% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 1.1 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
4L

**Airports:**
21 (2025)

**Heliports:**
4 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 1,363 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 37 km (2014) 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,326 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 26 (2023)
by type: general cargo 3, other 23

**Ports:**
total ports: 3 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Batumi, Sokhumi, Supsa Marine Terminal

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Georgian Defense Forces (GDF; aka Defense Forces of Georgia, DFG): Ground Forces, Air Force, Special Operations Forces, National Guard
Ministry of Internal Affairs: Police, Border Police of Georgia, Coast Guard of Georgia (includes naval forces, which were merged with the Coast Guard in 2009) (2025)

**Military expenditures:**
1.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
the Georgia Defense Forces are authorized up to 37,000 personnel (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era weapons and equipment, some of which has been upgraded; it has smaller quantities of mostly secondhand material from such countries as Israel, Poland, Türkiye, and the US, as well as some domestically produced equipment; Georgia has a small defense industry which produces such items as small arms and light armored vehicles (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription was abolished in 2016, but reinstated in 2017 for men 18-27 years of age; conscript service obligation is up to 11 months depending on the assigned ministry, job specialty, and if the service is carried out in a combat unit (2025)
note: conscripts serve in the Defense Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the Ministry of Corrections

**Military - note:**
the Defense Forces of Georgia (DFG) are responsible for protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country; the DFG also provides units for multinational military operations abroad and supports the Border Police in border protection and civil authorities in counter-terrorist operations, if requested; it is focused primarily on Russia, which maintains military bases and troops in occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia; a five-day conflict with Russian forces in 2008 resulted in the defeat and expulsion of Georgian forces from the breakaway regions
Georgia is not a member of NATO but has had a relationship with the Alliance since 1992 and declared its aspiration to join in 2002; the military is working to make itself more compatible with NATO and has participated in multinational exercises and security operations abroad with NATO, such as Afghanistan, where it was one of the top non-NATO contributors, and Kosovo; the DFG has also contributed troops to EU and UN missions (2025)

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 31,791 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 347,754 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 488 (2024 est.)

---

## Iran
**Slug:** iran
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇮🇷
**Codes:** cek: ir, iso2: IR, iso3: IRN, iso_num: 364, genc: IRN, stanag: IRN, internet: .ir

### Introduction

**Background:**
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 religious scholar known as the Supreme Leader, who is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts -- an elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iran relations became strained when Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostage until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. From 1980 to 1988, 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 since 1984.
After the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a political reform campaign in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated, but conservative politicians blocked reform measures while increasing repression. Municipal and legislative elections in 2003 and 2004 saw conservatives reestablish control over Iran's elected government institutions, culminating in the 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His reelection in 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, and the protests persisted until 2011. In 2013, Iranians elected to the presidency centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI, a longtime senior regime member who promised to reform society and foreign policy. In 2019, Tehran's sudden decision to increase the gasoline price sparked nationwide protests, which the regime violently suppressed. Conservatives won the majority in Majles elections in 2020, and hardline cleric Ebrahim RAISI was elected president in 2021, resulting in a conservative monopoly across the regime's elected and unelected institutions.
Iran continues to be subject to a range of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in terrorism, weapons proliferation, human rights abuses, and concerns over the nature of its nuclear program. Iran received nuclear-related sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear concessions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action's (JCPOA) Implementation Day beginning in 2016. However, the US reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran after it unilaterally terminated its JCPOA participation in 2018. In October 2023, the EU and the UK also decided to maintain nuclear-proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, in response to Iran's non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments.
As president, RAISI has concentrated on deepening Iran's foreign relations with anti-US states -- particularly China and Russia -- to weather US sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while supporting negotiations to restore a nuclear deal that began in 2021. RAISI contended with nationwide protests that began in September 2022 and persisted for over three months after the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa AMINI, in morality police custody. Young people and women led the protests, and demands focused on regime change.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

**Geographic coordinates:**
32 00 N, 53 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 1,648,195 sq km
land: 1,531,595 sq km
water: 116,600 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska

**Land boundaries:**
total: 5,894 km
border countries (7): Afghanistan 921 km; Armenia 44 km; Azerbaijan 689 km; Iraq 1,599 km; Pakistan 959 km; Turkey 534 km; Turkmenistan 1,148 km

**Coastline:**
2,440 km
note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf
continental shelf: natural prolongation

**Climate:**
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

**Terrain:**
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

**Elevation:**
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
mean elevation: 1,305 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 29% (2023 est.)
arable land: 9.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 6.6% (2023 est.)
other: 64.4% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
79,721 sq km (2020)

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km

**Major rivers (by length in km):**
Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

**Major watersheds (area sq km):**
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

**Population distribution:**
population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast, dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density

**Natural hazards:**
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

**Geography - note:**
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 89,177,357 (2025 est.)
male: 45,098,223
female: 44,079,134

**Nationality:**
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian

**Ethnic groups:**
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen, and Turkic tribes

**Languages:**
Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic
major-language sample(s):
چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 10,512,797/female 10,040,282)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 31,413,125/female 30,267,241)
65 years and over: 7% (2024 est.) (male 2,869,617/female 3,283,875)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 42.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 12.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.1 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 35.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 33.6 years
female: 34.1 years

**Population growth rate:**
-0.87% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
11.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-15.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast, dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
9.500 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.368 million Mashhad, 2.258 million Esfahan, 1.721 million Shiraz, 1.661 million Tabriz, 1.594 million Karaj (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 75.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 74.3 years
female: 77.1 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.53 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.74 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)
total: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)
total: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
5.8% of GDP (2021)
19% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
25.8% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 13.3% (2025 est.)
male: 23.8% (2025 est.)
female: 2.8% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
4.3% (2017 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
69.6% (2022 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
18.8% national budget (2022 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 86% (2016 est.)
male: 90% (2016 est.)
female: 81% (2016 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 14 years (2020 est.)
male: 14 years (2020 est.)
female: 14 years (2020 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

**Climate:**
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 29% (2023 est.)
arable land: 9.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 6.6% (2023 est.)
other: 64.4% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
823.364 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.136 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 316.922 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 499.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
36.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 6,208.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 819.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 832.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 37.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 17.885 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.8% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 6.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
137 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Geoparks:**
total global geoparks and regional networks: 3
global geoparks and regional networks: Aras; Qeshm Island; Tabas (2023)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran
former: Persia
etymology: the name derives from the Sanskrit word arya, referring to people living in a mountainous land, from the root word ar-, or "mountain;" the former name, Persia, was originally "Pars" (or the Arabic-influenced variant "Fars") from the Old Persian parsi, meaning "pure"

**Government type:**
theocratic republic

**Capital:**
name: Tehran
geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 E
time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC)
daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time
etymology: the name probably means "flat" or "lower," referring to its location in the foothills of the Elburz Mountains

**Administrative divisions:**
31 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

**Legal system:**
religious system based on secular and Islamic law

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979
amendment process: proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the "Council for Revision of the Constitution," a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran’s political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Iran
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President Masoud PEZESHKIAN (since 30 July 2024)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries
election/appointment process: supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term)
most recent election date: 28 June 2024, with runoff held on 5 July 2024
election results:
2024: first round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN (independent) 44.4%, Saeed JALILI (Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) 40.4%, Mohammad Baqer QAKIBAF (Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran) 14.3%, other 0.9%; second round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN elected; Masoud PEZESHKIAN 54.8%, Saeed JALILI 45.2%
2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (independent) 72.4%, Mohsen REZAI (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir-Hosein Qazizadeh-HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4%
note: presidential election held early due to the death of President Ebrahim RAISI in a helicopter accident in May 2024

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Islamic Parliament of Iran (Majles Shoraye Eslami)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 290 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 3/1/2024 to 5/10/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 4.9%
expected date of next election: February 2028
note: all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a single, renewable 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts

**Political parties:**
Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group)
Executives of Construction Party
Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability
Islamic Coalition Party
Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran
Militant Clerics Society (Majma-e Ruhaniyoun-e Mobarez) or MRM
Moderation and Development Party
National Trust Party (Hezb-e E'temad-eMelli) or HEM
Progress and Justice Society
Union of Islamic Iran People's Party (Hezb-e Ettehad-e Iran-e Eslami)

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
none
note: Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Embassy of Pakistan, 1250 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073; email: requests@daftar.org; info@daftarwashington.com; website: https://daftar.org/

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
embassy: none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran

**International organization participation:**
BRICS, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

**Independence:**
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid or Persian Empire established); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid dynasty); 1794 (beginning of Qajar dynasty); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI dynasty)

**National holiday:**
Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; centered in the white band is the red national emblem, a stylization of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip (a symbol of martyrdom); ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band
meaning: green is the color of Islam and also represents growth, white stands for honesty and peace, and red for bravery and martyrdom

**National symbol(s):**
lion

**National color(s):**
green, white, red

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran)
lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI
history: adopted 1990
note: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable because the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 29 (27 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Persepolis (c); Tchogha Zanbil (c); Bam and its Cultural Landscape (c); Golestan Palace (c); Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (c); Pasargadae (c); Hyrcanian Forests (n); Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (c); Meidan Emam, Esfahan (c); Bisotun (c); Takht-e Soleyman (c); Soltaniyeh(c); Bisotun (c); Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran(c); Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (c); The Persian Garden (c); Gonbad-e Qābus (c); Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (c); Shahr-i Sokhta (c); Cultural Landscape of Maymand (c); Susa (c); Lut Desert (n);The Persian Qanat (c); Historic City of Yazd (c); Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region (c); Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat (c); Trans-Iranian Railway (c); The Persian Caravanserai (c); Hegmataneh (c); Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (c)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
traditionally state-controlled economy but reforming state-owned financial entities; strong oil/gas, agricultural, and service sectors; recent massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty; increasing poverty

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$1.486 trillion (2024 est.)
$1.442 trillion (2023 est.)
$1.373 trillion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
3% (2024 est.)
5% (2023 est.)
3.8% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$16,200 (2024 est.)
$15,900 (2023 est.)
$15,300 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$436.906 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
32.5% (2024 est.)
44.6% (2023 est.)
43.5% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 13% (2024 est.)
industry: 36.4% (2024 est.)
services: 47.9% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 50.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 12.9% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 26.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 13.3% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 22.9% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -26.8% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
wheat, sugarcane, milk, sugar beets, rice, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, apples (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum, petrochemicals, gas, fertilizer, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and nonferrous metal fabrication, armaments

**Industrial production growth rate:**
2.8% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
28.575 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
9.2% (2024 est.)
9.1% (2023 est.)
9.1% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 22.8% (2024 est.)
male: 20% (2024 est.)
female: 35.5% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
35.9 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 27.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2.8% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 28.2% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $60.714 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $90.238 billion (2019 est.)

**Public debt:**
39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: includes publicly guaranteed debt

**Exports:**
$100.031 billion (2024 est.)
$97.924 billion (2023 est.)
$105.752 billion (2022 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 35%, Turkey 16%, India 8%, Pakistan 7%, Armenia 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
plastics, iron ore, alcohols, natural gas, refined copper (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$117.176 billion (2024 est.)
$113.21 billion (2023 est.)
$97.729 billion (2022 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 34%, UAE 20%, Turkey 11%, Brazil 8%, Germany 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, corn, soybeans, vehicle bodies (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Debt - external:**
$6.759 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
42,000 (2023 est.)
42,000 (2022 est.)
42,000 (2021 est.)
42,000 (2020 est.)
42,000 (2019 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 86.058 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 335.175 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 5.723 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 3.136 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 37.948 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 94.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Nuclear energy:**
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.92GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 1.7% (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
production: 2.209 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 3.032 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 212,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 1.098 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.203 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 4.112 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 2.415 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 265.088 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 252.353 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 14.698 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.274 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 33.987 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
160.779 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 28.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 159 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates over 60 television channels, over 50 radio stations, and dozens of newspapers and websites; about 20 foreign Persian-language TV stations broadcasting on satellite TV can be seen in Iran; satellite dishes are illegal and sometimes confiscated; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2023)

**Internet country code:**
.ir

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 10.9 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
EP

**Airports:**
177 (2025)

**Heliports:**
90 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 8,483.5 km (2014)
standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)
broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

**Merchant marine:**
total: 965 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421

**Ports:**
total ports: 18 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 4
small: 6
very small: 8
ports with oil terminals: 13
key ports: Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Khorramshahr

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah):
Artesh: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces
IRGC: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (aka Quds Force; special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces
Ministry of Interior: Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA)
Ministry of Intelligence and Security (2025)
note 1: the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat
note 2: the Artesh Navy operates Iran’s larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in waters of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz
note 3: the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit for the IRGC; it is formally known as the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed and also known as the Popular Mobilization Army
note 4: the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and law enforcement forces under the Interior Ministry, which report to the president, and the IRGC, which reports to the supreme leader, share responsibility for law enforcement and maintaining order
note 5: the FARAJA is the uniformed police of Iran; it includes branches for public security, traffic control, anti-narcotics, special forces (riot control, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), intelligence, and criminal investigations; the FARAJA also has responsibility for border security (Border Guard Command)

**Military expenditures:**
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
information varies; up to 600,000 total active armed forces personnel; estimated 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); up to estimated 190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5,000 Qods Force); estimated 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian/Soviet, and US origin (US equipment acquired prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979); it also has some military equipment from North Korea such as midget submarines and ballistic missiles; in recent years, Iran has received some newer equipment from Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
16 for voluntary military service for men; military service is compulsory for all Iranian men at age 18 or 19 years of age; compulsory service obligation 14-21 months, depending on the location of service; women exempted from conscription but may volunteer (2025)
note: conscripts may serve in the Artesh, IRGC, or Law Enforcement

**Military deployments:**
note: Iran maintained a military presence in Syria and recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war (2011-December 2024)

**Military - note:**
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the IRGC played a critical role in helping KHOMEINI consolidate power in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, and it ensured that KHOMEINI's Islamic revolutionary vision prevailed against domestic challenges from nationalists and leftist factions in the scramble for control after the Shah's departure
the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; today, the IRGC is a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it is involved in internal security and has influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; on the economic front, it owns factories and corporations and subsidiaries in banking, infrastructure, housing, airlines, tourism and other sectors; its special operations forces, known as the Qods/Quds Force, specialize in foreign missions and have provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; the Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations; note - both the IRGC and the Qods Force have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US (see Terrorist Organizations under References)
the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces
the Iranian Armed Forces are divided between the regular forces (Artesh) and the IRGC; the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat; in 1989, Iran established the Armed Forces General Staff to coordinate military action across both the Artesh and the IRGC; Iran also has a joint military headquarters, the Khatam ol-Anbia Central Headquarters, to command the Artesh and IRGC in wartime (2024)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
Iranian Space Agency (ISA; created in 2003); Iran Space Research Center (ISRC; established, 2000); Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force (IRGC-ARF) (2024)
note 1: ISA and ISRC are subordinate to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology; along with the MODAFL, they oversee part of Iran's satellite development programs; they also work with Iranian universities, private industry, and foreign partners to develop satellites
note 2: MODAFL and the IRGC-ARF oversee Iran's satellite/space launch vehicle development program

**Space launch site(s):**
Imam Khomeini Space Center (aka Semnan Space Center; Semnan province); Shahroud Space Center (Semnan Province; IRGC-operated); Chabahar Space Center (Sistan and Baluchistan Province; under development) (2025)

**Space program overview:**
has an ambitious civil and military space program focused on satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); designs, builds, and operates satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific; manufactures and operates SLVs; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies in areas such as telecommunications, RS, navigation, and space situational awareness; international sanctions against Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program have severely limited Iran’s cooperation with foreign space agencies and commercial space industries; in recent years, however, it has worked with North Korea and Russia, as well as regional and international space organizations such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization; Iran was a founding member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in 1958; has an active private space industry (2025)

**Key space-program milestones:**
1998 - began development of 2-stage satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) (Safir)
2006 - first successful launch of a small, domestically produced communications and research satellite (Omid) on the Safir SLV
2010 - began developing a more capable 2-stage orbital SLV (Simorgh; aka Safir-2)
2011 - launched first domestically produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Rasad) on Safir SLV
2020 - placed RS microsatellite (Noor) in orbit on 3-stage SLV (Qased or Messenger)
2021 - first launch of road-mobile 3-stage SLV (Zuljanah)
2022 - completed suborbital test of new small-lift SLV (Quam-100)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa’ida
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 3,489,257 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 421 (2024 est.)

**Trafficking in persons:**
tier rating: Tier 3 — Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Iran remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/iran/

---

## Iraq
**Slug:** iraq
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇮🇶
**Codes:** cek: iz, iso2: IQ, iso3: IRQ, iso_num: 368, genc: IRQ, stanag: IRQ, internet: .iq

### Introduction

**Background:**
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during World War I and was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration in 1920. Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. It was proclaimed a republic in 1958 after a coup overthrew the monarchy, but in actuality, a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Hussein, from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly war from 1980 to 1988. In 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition forces during the two-month-long Gulf War of 1991. After Iraq's expulsion, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions led to the Second Gulf War in 2003, when US-led forces ousted the SADDAM regime.
In 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR). The COR approved most of the cabinet ministers, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century. Iraq's constitution also established the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), a semi-autonomous region that administers the governorates of Erbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah. Iraq has held four national legislative elections since 2006, most recently in 2021. The COR approved Mohammad Shia' al-SUDANI as prime minister in 2022. Iraq has repeatedly postponed elections for provincial councils -- last held in 2013 -- and since 2019, the prime minister has had the authority to appoint governors rather than provincial councils.
Between 2014 and 2017, Iraq fought a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) to recapture territory the group seized in 2014. In 2017, then-Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI publicly declared victory against ISIS, although military operations against the group continue in rural areas. Also in 2017, Baghdad forcefully seized disputed territories across central and northern Iraq from the KRG, after a non-binding Kurdish independence referendum.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

**Geographic coordinates:**
33 00 N, 44 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 438,317 sq km
land: 437,367 sq km
water: 950 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly more than three times the size of New York State

**Land boundaries:**
total: 3,809 km
border countries (6): Iran 1,599 km; Jordan 179 km; Kuwait 254 km; Saudi Arabia 811 km; Syria 599 km; Turkey 367 km

**Coastline:**
58 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: not specified

**Climate:**
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

**Terrain:**
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

**Elevation:**
highest point: Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for "Black Tent") 3,611 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 312 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 21.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 9.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.6% (2023 est.)
other: 76.5% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
35,250 sq km (2012)

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
fresh water lake(s): Lake Hammar - 1,940 sq km

**Major rivers (by length in km):**
Euphrates river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 3,596 km; Tigris river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 1,950 km; the Tigris and Euphrates join to form the Shatt al Arab
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

**Major watersheds (area sq km):**
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited

**Natural hazards:**
dust storms; sandstorms; floods

**Geography - note:**
strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 42,917,742 (2025 est.)
male: 21,614,894
female: 21,302,848

**Nationality:**
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi

**Ethnic groups:**
Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, other 5% (includes Turkmen, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka'i, Bedouin, Romani, Assyrian, Circassian, Sabaean-Mandaean, Persian)
note: data is a 1987 government estimate; no more recent reliable numbers are available

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), Kurdish (official); Turkmen (a Turkish dialect) and Syriac (Neo-Aramaic) are recognized as official languages where native speakers of these languages are present
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim (official) 95-98% (Shia 61-64%, Sunni 29-34%), Christian 1% (includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Church of the East), other 1-4% (2015 est.)
note: the last census in Iraq was in 1997; while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, the overall Christian population has decreased at least 50% and perhaps as much as 90% since 2003, according to US Embassy estimates, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 34.6% (male 7,447,266/female 7,130,883)
15-64 years: 61.7% (male 13,064,516/female 12,907,702)
65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 681,574/female 851,495)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 60.5 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 54.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 16.9 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 22.7 years (2025 est.)
male: 22 years
female: 22.7 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.94% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
23.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 71.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
7.711 million BAGHDAD (capital), 1.792 million Mosul, 1.448 million Basra, 1.075 million Kirkuk, 958,000 Najaf, 897,000 Erbil (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 73.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 71.9 years
female: 75.7 years

**Total fertility rate:**
3.03 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.48 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 94.8% of population (2022 est.)
total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)
total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
5.2% of GDP (2021)
5.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
1.02 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 97.6% of population (2022 est.)
total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)
total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
30.4% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 18.6% (2025 est.)
male: 36.2% (2025 est.)
female: 1.3% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
3.9% (2018 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
64.3% (2018 est.)

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 7.2% (2018)
women married by age 18: 27.9% (2018)

**Education expenditure:**
4.7% of GDP (2016)

**Literacy:**
total population: 84.1% (2021 est.)
male: 90.3% (2021 est.)
female: 77.8% (2021 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
habitat loss from wetland draining; inadequate potable water; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification; air, soil, and groundwater pollution from military and industries; water pollution from oil refineries and factory and sewage discharges; soil pollution from fertilizer and chemicals; air pollution in urban areas

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification

**Climate:**
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 21.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 9.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.6% (2023 est.)
other: 76.5% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 71.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
190.815 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 7,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 152.931 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 37.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
45.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 2,243 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 157 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 325 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 2.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 13.14 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.4% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 6.735 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 4.52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 31.169 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
89.86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq
local short form: Al Iraq/Eraq
former: Mesopotamia, Mandatory Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq
etymology: the name probably derives from Uruk ("Erech" in Aramaic), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River

**Government type:**
federal parliamentary republic

**Capital:**
name: Baghdad
geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it may mean "gift of God," from the pre-Islamic words bagh (god) and dad (given)

**Administrative divisions:**
19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)); 'Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Halabjah; Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit
note: Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government administers Arbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah (as Hewler, Dihok, and Slemani, respectively)

**Legal system:**
mixed system of civil and Islamic law

**Constitution:**
history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters collectively, or by one fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen rights and liberties requires two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President Latif RASHID (since 13 October 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-SUDANI (since 27 October 2022)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives (COR)
election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by COR to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
most recent election date: 13 October 2022
election results:
2022: Latif RASHID elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Latif RASHID (PUK) 157, Barham SALIH (PUK) 99; COR vote in second round - Latif RASHID 167, Barham SALIH 99; Mohammed Shia' al-SUDANI approved as prime minister
2018: Barham SALIH elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; COR vote in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; Adil ABD AL-MAHDI approved as prime minister

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Council of Representatives of Iraq
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 329 (all directly elected)
electoral system: other systems
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/11/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Reconstruction & Development Coalition, The Progress (Taqaddum) Party, State of Law Coalition, Sadiqoun Movement, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Badr Organization, National State Forces Alliance, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Azm Alliance, National Sovereignty, Ishraqat Kanun, Asas (Iraqi Foundation) Coalition, Tasmeem Alliance, Huquq Movement, National Resolve (Hasm)
percentage of women in chamber: 28.9%
expected date of next election: November 2029

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of a court president, 5 vice presidents, and at least 24 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Federal Supreme Court (FSC) judges nominated by the High Judicial Council (HJC) president, the FSC chief justice, the public prosecutor's office chief, and the head of the Judicial Oversight Commission; FSC members required to retire at age 72; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the HJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement, nominally at age 63, but can be extended to age 66
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts, including first instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony, misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile, and traffic courts
note: Federal Supreme Court jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues, application of federal laws, ratification of election results for the COR, judicial competency disputes, and disputes between regions or governorates and the central government

**Political parties:**
Al Fatah Alliance
Azm Alliance
Babiliyun Movement
Imtidad
Ishraqat Konun
Kurdistan Democratic Party
National Contract Party
New Generation Movement
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Sadrist Bloc
State Forces Alliance
State of Law Coalition
Taqadum
Tasmim Alliance

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Nazar Issa Abdulhadi AL-KHIRULLAH (since 30 June 2023)
chancery: 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500
FAX: [1] (202) 462-8815
email address and website:
washington@scrdiraq.gov.iq
https://www.iraqiembassy.us/
consulate(s) general: Detroit, Los Angeles

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador Joshua HARRIS (since 2 September 2025)
embassy: Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad; note - consulate in Al Basrah closed as of 28 September 2018
mailing address: 6060 Baghdad Place, Washington DC 20521-6060
telephone: 0760-030-3000
email address and website:
BaghdadACS@state.gov
https://iq.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

**Independence:**
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
note: on 28 June 2004, the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

**National holiday:**
Independence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic phrase meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band
meaning: the colors come from the Arab Liberation flag and stand for oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)
history: the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise replacement for the Ba'thist SADDAM-era flag
note: similar to the flags of Syria (two stars but no script), Yemen (plain white band), and Egypt (a golden Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band)

**National symbol(s):**
golden eagle

**National color(s):**
red, white, black

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Mawtini" (My Homeland)
lyrics/music: Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL
history: adopted 2004, after the ouster of SADDAM Husayn; popular Arab folk song that also serves as an unofficial anthem for the Palestinian people

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (c); Babylon (c); Erbil Citadel (c); Hatra (c); Samarra Archaeological City (c); The Ahwar (Marshland) of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (m)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
highly oil-dependent Middle Eastern economy; fiscal sustainability subject to fluctuation in oil prices; rising public confidence in economic conditions; import-dependent for most sectors; persistent challenges of corruption, informal markets, banking access, and political fragility

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$585.887 billion (2024 est.)
$595.082 billion (2023 est.)
$592.017 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
-1.5% (2024 est.)
0.5% (2023 est.)
8% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$12,700 (2024 est.)
$13,200 (2023 est.)
$13,400 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$279.641 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
4.4% (2023 est.)
5% (2022 est.)
6% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 3.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 51.6% (2024 est.)
services: 45.8% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 41.2% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 20.3% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 8.8% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 37.5% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
wheat, dates, maize, tomatoes, rye, grapes, milk, chicken, potatoes, fruits (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-2.7% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
12.008 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
15.6% (2024 est.)
15.5% (2023 est.)
15.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 32.1% (2024 est.)
male: 27.5% (2024 est.)
female: 62.7% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
29.8 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 28.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 3.7% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 24.2% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $90.204 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $64.512 billion (2019 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
27.4% of GDP (2018 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
1.3% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
$28.375 billion (2023 est.)
$58.01 billion (2022 est.)
$24.565 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$107.852 billion (2023 est.)
$127.079 billion (2022 est.)
$78.26 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 33%, India 28%, USA 8%, Greece 5%, UAE 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, petroleum coke, gold, natural gas (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$81.179 billion (2023 est.)
$69.162 billion (2022 est.)
$50.707 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
UAE 32%, China 20%, Turkey 18%, India 5%, USA 2% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, jewelry, gold (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$100.691 billion (2024 est.)
$112.233 billion (2023 est.)
$97.009 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$15.58 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Iraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1,300 (2024 est.)
1,312.5 (2023 est.)
1,450 (2022 est.)
1,450 (2021 est.)
1,192 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 31.339 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 73.521 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 3.134 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 79.904 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 98.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 4.448 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1.043 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 145.019 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 10.537 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 19.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 8.771 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 3.729 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
64.311 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 5.28 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 46.1 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
the number of private radio and TV stations has increased rapidly since 2003; state-owned TV and radio stations are operated by the publicly funded Iraqi Media Network; private broadcast media are mostly linked to political, ethnic, or religious groups; satellite TV is available to about 70% of viewers; many broadcasters are based abroad; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are accessible (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.iq

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 82% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 7.77 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
YI

**Airports:**
73 (2025)

**Heliports:**
10 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 2,272 km (2014)
standard gauge: 2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

**Merchant marine:**
total: 74 (2023)
by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 6, other 67

**Ports:**
total ports: 6 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 1
very small: 4
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Al Basrah, Al-Basra Oil Terminal, Khawr Al Amaya, Khawr Al Zubair, Umm Qasr

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Ministry of Defense: Iraqi Army, Iraqi Navy, Iraqi Air Force
Office of the Prime Minister: Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (CTS); Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC)
Ministry of Interior: Federal Police Forces Command, Border Guard Forces Command, Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency, Emergency Response Division, Facilities Protection Directorate, and Provincial Police; Ministry of Oil: Energy Police Directorate (2025)
note 1: the Iraqi military and associated security forces are collectively known as the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF); the Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (CTS) includes the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF)
note 2: the Iraqi Government funds the PMF, and it is mandated by law to act under government control but many of the militia units take orders from individual government officials and/or associated political parties; some militias have ties to Iran and some have been designated as terrorist organizations by the US (see Terrorism Reference)
note 3: the federal constitution provides the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) the right to maintain its own military and security forces, known as the Kurdish Security Forces (KSF); some forces, such as the Regional Guard Brigades, are unified under the KRG's Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, but the two main Kurdish political parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), also maintain their own military forces, police, emergency response, and internal security/intelligence services

**Military expenditures:**
2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
3% of GDP (2021 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
estimated 200,000 active armed forces personnel under the Ministry of Defense (Army, Aviation Command, Air/Air Defense, Navy, Special Forces); approximately 20-25,000 National-Level Security Forces
Ministry of Peshmerga: estimated 150,000 active personnel
Popular Mobilization Forces: estimated 200,000 militia (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the Iraqi military's inventory includes a mix of European, Russian, Soviet-era, and US armaments (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025)

**Military - note:**
the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are primarily focused on internal and border security; they are actively conducting counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group, particularly in northern and western Iraq; the operations include securing the border with Syria; the Kurdish Security Forces, as well as are also active in conducting operations against ISIS
two international military task forces operate in Iraq to assist the country's security forces at the request of the Iraqi Government; in 2018, NATO established an advisory, training and capacity-building mission for the Iraqi military known as the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI); in December 2021, the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) transitioned from a combat role to an advise, assist, and enable role (2025)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Islam; Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN); Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi; Kata'ib Hizballah; Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (KIA); Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 335,343 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 1,201,813 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 233 (2024 est.)

---

## Israel
**Slug:** israel
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇮🇱
**Codes:** cek: is, iso2: IL, iso3: ISR, iso_num: 376, genc: ISR, stanag: ISR, internet: .il

### Introduction

**Background:**
Israel has become a regional economic and military powerhouse, leveraging its prosperous high-tech sector, large defense industry, and concerns about Iran to foster partnerships around the world. The State of Israel was established in 1948. The UN General Assembly proposed in 1947 partitioning the British Mandate for Palestine into an Arab and Jewish state. The Jews accepted the proposal, but the local Arabs and the Arab states rejected the UN plan and launched a war. The Arabs were subsequently defeated in the 1947-1949 war that followed the UN proposal and the British withdrawal. Israel joined the UN in 1949 and saw rapid population growth, primarily due to Jewish refugee migration from Europe and the Middle East. Israel and its Arab neighbors fought wars in 1956, 1967, and 1973, and Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Israel took control of the West Bank, the eastern part of Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights in the course of the 1967 war. It ceded the Sinai back to Egypt in the 1979-1982 period but has continued to administer the other territories through military authorities. Israel and Palestinian officials signed interim agreements in the 1990s that created a period of Palestinian self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The most recent formal efforts between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to negotiate final status issues occurred in 2013 and 2014, and the US continues its efforts to advance peace. Israel signed the US-brokered normalization agreements (the Abraham Accords) with Bahrain, the UAE, and Morocco in 2020 and reached an agreement with Sudan in 2021. Immigration to Israel continues, with more than 44,000 estimated new immigrants, mostly Jewish, in the first 11 months of 2023.
Former Prime Minister Benjamin NETANYAHU returned to office in 2022, continuing his dominance of Israel's political landscape at the head of Israel's most rightwing and religious government. NETANYAHU previously served as premier from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, becoming Israel's longest serving prime minister.
On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants launched a combined unguided rocket and ground terrorist attack from Gaza into southern Israel. The same day Israel’s Air Force launched air strikes inside Gaza and initiated a sustained air campaign against HAMAS targets across the Gaza Strip. The following day, NETANYAHU formally declared war on HAMAS, and on 28 October, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza.
The Israeli economy has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last 30 years, led by cutting-edge high-tech sectors. Offshore gas discoveries in the Mediterranean place Israel at the center of a potential regional natural gas market. In 2022, a US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon established their maritime boundary, allowing Israel to begin production on additional gas fields in the Mediterranean. However, Israel's economic development has been uneven. Structural issues such as low labor-force participation among religious and minority populations, low workforce productivity, high costs for housing and consumer staples, and high income inequality concern both economists and the general population. The current war with Hamas disrupted Israel’s solid economic fundamentals, but it is not likely to have long-term structural implications for the economy.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

**Geographic coordinates:**
31 30 N, 34 45 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 21,937 sq km
land: 21,497 sq km
water: 440 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly larger than New Jersey

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,068 km
border countries (6): Egypt 208 km; Gaza Strip 59 km; Jordan 327 km (20 km are within the Dead Sea); Lebanon 81 km; Syria 83 km; West Bank 330 km

**Coastline:**
273 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

**Climate:**
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

**Terrain:**
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

**Elevation:**
highest point: Mitspe Shlagim 2,224 m; note - this is the highest named point, the actual highest point is an unnamed dome slightly to the west of Mitspe Shlagim at 2,236 m; both points are on the northeastern border of Israel, along the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range
lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m
mean elevation: 508 m

**Natural resources:**
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 24.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 4.7% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 6.7% (2023 est.)
other: 68.5% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
1,927 sq km (2022)

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and West Bank) - 1,020 sq km
note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

**Population distribution:**
population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated, with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

**Natural hazards:**
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

**Geography - note:**
note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti)
note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); Mount Sodom is a hill about 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt, with multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 9,552,637 (2025 est.)
male: 4,807,098
female: 4,745,539
note: approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021); following the March 2019 US recognition of the Golan Heights as being part of Israel, The World Factbook no longer includes Israeli settler population of the Golan Heights (estimated at 23,400 in 2019) in its overall Israeli settler total

**Nationality:**
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli

**Ethnic groups:**
Jewish 73.5% (of which Israel-born 79.7%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 14.3%, Africa-born 3.9%, Asia-born 2.1%), Arab 21.1%, other 5.4% (2022 est.)

**Languages:**
Hebrew (official), Arabic (special status under Israeli law), English (most commonly used foreign language)
major-language sample(s):
ספר עובדות העולם, המקור החיוני למידע בסיסי (Hebrew)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Jewish 73.5%, Muslim 18.1%, Christian 1.9%, Druze 1.6%, other 4.9% (2022 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 1,320,629/female 1,260,977)
15-64 years: 60.3% (male 2,885,485/female 2,781,777)
65 years and over: 12.3% (2024 est.) (male 525,161/female 628,588)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 65.7 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 45.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 20.6 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.9 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 30.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 29.6 years
female: 30.7 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.59% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
18.89 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated, with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 92.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
4.421 million Tel Aviv-Yafo, 1.174 million Haifa, 970,000 JERUSALEM (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Mother's mean age at first birth:**
27.7 years (2019 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 83.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 81.1 years
female: 85.1 years

**Total fertility rate:**
2.89 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.41 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
7.9% of GDP (2021)
13% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
3.8 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Hospital bed density:**
3.1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 99% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 1% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
26.1% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 18.6% (2025 est.)
male: 24.9% (2025 est.)
female: 12.4% (2025 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
50.4% (2021 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
5.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
16.1% national budget (2022 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 15 years (2022 est.)
male: 14 years (2022 est.)
female: 16 years (2022 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
limited arable land and restricted natural freshwater resources; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation

**Climate:**
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 24.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 4.7% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 6.7% (2023 est.)
other: 68.5% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 92.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
64.401 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 11.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 28.793 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 24.066 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
20.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 29.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 40.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 272.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 0.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.4 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 30.4% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 104.834 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.215 billion cubic meters (2022)

**Total renewable water resources:**
1.78 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: State of Israel
conventional short form: Israel
local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
local short form: Yisra'el
former: Mandatory Palestine
etymology: named after the ancient Kingdom of Israel; according to Biblical tradition, the Jewish patriarch Jacob received the name Israel (meaning "He who struggles with God") after he wrestled with an angel of the Lord

**Government type:**
parliamentary democracy

**Capital:**
name: Jerusalem
geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, Friday before the last Sunday in March; ends the last Sunday in October
etymology: the meaning of the ancient name is unclear; the city is called Ursalim or Urusalimmi in Egyptian texts from the 14th century B.C., which may come from the Western Semitic verb yaru, meaning "to establish," and the name Shalim, the Canaanite god of dusk; another theory says the root letters s-l-m in the name refer to shalom, meaning "peace"
note: the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty

**Administrative divisions:**
6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

**Legal system:**
mixed system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws

**Constitution:**
history: no formal constitution; some functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (as amended)
amendment process: proposed by Government of Israel ministers or by the Knesset; passage requires a majority vote of Knesset members and subject to Supreme Court judicial review

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Israel
dual citizenship recognized: yes, but naturalized citizens are not allowed to maintain dual citizenship
residency requirement for naturalization: 3 out of the 5 years preceding the application for naturalization
note: Israeli law (Law of Return, 5 July 1950) provides for the granting of citizenship to any Jew - defined as a person being born to a Jewish mother or having converted to Judaism while renouncing any other religion - who immigrates to and expresses a desire to settle in Israel on the basis of the Right of aliyah; the 1970 amendment of this act extended the right to family members including the spouse of a Jew, any child or grandchild, and the spouses of children and grandchildren

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal; 17 years of age for municipal elections

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President Isaac HERZOG (since 7 July 2021)
head of government: Prime Minister Benyamin NETANYAHU (since 29 December 2022)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset
election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Knesset for a single 7-year term; following legislative elections, the president, in consultation with party leaders, tasks a Knesset member (usually the member of the largest party) with forming a new government
most recent election date: 2 June 2021
election results:
2021: Isaac HERZOG elected president; Knesset vote in first round - Isaac HERZOG (independent) 87, Miriam PERETZ (independent) 26, invalid/blank 7
2014: Reuven RIVLIN elected president in second round; Knesset vote - Reuven RIVLIN (Likud) 63, Meir SHEETRIT (The Movement) 53, other/invalid 4
expected date of next election: June 2028

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Parliament (Knesset)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 120 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/1/2022
parties elected and seats per party: Likud (32); Yesh Atid (24); Religious Zionism (14); National Unity (12); Shas (11); United Torah Judaism (Yahadut Hatorah) (7); Yisrael Beiteinu (6); Other (14)
percentage of women in chamber: 24.2%
expected date of next election: October 2026
note 1: a 3.25% vote threshold is required to gain representation
note 2: following the 1 November 2022 election, the Religious Zionism Alliance split into its three constituent parties in the Knesset: Religious Zionism 7 seats, Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) 6, and Noam 1

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the president, deputy president, 13 justices, and 2 registrars) and normally sits in panels of 3 justices; in special cases, the panel is expanded with an uneven number of justices
judge selection and term of office: judges selected by the 9-member Judicial Selection Committee, consisting of the Minister of Justice (chair), the president of the Supreme Court, two other Supreme Court justices, 1 other Cabinet minister, 2 Knesset members, and 2 representatives of the Israel Bar Association; judges can serve up to mandatory retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: district and magistrate courts; national and regional labor courts; family and juvenile courts; special and Rabbinical courts

**Political parties:**
Balad
Blue and White
Hadash
Labor Party or HaAvoda
Likud
Meretz
National Unity (alliance includes Blue and White and New Hope)
New Hope
Noam
Otzma Yehudit
Religious Zionist Party
Shas
Ta'al
United Arab List
United Torah Judaism or UTJ (alliance includes Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah)
Yesh Atid
Yisrael Beiteinu

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) LEITER (since 4 February 2025)
chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607
email address and website:
consular@washington.mfa.gov.il
https://embassies.gov.il/washington/Pages/default.aspx
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Mike HUCKABEE (21 April 2025)
embassy: 14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem, 9378322
mailing address: 6350 Jerusalem Place, Washington DC 20521-6350
telephone: [972] (2) 630-4000
FAX: [972] (2) 630-4070
email address and website:
JerusalemACS@state.gov
https://il.usembassy.gov/
branch office(s): Tel Aviv
note: on 14 May 2018, the US Embassy relocated to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv; on 4 March 2019, Consulate General Jerusalem merged into US Embassy Jerusalem to form a single diplomatic mission

**International organization participation:**
BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN, CICA, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
14 May 1948 (following League of Nations mandate under British administration)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day, 14 May (1948)
note: Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar, so the holiday can occur in April or May

**Flag:**
description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Star of David or Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
history: the design resembles a traditional Jewish prayer shawl (tallit), which is white with blue stripes; the hexagram as a Jewish symbol dates back to medieval times
note: the Israeli flag proclamation states that the flag colors are sky blue and white, but the exact shade of blue has never been set and can vary

**National symbol(s):**
Star of David (Magen David), menorah (seven-branched lampstand)

**National color(s):**
blue, white

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Hatikvah" (The Hope)
lyrics/music: Naftali Herz IMBER/traditional, arranged by Samuel COHEN
history: adopted 2004, unofficial since 1948; used as the anthem of the Zionist movement since 1897; the 1888 arrangement by Samuel COHEN is thought to be based on the Romanian folk song "Carul cu boi" (The Ox-Driven Cart)

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 9 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Masada; Old City of Acre; White City of Tel-Aviv - the Modern Movement; Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba; Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev; Bahá’i Holy Places; Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel; Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin; Necropolis of Bet She’arim

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
high-income, technology- and industrial-based economy; economic contraction and fiscal deficits resulting from war in Gaza; labor force stabilizing following military reservist mobilization; high-tech industry remains resilient while construction and tourism among hardest-hit sectors

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$472.177 billion (2024 est.)
$468.095 billion (2023 est.)
$459.698 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
0.9% (2024 est.)
1.8% (2023 est.)
6.3% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$47,300 (2024 est.)
$47,500 (2023 est.)
$48,100 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$540.38 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
3.1% (2024 est.)
4.2% (2023 est.)
4.4% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 1.3% (2024 est.)
industry: 17.3% (2024 est.)
services: 72.5% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 48% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 22.3% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24.4% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.7% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 30.4% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -27.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
milk, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, tangerines/mandarins, bananas, eggs, avocados, beef, carrots/turnips (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
high-technology products (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, pharmaceuticals, construction, metal products, chemical products, plastics, cut diamonds, textiles, footwear

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-4.2% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
4.71 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
3.2% (2024 est.)
3.6% (2023 est.)
3.7% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 6.1% (2024 est.)
male: 6.2% (2024 est.)
female: 6% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
37.9 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 26.6% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $162.524 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $188.905 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Taxes and other revenues:**
22.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
$16.713 billion (2024 est.)
$18.604 billion (2023 est.)
$17.104 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$153.248 billion (2024 est.)
$154.638 billion (2023 est.)
$164.407 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
USA 29%, China 10%, Ireland 6%, Germany 4%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
integrated circuits, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, medical instruments, refined petroleum (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$140.438 billion (2024 est.)
$140.432 billion (2023 est.)
$153.388 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 17%, USA 12%, Germany 7%, Turkey 6%, Italy 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, diamonds, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$214.544 billion (2024 est.)
$204.661 billion (2023 est.)
$194.231 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.7 (2024 est.)
3.667 (2023 est.)
3.36 (2022 est.)
3.23 (2021 est.)
3.442 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 22.612 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 63.964 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 6.93 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.51 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 89.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 5.297 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 9 metric tons (2022 est.)
imports: 4.887 million metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 219,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 12.73 million barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 24.186 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 12.608 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 11.505 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 59.369 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
proven reserves: 176.018 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
112.437 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 2.56 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2023 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 16.7 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has 3 channels, two in Hebrew and one in Arabic; multi-channel satellite and cable TV packages provide access to foreign channels; IBC broadcasts on 8 radio networks with multiple repeaters, and Israel Defense Forces Radio broadcasts over multiple stations; about 15 privately owned radio stations (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.il

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 2.76 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
4X

**Airports:**
40 (2025)

**Heliports:**
13 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 1,497 km (2021) (2019)
standard gauge: 1,497 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge

**Merchant marine:**
total: 41 (2023)
by type: container ship 4, general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 32

**Ports:**
total ports: 5 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 2
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 4
key ports: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat, Hadera, Haifa

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Forces, Israel Naval Force (IN, includes commandos), Israel Air Force (IAF, includes air defense)
Ministry of National Security: Israeli Police (2025)

**Military expenditures:**
8% of GDP (2024 est.)
5% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
5% of GDP (2021 est.)
5% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 170,000 active-duty Defense Forces (130,000 Ground Forces; 10,000 Naval; 30,000 Air Force); more than 400,000 reserves (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the majority of the IDF's inventory is comprised of weapons that are domestically produced or imported from Europe and the US; the US has been the leading supplier of arms in recent years; Israel's defense industry can develop, produce, support, and sustain a wide variety of weapons systems for both domestic use and export, particularly armored vehicles, unmanned aerial systems, air defense, and guided missiles (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-28 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 months service for men, 12 months for women; 18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men and women; Jews and Druze can be conscripted; Christians, Circassians, and Muslims may volunteer; conscript service obligation is up to 36 months for enlisted personnel (depending on sex, marital status, and military occupation); officers serve 48 months; Air Force pilots commit to 9 years of service (2024)

**Military - note:**
the IDF is responsible for external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities; its primary operational focuses include the threat posed by Iran, instability in Syria, and terrorist organizations, including HAMAS, Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; since its creation from armed Jewish militias during the First Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49, the IDF, particularly the Ground Force, has been guided by a requirement to rapidly mobilize and defend the country’s territory from numerically superior neighboring countries; the active-duty military is backed up by a large force of trained reserves--approximately 300-400,000 personnel--that can be mobilized rapidly
Israel’s primary security partner is the US; consistent with a 10-year (2019-2028) Memorandum of Understanding, the US annually provides over $3 billion in military financing and cooperative military programs, such as missile defense; the US also provides Israel access to US-produced military weapons systems including advanced fighter aircraft; Israel has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation
the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF consists of about 1,300 total personnel (2025)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
Israel Space Agency (ISA; established 1983 under the Ministry of Science and Technology; origins go back to the creation of a National Committee for Space Research, established 1960); Ministry of Defense Space Department (2025)

**Space launch site(s):**
Palmachim Airbase (Central district) (2025)

**Space program overview:**
has an ambitious space program that is one of the most advanced in the region; designs, builds, operates, and launches communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs, builds, and operates orbital satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs); researches and develops a range of other space-related capabilities, with a focus on lightweight and miniaturized technologies; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA, individual ESA member states (such as France, Germany, and Italy), India, Japan, Mexico, and the US; has a substantial commercial space sector, as well as state-owned enterprises (2025)

**Key space-program milestones:**
1961 - first sounding rocket launched
1988 - first operational launch of small-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) (Shavit) placed first domestically produced technology-demonstrator satellite (Ofeq-1) in orbit
1995 - launched first fully operational remote sensing satellite (Ofeq-3) on Shavit SLV
2007 - unveiled Shavit-2 small-lift 3-stage SLV
2014 - joined ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) project; domestically built lunar probe (Beresheet) launched by US (crashed on Moon’s surface)
2022 - joined US Artemis Moon exploration project

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ); HAMAS
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 27,413 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 68,000 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 35 (2024 est.)

---

## Jordan
**Slug:** jordan
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇯🇴
**Codes:** cek: jo, iso2: JO, iso3: JOR, iso_num: 400, genc: JOR, stanag: JOR, internet: .jo

### Introduction

**Background:**
After World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations awarded Britain the mandate to govern much of the Middle East. In 1921, Britain demarcated from Palestine a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan and recognized ABDALLAH I from the Hashemite family as the country's first leader. The Hashemites also controlled the Hijaz, or the western coastal area of modern-day Saudi Arabia, until 1925, when IBN SAUD and Wahhabi tribes pushed them out. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The country has had four kings. Long-time ruler King HUSSEIN (r. 1953-99) successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, UK, and Soviet Union), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, the latter of which led to a brief civil war in 1970 that is known as "Black September" and ended in King HUSSEIN ousting the militants.
Jordan's borders have changed since it gained independence. In 1948, Jordan took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the first Arab-Israeli War, eventually annexing those territories in 1950 and granting its new Palestinian residents Jordanian citizenship. In 1967, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the Six-Day War but retained administrative claims to the West Bank until 1988, when King HUSSEIN permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank in favor of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). King HUSSEIN signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, after Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords in 1993.
Jordanian kings continue to claim custodianship of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem by virtue of their Hashemite heritage as descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and agreements with Israel and Jerusalem-based religious and Palestinian leaders. After Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 War, it authorized the Jordanian-controlled Islamic Trust, or Waqf, to continue administering the Al Haram ash Sharif/Temple Mount holy compound, and the Jordan-Israel peace treaty reaffirmed Jordan's "special role" in administering the Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem. Jordanian kings claim custodianship of the Christian sites in Jerusalem on the basis of the 7th-century Pact of Omar, when the Muslim leader, after conquering Jerusalem, agreed to permit Christian worship.
King HUSSEIN died in 1999 and was succeeded by his eldest son and current King ABDALLAH II. In 2009, ABDALLAH II designated his son HUSSEIN as the Crown Prince. During his reign, ABDALLAH II has contended with a series of challenges, including the Arab Spring influx of refugees from neighboring states, the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of the war in Ukraine, a perennially weak economy, and the Israel-HAMAS conflict that began in October 2023.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq

**Geographic coordinates:**
31 00 N, 36 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 89,342 sq km
land: 88,802 sq km
water: 540 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Indiana

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,744 km
border countries (5): Iraq 179 km; Israel 307 km; Saudi Arabia 731 km; Syria 379 km; West Bank 148 km

**Coastline:**
26 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 3 nm

**Climate:**
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

**Terrain:**
mostly arid desert plateau; a great north-south geological rift along the west of the country is the dominant topographical feature and includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian Highlands

**Elevation:**
highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m
mean elevation: 812 m

**Natural resources:**
phosphates, potash, shale oil

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 11.5% (2023 est.)
arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 8.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.8% (2023 est.)
other: 87.7% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
875 sq km (2022)

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Israel and West Bank) - 1,020 sq km
note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

**Major watersheds (area sq km):**
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

**Natural hazards:**
droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods

**Geography - note:**
strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the West Bank; the Dead Sea, the lowest point in Asia and the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lac Assal in Djibouti), lies on Jordan's western border with Israel and the West Bank; Jordan is almost landlocked but does have a 26 km southwestern coastline with a single port, Al 'Aqabah (Aqaba)

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 11,312,507 (2025 est.)
male: 5,908,853
female: 5,403,654

**Nationality:**
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

**Ethnic groups:**
Jordanian 69.3%, Syrian 13.3%, Palestinian 6.7%, Egyptian 6.7%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 2.6% (2015 est.)
note: data represent population by self-identified nationality in national census

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes)
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 97.1% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.1% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, folk <0.1%, other <0.1%, unaffiliated <0.1% (2020 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 30.9% (male 1,771,840/female 1,678,178)
15-64 years: 64.9% (male 3,844,575/female 3,409,164)
65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 228,564/female 241,703)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 53.3 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 46.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 14.9 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 25.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 25.5 years
female: 24.4 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.68% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
21.9 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 92% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
2.232 million AMMAN (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Mother's mean age at first birth:**
24.6 years (2017/18 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
31 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 75 years
female: 78.1 years

**Total fertility rate:**
2.83 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.37 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 97% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 3% of population (2022 est.)
total: 1% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
7.3% of GDP (2021)
7.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
2.85 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)
total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)
total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
35.5% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 37.1% (2025 est.)
male: 58.6% (2025 est.)
female: 13.9% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.5% (2023 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
56% (2018 est.)

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 1.5% (2018)
women married by age 18: 9.7% (2018)
men married by age 18: 0.1% (2018)

**Education expenditure:**
3.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
11.7% national budget (2024 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 94.8% (2023 est.)
male: 97.5% (2023 est.)
female: 92.3% (2023 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 13 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
limited natural freshwater resources; declining water table; salination; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; biodiversity and ecosystem damage/loss

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 11.5% (2023 est.)
arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 8.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.8% (2023 est.)
other: 87.7% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 92% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
22.434 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 627,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 13.264 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 8.544 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
26.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 12.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 25.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 188.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 0.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.53 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.6% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 497.37 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 36.88 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 570.61 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
937 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan
etymology: named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border; the origin of the river's name is unclear, but it may come from a local word meaning "river"

**Government type:**
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

**Capital:**
name: Amman
geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: in the 13th century B.C., the Ammonites named their primary city Rabbath Ammon; rabbath meant "capital," so the name translated as "The Capital of [the] Ammon[ites];" over time, the name was shortened to Ammon, and then to Amman

**Administrative divisions:**
12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); 'Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Al ‘Asimah (Amman), At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

**Legal system:**
mixed system developed from Ottoman Empire codes (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1928 (pre-independence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952
amendment process: constitutional amendments require at least a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House and ratification by the king

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Jordan
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister
election/appointment process: prime minister appointed by the monarch

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: National Assembly (Majlis Al-Umma)
legislative structure: bicameral

**Legislative branch - lower chamber:**
chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab)
number of seats: 138 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 9/10/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 19.6%
expected date of next election: September 2028
note: the total number of Chamber of Deputies' seats increased to 138 from 130 for the September 2024 election

**Legislative branch - upper chamber:**
chamber name: Senate (Majlis Al-Aayan)
number of seats: 69 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/24/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 14.5%
expected date of next election: October 2028

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (consists of 15 members, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the king; other judges nominated by the Judicial Council, an 11-member judicial policymaking body consisting of high-level judicial officials and judges, and approved by the king; judge tenure not limited; Constitutional Court members appointed by the king for 6-year non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 2 years
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Great Felonies Court; religious courts; military courts; juvenile courts; Land Settlement Courts; Income Tax Court; Higher Administrative Court; Customs Court; special courts including the State Security Court

**Political parties:**
'Azem
Blessed Land Party
Building and Labor Coalition
Eradah Party
Growth Party
Islamic Action Front or IAF
Jordanian al-Ansar Party
Jordanian al-Ghad Party
Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party or JASBP
Jordanian Civil Democratic Party
Jordanian Communist Party or JCP
Jordanian Equality Party
Jordanian Democratic People's Party or HASD
Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party or JDPUP/Wihda
Jordanian Democratic Unionist Party
Jordanian Flame Party
Jordanian Future and Life Party
Jordanian Model Party
Jordanian National Integration Party
Jordanian National Loyalty Party
Jordanian Reform and Renewal Party or Hassad
Jordanian Shura Party
Jordanian Social Democratic Party or JSDP
Justice and Reform Party or JRP
Labor Party
National Charter Party
National Coalition Party
National Constitutional Party
National Current Party or NCP
National Islamic Party
National Union
Nationalist Movement Party or Hsq
New Path Party
Progress Party

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Dina Khalil Tawfiq KAWAR (since 27 June 2016)
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
email address and website:
hkjconsular@jordanembassyus.org
http://www.jordanembassyus.org/

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador James HOLTSNIDER (since 7 December 2025)
embassy: Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman
mailing address: 6050 Amman Place, Washington DC 20521-6050
telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000
FAX: [962] (6) 592-0163
email address and website:
Amman-ACS@state.gov
https://jo.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, NATO (partner), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green; a red isosceles triangle is on the left side, with a small white seven-pointed star in the center
meaning: black stands for the Abbassid Caliphate, white for the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green for the Fatimid Caliphate; the triangle stands for the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and the star's points for the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Quran, as well as faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations
history: the design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

**National symbol(s):**
eagle

**National color(s):**
black, white, green, red

**National anthem(s):**
title: "As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" (Long Live the King of Jordan)
lyrics/music: Abdul-Mone'm al-RIFAI'/Abdul-Qader al-TANEER
history: adopted 1946; the shortened version of the anthem is most commonly used; the full version is reserved for special occasions

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Petra (c); Quseir Amra (c); Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a) (c); Wadi Rum Protected Area (m); Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (c); As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality (c); Umm Al-Jimāl (c)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
upper-middle-income Middle Eastern economy; high debt and unemployment, especially for youth and women; global events triggering trade slump and decreased revenue from tourism; growing manufacturing and agricultural sectors; key US foreign assistance recipient; natural-resource-poor and import-reliant

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$109.986 billion (2024 est.)
$107.315 billion (2023 est.)
$104.307 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
2.5% (2024 est.)
2.9% (2023 est.)
2.6% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$9,500 (2024 est.)
$9,400 (2023 est.)
$9,300 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$53.352 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
1.6% (2024 est.)
2.1% (2023 est.)
4.2% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 5.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 25.1% (2024 est.)
services: 60.4% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 78.9% (2021 est.)
government consumption: 15.8% (2021 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2021 est.)
investment in inventories: 3% (2021 est.)
exports of goods and services: 30% (2021 est.)
imports of goods and services: -50.4% (2021 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
tomatoes, milk, chicken, potatoes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions, chillies/peppers, peaches/nectarines, sheep milk (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizer, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing

**Industrial production growth rate:**
3.7% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
3.08 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
18% (2024 est.)
18% (2023 est.)
18.2% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 41.7% (2024 est.)
male: 39.8% (2024 est.)
female: 49.2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Population below poverty line:**
15.7% (2018 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 25% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
8.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
10.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
11% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $13.779 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $17.159 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
102.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
17% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
-$1.91 billion (2023 est.)
-$3.815 billion (2022 est.)
-$3.718 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$22.186 billion (2023 est.)
$20.743 billion (2022 est.)
$13.87 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
USA 21%, India 13%, Saudi Arabia 11%, China 7%, Iraq 6% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
fertilizers, garments, phosphates, jewelry, phosphoric acid (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$28.922 billion (2023 est.)
$30.019 billion (2022 est.)
$23.321 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 17%, Saudi Arabia 14%, UAE 8%, India 6%, USA 5% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, refined petroleum, gold, crude petroleum, jewelry (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$21.939 billion (2024 est.)
$19.069 billion (2023 est.)
$18.198 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$21.058 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.71 (2024 est.)
0.71 (2023 est.)
0.71 (2022 est.)
0.71 (2021 est.)
0.71 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 98.9%

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 6.891 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 20.31 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 162.93 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 383.073 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 2.472 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 76.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 15.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 269,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 110,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 20 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 97,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 1 million barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 200.004 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 5.441 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 375.998 million cubic meters (2018 est.)
imports: 4.865 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
32.909 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 486,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 8.05 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
radio and TV dominated by the government-owned Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) that operates a main network, a sports network, a film network, and a satellite channel; first independent TV broadcaster aired in 2007; international satellite TV and Israeli and Syrian TV broadcasts are available; roughly 30 radio stations; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available

**Internet country code:**
.jo

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 805,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
JY

**Airports:**
18 (2025)

**Heliports:**
6 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 509 km (2020)
narrow gauge: 509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

**Merchant marine:**
total: 34 (2023)
by type: general cargo 5, other 29

**Ports:**
total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Al Aqabah

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; aka Arab Army): Jordanian Army (Jordanian Ground Forces; includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Jordanian Air Force, Jordanian Navy)
Ministry of Interior: Public Security Directorate (includes national police, the Gendarmerie, and the Civil Defense Directorate) (2025)

**Military expenditures:**
4.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
5% of GDP (2021 est.)
5% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 100,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the JAF inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment provided by China, some European countries, select Gulf States, Russia, and the US (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; initial service term is 24 months; selective compulsory military service (3 months) for men turning 18 will be reinstated in 2026; compulsory military service for jobless men aged 25-29 was reinstated in 2020 (12 months; 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training) (2025)

**Military deployments:**
140 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)

**Military - note:**
the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) are responsible for territorial defense and border security and have a supporting role for internal security; key areas of concern include regional conflict and instability and unconventional threats, such as terrorism and weapons smuggling; the JAF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises, UN peacekeeping missions, and have taken part in regional military operations alongside international forces in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen
the US is a key security partner, and Jordan is one of the largest recipients of US military aid in the region; it cooperates with the US on a number of issues, including border security, arms transfers, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism; Jordan has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 675,388 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 17 (2024 est.)

---

## Kuwait
**Slug:** kuwait
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇰🇼
**Codes:** cek: ku, iso2: KW, iso3: KWT, iso_num: 414, genc: KWT, stanag: KWT, internet: .kw

### Introduction

**Background:**
Kuwait has been ruled by the AL-SABAH dynasty since the 18th century. The threat of Ottoman invasion in 1899 prompted Amir Mubarak AL-SABAH to seek protection from Britain, ceding foreign and defense responsibility to Britain until 1961, when the country attained its independence. Iraq attacked and overran Kuwait in 1990. After several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. In 1992, the Amir reconstituted the parliament that he had dissolved in 1986. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs known as Bidoon staged small protests demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Other demographic groups, notably Islamists and Kuwaitis from tribal backgrounds, soon joined the growing protest movements, which culminated with the resignation of the prime minister amid allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in 2012 in response to a decree amending the electoral law that lessened the voting power of the tribal blocs.
An opposition coalition of Sunni Islamists, tribal populists, and some liberals largely boycotted legislative elections in 2012 and 2013, which ushered in a legislature more amenable to the government's agenda. Faced with the prospect of painful subsidy cuts, oppositionists and independents actively participated in the 2016 election, winning nearly half the seats, but the opposition became increasingly factionalized. Between 2006 and his death in 2020, the Amir dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government.
The current Amir, who assumed his role in 2020, launched a "National Dialogue" in 2021 meant to resolve political gridlock. As part of this initiative, the Amir pardoned several opposition figures who had been living in exile, and they returned to Kuwait. Legislative challenges remain, and the cabinet has been reshuffled six times since 2020.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

**Geographic coordinates:**
29 30 N, 45 45 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 17,818 sq km
land: 17,818 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly smaller than New Jersey

**Land boundaries:**
total: 475 km
border countries (2): Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km

**Coastline:**
499 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm

**Climate:**
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

**Terrain:**
flat to slightly undulating desert plain

**Elevation:**
highest point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 108 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.)
arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.4% (2023 est.)
other: 91.2% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
100 sq km (2015)

**Major watersheds (area sq km):**
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country

**Natural hazards:**
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August

**Geography - note:**
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 3,172,511 (2025 est.)
male: 1,827,274
female: 1,345,237

**Nationality:**
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

**Ethnic groups:**
Kuwaiti 30.4%, other Arab 27.4%, Asian 40.3%, African 1%, other 0.9% (includes European, North American, South American, and Australian) (2018 est.)

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.)
note: data represent the total population; about 72% of the population consists of immigrants

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 23% (male 376,415/female 346,190)
15-64 years: 73.4% (male 1,386,349/female 917,465)
65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 47,778/female 64,158)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 36 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 30.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 31.1 years
female: 28.9 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.07% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
17.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-4.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
3.298 million KUWAIT (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 1.36 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 79.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.1 years
female: 81.1 years

**Total fertility rate:**
2.19 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.07 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
5.8% of GDP (2021)
9.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
2.27 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

**Hospital bed density:**
2.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
37.9% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 22.4% (2025 est.)
male: 34.9% (2025 est.)
female: 1.9% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.8% (2023 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
6.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
13.8% national budget (2025 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 96.5% (2020 est.)
male: 97.1% (2020 est.)
female: 95.3% (2020 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 15 years (2015 est.)
male: 13 years (2015 est.)
female: 16 years (2015 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
limited natural freshwater resources; air and water pollution; desertification; loss of biodiversity

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention

**Climate:**
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.)
arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.4% (2023 est.)
other: 91.2% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
100.459 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 48.723 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 51.587 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
54.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 819.9 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 7.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 256.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.75 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.4% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 448.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 23.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 778.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt
etymology: the name derives from the capital city, which comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt, itself a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut, meaning a fortress-like house

**Government type:**
constitutional monarchy (emirate)

**Capital:**
name: Kuwait City
geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt, a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut, meaning a fortress-like house

**Administrative divisions:**
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

**Legal system:**
mixed system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law

**Constitution:**
history: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999
amendment process: proposed by the amir or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended
note: in May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly and suspended several articles of the constitution for up to four years

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: not specified

**Suffrage:**
21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: Amir MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023)
head of government: Prime Minister AHMAD ABDULLAH Al-Ahmad al Sabah (since 15 May 2024)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir
election/appointment process: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir

**Legislative branch:**
expected date of next election: April 2028
note: the unicameral National Assembly was dissolved on 10 May 2024 by Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad AL-SABAH for a period of up to four years; the Emir and cabinet officials have assumed the role of the parliament

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits, each with 5 judges)
judge selection and term of office: all Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwaiti judges and Ministry of Justice officials
subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court

**Political parties:**
none; the government does not recognize any political parties or allow their formation, although no formal law bans political parties

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador AL-ZAIN Sabah Naser Saud Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023)
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8468
email address and website:
info@kuwaitembassy.us
https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/
consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (CA), New York

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Steven R. BUTLER (since July 2025)
embassy: P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001
mailing address: 6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC 20521-6200
telephone: [00] (965) 2259-1001
FAX: [00] (965) 2538-0282
email address and website:
KuwaitACS@state.gov
https://kw.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
19 June 1961 (from the UK)

**National holiday:**
National Day, 25 February (1950)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a black trapezoid based on the left side
meaning: green stands for fertile fields, white for purity, red for blood on Kuwaiti swords, and black for defeating the enemy
history: colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

**National symbol(s):**
golden falcon

**National color(s):**
green, white, red, black

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA
history: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
small, high-income, oil-based Middle East economy; renewable energy proponent; regional finance and investment leader; maintains oldest sovereign wealth fund; emerging space and tourism industries; mid-way through 25-year development program

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$225.947 billion (2024 est.)
$231.884 billion (2023 est.)
$235.815 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
-2.6% (2024 est.)
-1.7% (2023 est.)
6.8% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$45,400 (2024 est.)
$47,800 (2023 est.)
$51,400 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$160.227 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
2.9% (2024 est.)
3.6% (2023 est.)
4% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 0.5% (2024 est.)
industry: 57.1% (2024 est.)
services: 55.9% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 32.6% (2022 est.)
government consumption: 20.7% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.8% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services: 60.4% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services: -30.5% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
dates, eggs, milk, tomatoes, chicken, lamb/mutton, cucumbers/gherkins, vegetables, maize, eggplants (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-5.2% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
3.003 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
2.2% (2024 est.)
2.2% (2023 est.)
2.2% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 15.4% (2024 est.)
male: 9.3% (2024 est.)
female: 28.9% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 19.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
0% of GDP (2024 est.)
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $44.254 billion (2015 est.)
expenditures: $59.584 billion (2015 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Current account balance:**
$46.703 billion (2024 est.)
$51.396 billion (2023 est.)
$63.078 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$89.71 billion (2024 est.)
$95.476 billion (2023 est.)
$110.923 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 25%, India 13%, Japan 13%, Taiwan 7%, UK 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, hydrocarbons, plastics (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$61.521 billion (2024 est.)
$63.43 billion (2023 est.)
$55.909 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 18%, UAE 10%, USA 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, natural gas, garments, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$50.728 billion (2024 est.)
$52.619 billion (2023 est.)
$52.462 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.307 (2024 est.)
0.307 (2023 est.)
0.306 (2022 est.)
0.302 (2021 est.)
0.306 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 20.294 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 78.047 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 7.516 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 97.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 60,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 11 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 152,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 2.91 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 430,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 101.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 19.207 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 26.296 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 8.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.784 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
389.848 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 573,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 8.11 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2023 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters; satellite TV available, and pan-Arab TV stations are especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.kw

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 49,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
9K

**Airports:**
6 (2025)

**Heliports:**
20 (2025)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 176 (2023)
by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 133

**Ports:**
total ports: 6 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 2
small: 1
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 4
key ports: Al Kuwayt, Doha Harbor, Mina Abd Allah, Mina Al Ahmadi, Mina Ash Shuaybah, Mina Az Zawr

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Kuwait Armed Forces (KAF): Kuwait Army (aka Kuwait Land Forces, KLF), Kuwait Navy (aka Kuwait Naval Force), Kuwait Air Force; Kuwait National Guard (KNG)
Ministry of Interior: Kuwait Police, State Security, Kuwait Coast Guard (2025)
note 1: the Emiri Guard Authority and the 25th Commando Brigade are special units within the KAF that exercise independent command authority, although activities such as training and equipment procurement are often coordinated with the other services; the 25th Commando Brigade is Kuwait's leading special forces unit; the Emiri Guard Authority (aka Emiri Guard Brigade) is responsible for protecting Kuwait's heads of state
note 2: the National Guard reports directly to the prime minister and the amir and possesses an independent command structure, equipment inventory, and logistics corps separate from the Ministry of Defense, the regular armed services, and the Ministry of Interior; it is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and providing support for the Ministries of Interior and Defense as required

**Military expenditures:**
4.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
4.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
6.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 17,000 active Kuwait Armed Forces; approximately 7,000 National Guard (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the military's inventory consists of armaments from Western Europe, Russia, and particularly the US (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-month compulsory service for men aged 18-35; mandatory service is divided into two phases – 4 months for training and 8 months for military service (2025)
note: the National Guard is restricted to citizens, but in 2018, the Army began allowing non-Kuwaitis to join on contract or as non-commissioned officers; that same year, it also began allowing stateless people (Bidoon) to join

**Military - note:**
the Kuwaiti Armed Forces (KAF) are responsible for defending Kuwait's sovereignty and territory; Kuwait’s security concerns include regional threats from state and non-state actors, maritime security, and terrorism; the KAF participates in bilateral and multilateral exercises, as well as a limited number of multinational security operations such as maritime patrols in the Persian Gulf; it also provided a few fighter aircraft to the Saudi-led coalition intervention in Yemen in 2015; the KAF is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region
Kuwait's key security partner since the 1991 Gulf War has been the US; the US maintains thousands of military personnel as well as logistics and training facilities in Kuwait as part of mutual cooperation agreements signed in 1991 and 2013; the KAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and would look to US assistance in the event of an external attack; Kuwait has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 1,271 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 92,000 (2024 est.)

---

## Lebanon
**Slug:** lebanon
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇱🇧
**Codes:** cek: le, iso2: LB, iso3: LBN, iso_num: 422, genc: LBN, stanag: LBN, internet: .lb

### Introduction

**Background:**
As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. From it the French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920, and it gained independence in 1943. Lebanon subsequently experienced periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade.
The country's 1975-90 civil war, which resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability, and sectarianism remains a key element of Lebanese political life. The Israeli defense forces, which occupied parts of Lebanon during the civil war, did not completely withdraw until 2000. Neighboring Syria influenced Lebanon's foreign and domestic policies while its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005, but its influence diminished significantly after 2005. Over 1.5 million Syrian refugees fled to Lebanon after the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Hizballah -- a major Lebanese political party, militia, and US-designated foreign terrorist organization -- and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal and fought a brief war in 2006. After HAMAS attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, the intensity and frequency of these cross-border attacks increased substantially into a cycle of hostilities, mostly limited to the border areas as of January 2024. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.
Lebanon's prosperity has significantly diminished since the beginning of the country's economic crisis in 2019, which has crippled its economy, shut down its previously lucrative banking sector, reduced the value of its currency, and caused many Lebanese to emigrate in search of better prospects.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

**Geographic coordinates:**
33 50 N, 35 50 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 10,400 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
about one-third the size of Maryland

**Land boundaries:**
total: 484 km
border countries (2): Israel 81 km; Syria 403 km

**Coastline:**
225 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm

**Climate:**
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows

**Terrain:**
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

**Elevation:**
highest point: Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 1,250 m

**Natural resources:**
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 65.9% (2023 est.)
arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 39.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 13.8% (2023 est.)
other: 20.3% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
1,040 sq km (2012)

**Population distribution:**
the majority of people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, particularly in and around the capital of Beirut

**Natural hazards:**
earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms

**Geography - note:**
smallest country in continental Asia; Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 5,707,137 (2025 est.)
male: 2,820,314
female: 2,886,823

**Nationality:**
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese

**Ethnic groups:**
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify as Arab but rather as descendants of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 519,352/female 495,591)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 1,939,311/female 1,900,574)
65 years and over: 9.5% (2024 est.) (male 219,880/female 289,774)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 50 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 38.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 11.5 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.7 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 29.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.6 years
female: 36.9 years

**Population growth rate:**
-0.77% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
16.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-18.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
the majority of people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, particularly in and around the capital of Beirut

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 89.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 79.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 77.8 years
female: 80.7 years

**Total fertility rate:**
2.2 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.07 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
total: 92.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 7.4% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
10.1% of GDP (2021)
15.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
2.68 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

**Hospital bed density:**
2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
32% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 1.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 34.1% (2025 est.)
male: 43.8% (2025 est.)
female: 25.4% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
5.1% (2023 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
52.4% (2019 est.)

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 1.4% (2016)
women married by age 18: 6% (2016)

**Education expenditure:**
1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
8.6% national budget (2025 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 92% (2019 est.)
male: 94.8% (2019 est.)
female: 89.5% (2019 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 11 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years
female: 11 years (2014)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
deforestation; soil deterioration, erosion; desertification; species loss; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills; waste-water management

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

**Climate:**
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 65.9% (2023 est.)
arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 39.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 13.8% (2023 est.)
other: 20.3% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 89.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
17.484 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 375,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 17.109 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 7.9 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 11.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 105.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 0.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.04 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 240 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 900 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
4.503 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan
former: Greater Lebanon
etymology: derives from the Semitic root lbn, meaning "white," and probably refers to the country's snow-capped mountains

**Government type:**
parliamentary democratic republic

**Capital:**
name: Beirut
geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: derived from the Phoenician or Hebrew word be'erot, meaning "the wells," which were the only source of water in the region

**Administrative divisions:**
8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa (Bekaa), Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord (North Lebanon), Liban-Sud (South Lebanon), Mont-Liban (Mount Lebanon), Nabatiye

**Legal system:**
mixed system of civil law based on the French civil code, Ottoman legal tradition, and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities

**Constitution:**
history: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic and introduced as a government bill to the National Assembly or proposed by at least 10 members of the Assembly and agreed upon by two thirds of its members; if proposed by the National Assembly, review and approval by two-thirds majority of the Cabinet is required; if approved, the proposal is next submitted to the Cabinet for drafting as an amendment; Cabinet approval requires at least two-thirds majority, followed by submission to the National Assembly for discussion and vote; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of a required two-thirds quorum of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Lebanon
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

**Suffrage:**
21 years of age; authorized for all men and women regardless of religion; excludes persons convicted of felonies and other crimes or those imprisoned; excludes all military and security service personnel regardless of rank

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025)
head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and the National Assembly
election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by a qualified majority of two-thirds of Parliament members in the first round and, if needed, a two-thirds quorum of members by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly
most recent election date: 9 January 2025
election results:
2025: Joseph AOUN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - 99 of 128
2016: Michel AWN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - Michel AWN (FPM) 83; the president elected in its 46th attempt on 31 October 2016
expected date of next election: 2031

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: National Assembly (Majlis Al-Nuwwab)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 128 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 5/15/2022
parties elected and seats per party: Strong Republic (19); Strong Lebanon (18); Development and Liberation (15); Loyalty to the Resistance (15); Independent Deputies (9); Democratic Gathering (8); Independents (20); Other (24)
percentage of women in chamber: 6.3%
expected date of next election: May 2026
note 1: Lebanon’s constitution states that the Parliament cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant
note 2: seats are apportioned evenly between Christians and Muslims

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (organized into 8 chambers, each with a presiding judge and 2 associate judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 10 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body headed by the chief justice, and includes other judicial officials; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the Council of Ministers and 5 by parliament; members serve 5-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals, religious courts; military courts

**Political parties:**
Al-Ahbash (Association of Islamic Charitable Projects) or AICP
Amal Movement ("Hope Movement")
Azm Movement
Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon
Free Patriotic Movement or FPM
Future Movement Bloc or FM
Hizballah
Islamic Action Front or IAF
Kata'ib Party
Lebanese Democratic Party
Lebanese Forces or LF
Marada Movement
Progressive Socialist Party or PSP
Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party
Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP
Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Nada HAMADEH (since 5 September 2025)
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
email address and website:
info@lebanonembassyus.org
http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Michel ISSA (since 17 November 2025)
embassy: Awkar facing the Municipality
P.O. Box 70-840 Antelias, Beirut
mailing address: 6070 Beirut Place, Washington DC 20521-6070
telephone: [961] (04) 543-600
FAX: [961] (4) 544-019
email address and website:
BeirutACS@state.gov
https://lb.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

**Independence:**
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

**Flag:**
description: three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double-width), and red (bottom), with a green cedar tree centered on the white band
meaning: red stands for blood shed for liberation, and white for peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the national symbol and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity

**National symbol(s):**
cedar tree

**National color(s):**
red, white, green

**National coat of arms:**
Lebanon has had many coats of arms since declaring independence in 1943, but none were officially adopted. The current version is a variation of the national flag. Red stands for the blood shed for liberation, and white for peace, purity, and mountain snow. The cedar tree is the national symbol, embodying eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity.

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All of Us, For Our Country!)
lyrics/music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
history: adopted 1927

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Anjar; Baalbek; Byblos; Tyre; Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab); Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
lower middle-income Middle Eastern economy; hyperinflation and sharp poverty increases; banks have ceased lending; economic contraction, destroyed infrastructure, and reduced consumer demand resulting from Israel-Hezbollah conflict

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$65.415 billion (2023 est.)
$65.917 billion (2022 est.)
$66.329 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
-0.8% (2023 est.)
-0.6% (2022 est.)
-7% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$11,300 (2023 est.)
$11,500 (2022 est.)
$11,600 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$20.079 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
45.2% (2024 est.)
221.3% (2023 est.)
171.2% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 1% (2023 est.)
industry: 2.1% (2023 est.)
services: 42.4% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 136% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 5.2% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 1.9% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 30.6% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -73.7% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
potatoes, milk, tomatoes, apples, oranges, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, chicken, lemons/limes, wheat (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
banking, tourism, real estate and construction, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating

**Industrial production growth rate:**
0.1% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
1.939 million (2023 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
11.6% (2023 est.)
11.6% (2022 est.)
12.7% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 23.6% (2023 est.)
male: 24.4% (2023 est.)
female: 21.9% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 37.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
33.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
30.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
27.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $12.73 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $11.853 billion (2021 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
146.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: data cover central government debt and exclude debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment

**Taxes and other revenues:**
5.7% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
-$5.643 billion (2023 est.)
-$7.265 billion (2022 est.)
-$4.556 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$11.77 billion (2023 est.)
$12.445 billion (2022 est.)
$9.684 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
UAE 26%, Egypt 7%, Turkey 5%, Iraq 5%, USA 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
jewelry, cars, diamonds, scrap iron, gold (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$23.313 billion (2023 est.)
$24.536 billion (2022 est.)
$17.667 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
Switzerland 12%, China 11%, Greece 9%, Turkey 8%, Italy 6% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
refined petroleum, gold, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$33.301 billion (2024 est.)
$27.49 billion (2023 est.)
$32.513 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$41.936 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
89,500 (2024 est.)
13,875.625 (2023 est.)
1,507.5 (2022 est.)
1,507.5 (2021 est.)
1,507.5 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 5.161 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 4.077 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 797 million kWh (2021 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 436.839 million kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 52.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 15.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 166,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 47 metric tons (2022 est.)
imports: 164,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
refined petroleum consumption: 115,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
43.105 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 924,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2022 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 4.25 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2022 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
7 TV stations, 1 of which is state-owned; more than 30 radio stations, 1 of which is state-owned; satellite and cable TV services available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible through partner stations (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.lb

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 84% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 419,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2022 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
OD

**Airports:**
8 (2025)

**Heliports:**
27 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 401 km (2017)
standard gauge: 319 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 82 km (2017) 1.050-m gauge
note: rail system is still unusable due to damage sustained from fighting in the 1980s and in 2006

**Merchant marine:**
total: 51 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 1, general cargo 30, oil tanker 1, other 17

**Ports:**
total ports: 5 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 1
small: 0
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Bayrut, Sayda, Selaata, Sidon/zahrani Terminal, Tarabulus

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces
Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025)
note: the commander of the LAF is also the head of the Army; the LAF patrols external borders, while official border checkpoints are under the authority of Directorate for General Security

**Military expenditures:**
2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
3% of GDP (2020 est.)
4.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
5.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, Russia, and especially the US (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2026)

**Military - note:**
the primary responsibilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are defense against external attack, border security, protecting the country’s territorial waters, and assisting with internal security and development projects
the LAF’s domestic security responsibilities include countering narcotics trafficking and smuggling, managing protests, conducting search and rescue, and intervening to prevent violence between rival political factions; in recent years, the military has faced a financial crisis as government debt and national economic difficulties have undercut its ability to train and fully pay and supply personnel; the UN, as well as individual countries such as France, Qatar, and the US have provided financial assistance
the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the southern part of the country since 1978; it has approximately 10,500 personnel assigned and includes a maritime task force; the terrorist group Hizballah maintains thousands of fighters and militia in Lebanon, primarily in the south (see Terrorist Organizations in References) (2025)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; Asbat al-Ansar; HAMAS; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 765,390 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 984,514 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 40,000 (2024 est.)

---

## Oman
**Slug:** oman
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇴🇲
**Codes:** cek: mu, iso2: OM, iso3: OMN, iso_num: 512, genc: OMN, stanag: OMN, internet: .om

### Introduction

**Background:**
The inhabitants of the area of present-day Oman have long prospered from Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, the nascent sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, although the sultanate never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said overthrew his father and ruled as sultan for the next five decades. His extensive modernization program opened the country to the outside world. He prioritized strategic ties to the UK and US, and his moderate, independent foreign policy allowed Oman to maintain good relations with its neighbors and avoid external entanglements.
In 2011, the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa inspired demonstrations in Oman that called for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response, QABOOS implemented economic and political reforms such as granting Oman’s legislative body more power and authorizing direct elections for its lower house. Additionally, the sultan increased unemployment benefits and issued a royal directive mandating a national public- and private-sector job creation plan. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in 2012. QABOOS, Oman's longest reigning monarch, died in 2020. His cousin, HAYTHAM bin Tariq Al Said, former Minister of Heritage and Culture, was sworn in as Oman's new sultan the same day.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the UAE

**Geographic coordinates:**
21 00 N, 57 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 309,500 sq km
land: 309,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
twice the size of Georgia

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,561 km
border countries (3): Saudi Arabia 658 km; UAE 609 km; Yemen 294 km

**Coastline:**
2,092 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

**Climate:**
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

**Terrain:**
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

**Elevation:**
highest point: Jabal Shams 3,004 m
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 310 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 4.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0% (2023 est.)
other: 95.2% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
1,162 sq km (2022)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely populated

**Natural hazards:**
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts

**Geography - note:**
consists of Oman proper and two northern exclaves, Musandam and Al Madhah; the former is a peninsula that occupies a strategic location adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 3,969,824 (2025 est.)
male: 2,130,080
female: 1,839,744

**Nationality:**
noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani

**Ethnic groups:**
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Swahili, Urdu, Indian dialects
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 85.9%, Christian 6.4%, Hindu 5.7%, other and unaffiliated 2% (2020 est.)
note: Omani citizens represent approximately 56.4% of the population and are overwhelming Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects each constitute about 45% and Shia about 5%); Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists account for roughly 5% of Omani citizens

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 594,909/female 566,682)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,428,141/female 1,155,438)
65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 73,076/female 83,746)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 50.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 44.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 27.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 28.1 years
female: 26.3 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.7% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
20.65 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
3.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely populated

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
1.650 million MUSCAT (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.24 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.16 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
13 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.5 years
female: 79.4 years

**Total fertility rate:**
2.61 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.27 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 76.3% of population (2022 est.)
total: 92.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 23.7% of population (2022 est.)
total: 7.6% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
4.4% of GDP (2021)
8.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
1.99 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
27% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 11.6% (2025 est.)
male: 17.9% (2025 est.)
female: 0.4% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
11.2% (2017 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
55.8% (2020 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
14.2% national budget (2022 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 97.3% (2022 est.)
male: 98.6% (2022 est.)
female: 94.9% (2022 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 13 years (2021 est.)
male: 13 years (2021 est.)
female: 14 years (2021 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
limited natural freshwater resources; high levels of soil and water salinity in the coastal plains; beach pollution from oil spills; industrial effluents in the water table and aquifers; desertification due to high winds driving desert sand into arable lands

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 4.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0% (2023 est.)
other: 95.2% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
84.073 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 661,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 28.611 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 54.8 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
34.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 673.6 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 36.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 62.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 9.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.308 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.9% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 130 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 238 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.547 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
local short form: Uman
former: Sultanate of Muscat and Oman
etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it may date back at least 2,000 years, with an "Omana" mentioned by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.) and an "Omanon" by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.); it is said to derive from Oman ben Ibrahim al Khalil (Oman ben Kahtan), who founded the state

**Government type:**
absolute monarchy

**Capital:**
name: Muscat
geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name derives from the Arabic name for the city, Masqat, which is said to mean "hidden" and refers to the range of hills that isolate the port city from the rest of the country

**Administrative divisions:**
11 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafaza); Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Buraymi, Al Wusta, Az Zahirah, Janub al Batinah (Al Batinah South), Janub ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah South), Masqat (Muscat), Musandam, Shamal al Batinah (Al Batinah North), Shamal ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah North), Zufar (Dhofar)

**Legal system:**
mixed system of Anglo-Saxon law and Islamic law

**Constitution:**
history: promulgated by royal decree 6 November 1996 (the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman serves as the constitution); amended by royal decree in 2011
amendment process: promulgated by the sultan or proposed by the Council of Oman and drafted by a technical committee as stipulated by royal decree and then promulgated through royal decree

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Oman
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

**Suffrage:**
21 years of age; universal
note: members of the military and security forces by law cannot vote

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020)
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
note: the monarch is both chief of state and head of government

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Majles
legislative structure: bicameral

**Legislative branch - lower chamber:**
chamber name: Shura Council (Majles A'Shura)
number of seats: 90 (all directly elected)
electoral system: other systems
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/1/2023
percentage of women in chamber: 0%
expected date of next election: October 2027

**Legislative branch - upper chamber:**
chamber name: State Council (Majles Addawla)
number of seats: 87 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/29/2023
percentage of women in chamber: 20.9%
expected date of next election: November 2027

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the 9-member Supreme Judicial Council (chaired by the monarch) and appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; magistrates' courts; military courts

**Political parties:**
note: organized political parties are banned in Oman, and loyalties tend to form around tribal affiliations

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Talal Sulaiman AL-RAHBI (since 24 July 2025)
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
email address and website:
washington@fm.gov.om
Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman, Washington, USA - FM.gov.om

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Ana ESCROGIMA (since 4 December 2023)
embassy: P.C. 115, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
mailing address: 6220 Muscat Place, Washington DC 20521
telephone: [968] 2464-3400
FAX: [968] 2464-3740
email address and website:
ConsularMuscat@state.gov
https://om.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

**National holiday:**
National Day, 18 November
note: celebrates Oman's independence from Portugal in 1650 and the birthday of Sultan QABOOS bin Said al Said, who reigned from 1970 to 2020

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), red, and green, with a vertical red band on the left side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath on top of crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
meaning: white stands for peace and prosperity, red for battles against foreign invaders, and green for the Jebel al Akhdar (Green Mountains) and fertility

**National symbol(s):**
khanjar dagger on top of two crossed swords

**National color(s):**
red, white, green

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Nashid as-Salaam as-Sultani" (The Sultan's Anthem)
lyrics/music: Rashid bin Uzayyiz al KHUSAIDI/James Frederick MILLS, arranged by Bernard EBBINGHAUS
history: adopted 1932; new lyrics written after QABOOS bin Said al Said came to power in 1970; first performed by the band of the HMS Hawkins as a salute to the Sultan during a 1932 visit to Muscat; the ship's bandmaster did the arrangement

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Bahla Fort; Archaeological Sites of Bat; Land of Frankincense; Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman; Ancient Qalhat

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
high-income, oil-based economy; large welfare system; growing government debt; citizenship-based labor force growth policy; US free trade agreement; diversifying portfolio; high female labor force participation

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$193.591 billion (2024 est.)
$190.403 billion (2023 est.)
$188.169 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
1.7% (2024 est.)
1.2% (2023 est.)
8% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$36,700 (2024 est.)
$37,700 (2023 est.)
$39,800 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$106.943 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
1% (2023 est.)
2.5% (2022 est.)
1.7% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.)
industry: 54.2% (2024 est.)
services: 46.5% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 37.8% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 19.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24.3% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 2.4% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 61.1% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -44.8% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
vegetables, dates, milk, tomatoes, sorghum, chillies/peppers, goat milk, cucumbers/gherkins, cantaloupes/melons, cabbages (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber

**Industrial production growth rate:**
0.2% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
2.696 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
3.2% (2024 est.)
3.2% (2023 est.)
3.3% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 13.9% (2024 est.)
male: 11% (2024 est.)
female: 30.9% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 18.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $29.334 billion (2018 est.)
expenditures: $35.984 billion (2018 est.)

**Public debt:**
46.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: excludes indebtedness of state-owned enterprises

**Current account balance:**
$2.638 billion (2023 est.)
$4.362 billion (2022 est.)
-$4.836 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$64.749 billion (2023 est.)
$69.483 billion (2022 est.)
$46.572 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 43%, India 6%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UAE 5%, South Africa 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, semi-finished iron, fertilizers (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$47.412 billion (2023 est.)
$46.682 billion (2022 est.)
$37.216 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
UAE 25%, Saudi Arabia 12%, India 8%, China 7%, Qatar 5% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, iron ore, iron pipes (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$18.287 billion (2024 est.)
$17.455 billion (2023 est.)
$17.606 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.384 (2024 est.)
0.384 (2023 est.)
0.384 (2022 est.)
0.384 (2021 est.)
0.384 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 11.589 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 40.738 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 4.267 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 96% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 82,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 70,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 323,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 1.056 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 218,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 5.373 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 41.726 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 28.646 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 15.536 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 1.924 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 651.287 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
296.586 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 436,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 6.35 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
1 state-run TV broadcaster; TV stations transmitting from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and Yemen available via satellite TV; state-run radio operates multiple stations; first private radio station began operating in 2007, and several additional stations now operating (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.om

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 95% (2024 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 562,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
A4O

**Airports:**
37 (2025)

**Heliports:**
20 (2025)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 57 (2023)
by type: general cargo 11, other 46

**Ports:**
total ports: 7 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 4
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 6
key ports: Duqm, Khawr Khasab, Mina Al Fahl, Mina Raysut, Sohar

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), Sultan's Special Forces
Royal Oman Police (ROP): Civil Defense, Immigration, Infrastructure Security Police, Coast Guard Police, Special Security Police, Special Task Force (2024)
note: in addition to its policing duties, the ROP conducts many administrative functions similar to the responsibilities of a Ministry of Interior in other countries

**Military expenditures:**
6% of GDP (2024 est.)
5.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
5.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
8% of GDP (2021 est.)
11% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 40,000 active Sultan's Armed Forces (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the SAF's inventory includes a mix of older and some more modern weapons systems from a variety of suppliers, particularly the UK and the US; other suppliers have included China, EU countries, South Africa, and Türkiye (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-25 for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
note: women have served since 2011

**Military - note:**
the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) are responsible for defending the country, ensuring internal security, and protecting the monarchy; it trains with foreign partners such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the UK, and the US; the SAF has a security relationship with the British military going back to the 18th century; today, the SAF and the British maintain a joint training base in Oman, and the British military uses the facilities at Al Duqm Port; in 2019, the US obtained access to the port, expanding on previous military cooperation agreements in 2014, 2010, and 1980; Oman also allows other nations to use some of its maritime facilities, including China; the SAF is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region
Oman's naval forces conduct maritime security operations along the country’s long coastline, including patrolling, ensuring freedom of navigation in the key naval chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, and countering piracy and smuggling; Oman participates in the US-led, multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which operates multinational task forces conducting maritime security in regional waters (2025)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 714 (2024 est.)

---

## Qatar
**Slug:** qatar
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇶🇦
**Codes:** cek: qa, iso2: QA, iso3: QAT, iso_num: 634, genc: QAT, stanag: QAT, internet: .qa

### Introduction

**Background:**
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant hydrocarbon revenues. Former Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and by 2007, Doha had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo from some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of the country's infrastructure in anticipation of hosting international sporting events. Qatar became the first country in the Arab world to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2022.
Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the "Quartet") cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints. They restored ties in 2021 after signing a declaration at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the United States designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

**Geographic coordinates:**
25 30 N, 51 15 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 11,586 sq km
land: 11,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut

**Land boundaries:**
total: 87 km
border countries (1): Saudi Arabia 87 km

**Coastline:**
563 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line

**Climate:**
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

**Terrain:**
mostly flat and barren desert

**Elevation:**
highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 28 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, fish, natural gas

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.)
arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
other: 93.4% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
130 sq km (2022)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

**Natural hazards:**
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

**Geography - note:**
the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 2,568,426 (2025 est.)
male: 1,970,605
female: 597,821

**Nationality:**
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari

**Ethnic groups:**
non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.)

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 13.1% (male 168,844/female 165,905)
15-64 years: 85.4% (male 1,767,294/female 411,977)
65 years and over: 1.5% (2024 est.) (male 24,997/female 13,071)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 17.3 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 15.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 1.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 54.4 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 34.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.7 years
female: 28.1 years

**Population growth rate:**
0.57% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
9.19 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
1.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 4.29 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.91 male(s)/female
total population: 3.32 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.2 years
female: 82.4 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.9 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.94 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
2.9% of GDP (2021)
7.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
3.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.1 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
35.1% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 19.2% (2025 est.)
male: 24.6% (2025 est.)
female: 2.3% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.3% (2023 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
64.6% (2020 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
9.3% national budget (2020 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 13 years (2022 est.)
male: 12 years (2022 est.)
female: 15 years (2022 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
air, land, and water pollution; limited natural freshwater resources; limited conservation of oil and wildlife

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.)
arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
other: 93.4% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
127.783 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 27.781 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 99.991 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
59 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 1,040.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 9.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 64.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 5.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.001 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 582.862 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 40.18 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 311.156 million cubic meters (2022)

**Total renewable water resources:**
58 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
etymology: the name may derive from the Arabic word katran, meaning "tar" or "resin" in reference to the area's oil and natural gas reserves
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is GAT-tar or COT-tar

**Government type:**
absolute monarchy

**Capital:**
name: Doha
geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is derived from the Arabic ad-dawha, meaning "the big tree," and probably referred to a large tree at the site of the original fishing village

**Administrative divisions:**
8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal

**Legal system:**
mixed system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters)

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005
amendment process: proposed by the Amir or by one third of Advisory Council members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Advisory Council members and approval and promulgation by the emir; articles pertaining to the rule of state and its inheritance, functions of the emir, and citizen rights and liberties cannot be amended

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Qatar
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15 years if an Arab national

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 49 (all appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/9/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 6.1%
expected date of next election: September 2029

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 members)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the amir; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute resolution services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally

**Political parties:**
political parties are banned

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Meshal bin Hamad AL THANI (since 24 April 2017)
chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
FAX: [1] (202) 237-0682
email address and website:
info.dc@mofa.gov.qa
https://washington.embassy.qa/en/home
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefanie ALTMAN-WINANS (since June 2025)
embassy: 22 February Street, Al Luqta District, P.O. Box 2399, Doha
mailing address: 6130 Doha Place, Washington DC 20521-6130
telephone: [974] 4496-6000
FAX: [974] 4488-4298
email address and website:
PasDoha@state.gov
https://qa.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA (observer), EITI (implementing country), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
3 September 1971 (from the UK)

**National holiday:**
National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

**Flag:**
description: maroon with a broad, serrated white band on the left side
meaning: maroon stands for the blood shed in Qatari wars, and white for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge is a reference to Qatar's status as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" after the Qatari-British treaty of 1916 -- the other eight members are Bahrain and the seven that make up the UAE

**National symbol(s):**
a white serrated band with nine white points on top of a maroon field

**National color(s):**
maroon, white

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (Peace be to the Emir)
lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN
history: adopted 1996

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Al Zubarah Archaeological Site

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
high-income, oil-and-gas-based Middle Eastern economy; implementing “National Vision 2030” government strategy for economic development, diversification, and favorable business conditions to boost investment and employment; expansion of LNG sector expected to boost growth; Islamic finance leader

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$317.064 billion (2024 est.)
$308.522 billion (2023 est.)
$304.903 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
2.8% (2024 est.)
1.2% (2023 est.)
4.2% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$110,900 (2024 est.)
$116,200 (2023 est.)
$114,700 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$217.983 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
1.3% (2024 est.)
3% (2023 est.)
5% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 0.3% (2024 est.)
industry: 58.5% (2024 est.)
services: 45.9% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 19.5% (2022 est.)
government consumption: 12.9% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 30.6% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services: 68.6% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services: -31.6% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
dates, chicken, tomatoes, camel milk, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, pumpkins/squash, eggs, sheep milk, eggplants (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

**Industrial production growth rate:**
1.6% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
2.123 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
0.2% (2024 est.)
0.2% (2023 est.)
0.2% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 0.4% (2024 est.)
male: 0.1% (2024 est.)
female: 1.2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
35.1 (2017 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 14.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.)
highest 10%: 25.8% (2017 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.)

**Current account balance:**
$38.117 billion (2024 est.)
$36.453 billion (2023 est.)
$63.118 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$125.216 billion (2024 est.)
$128.709 billion (2023 est.)
$161.693 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 18%, India 11%, S. Korea 10%, Japan 7%, Pakistan 6% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, fertilizers (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$69.692 billion (2024 est.)
$72.174 billion (2023 est.)
$74.52 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
USA 12%, China 12%, UAE 9%, UK 7%, India 5% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
gas turbines, cars, aircraft, iron pipes, ships (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$53.987 billion (2024 est.)
$51.539 billion (2023 est.)
$47.389 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.64 (2024 est.)
3.64 (2023 est.)
3.64 (2022 est.)
3.64 (2021 est.)
3.64 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 11.4 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 51.965 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.177 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 1.818 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 268,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 25.244 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 171.805 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 48.034 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 124.747 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 23.861 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
814.308 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 525,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 4.68 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 154 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-controlled TV and radio licensing and access to local media markets; home of satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally state-owned but is now independent; local radio includes state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies; satellite TV available (2019)

**Internet country code:**
.qa

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 347,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
A7

**Airports:**
8 (2025)

**Heliports:**
12 (2025)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 123 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 108

**Ports:**
total ports: 6 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 2
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 5
key ports: Al Rayyan Terminal, Al Shaheen Terminal, Doha, Jazirat Halul, Ras Laffan, Umm Said

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Qatar Armed Forces (QAF): Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)
Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Public Security, General Directorate of Coasts and Border Security, Internal Security Force (ISF or Lekhwiya) (2025)

**Military expenditures:**
5% of GDP (2023 est.)
5% of GDP (2022 est.)
4% of GDP (2021 est.)
4% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 15,000 active-duty Qatar Armed Forces (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the Qatari military's inventory is a mix of older and modern weapons systems, mostly from Türkiye, the US, and various European countries, including France, Germany, and Italy (2025)
note: in the 2010s, Qatar embarked on a military expansion and modernization program with large air, ground, and naval equipment purchases

**Military service age and obligation:**
typically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory military service for men 18-35; compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025)
note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscripts annually and recruits foreign contract soldiers to overcome manpower limitations

**Military - note:**
Qatar's military is responsible for territorial defense and maritime security; the military is in the midst of a large equipment acquisition program designed to enhance its capabilities and Qatar's regional standing; Qatar has military ties with a variety of countries, including France, the UK, the US, Turkey, and member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); it hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) and several thousand US military forces at various military facilities, including the Al Udeid Air Base; Qatar has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Qatar also hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019; the Qatari military is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 349 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 1,200 (2024 est.)

---

## Saudi Arabia
**Slug:** saudi-arabia
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇸🇦
**Codes:** cek: sa, iso2: SA, iso3: SAU, iso_num: 682, genc: SAU, stanag: SAU, internet: .sa

### Introduction

**Background:**
Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) founded the modern Saudi state in 1932 after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia took in the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees, while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil and liberate Kuwait the following year. Major terrorist attacks in 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. US troops returned to the Kingdom in 2019 after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.
From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud incrementally modernized the Kingdom through a series of social and economic initiatives that included expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the private sector's role in the economy, and discouraging the hiring of foreign workers. Saudi Arabia saw some protests during the 2011 Arab Spring but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region; Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach, arresting and quickly releasing some protesters and using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis voted for municipal councilors. King ABDALLAH's reforms accelerated under King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz, who ascended to the throne in 2015 and lifted the Kingdom's ban on women driving, implemented education reforms, funded green initiatives, and allowed cinemas to operate for the first time in decades. In 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal elections, with 19 women winning seats. King SALMAN initially named his nephew, MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Crown Prince, but a palace coup in 2017 resulted in King SALMAN's son, Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, taking over as Crown Prince. King SALMAN appointed MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN as prime minister in 2022.
In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore Yemen's legitimate government, which had been ousted by Houthi forces. The war in Yemen has drawn international criticism for civilian casualties and its effect on the country’s dire humanitarian situation. The same year, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia would lead a multi-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism, and in 2017, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (also known as "Etidal").
The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds about 17% of the world's proven oil reserves as of 2020. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification -- particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in 2005 -- and promotes foreign investment in the Kingdom. In 2016, the Saudi Government announced broad socio-economic reforms known as Vision 2030. Low global oil prices in 2015 and 2016 significantly lowered Saudi Arabia’s governmental revenue, prompting cuts to subsidies on water, electricity, and gasoline; reduced government-employee compensation; and new land taxes. In coordination with OPEC and some key non-OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia agreed to cut oil output in 2017 to regulate supply and help boost global prices. In 2020, this agreement collapsed, and Saudi Arabia launched a price war by flooding the market with low-priced oil before returning to the negotiating table to agree to a major output cut that helped buoy prices.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

**Geographic coordinates:**
25 00 N, 45 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 2,149,690 sq km
land: 2,149,690 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

**Land boundaries:**
total: 4,272 km
border countries (7): Iraq 811 km; Jordan 731 km; Kuwait 221 km; Oman 658 km; Qatar 87 km; UAE 457 km; Yemen 1,307 km

**Coastline:**
2,640 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified

**Climate:**
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

**Terrain:**
mostly sandy desert

**Elevation:**
highest point: As Sarawat range, 3,000 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 665 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 80.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.3% (2023 est.)
other: 17.9% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
7,575 sq km (2022)

**Major watersheds (area sq km):**
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

**Major aquifers:**
Arabian Aquifer System

**Population distribution:**
historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea

**Natural hazards:**
frequent sand and dust storms
volcanism: little activity in the past few centuries, despite many volcanic formations; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar

**Geography - note:**
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a river; extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea allow for considerable shipping (especially of crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 37,172,774 (2025 est.)
male: 21,067,984
female: 16,104,790

**Nationality:**
noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

**Ethnic groups:**
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

**Languages:**
Arabic (official)
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim (official; citizens are 85-90% Sunni and 10-12% Shia), other (includes Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh) (2020 est.)
note: despite having a large expatriate community of various faiths (more than 30% of the population), most forms of public religious expression inconsistent with the government-sanctioned interpretation of Sunni Islam are restricted; non-Muslims are not allowed to have Saudi citizenship and non-Muslim places of worship are not permitted (2013)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 22.9% (male 4,266,720/female 4,097,270)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 15,577,133/female 10,994,061)
65 years and over: 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 856,985/female 752,262)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 36.9 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 15.8 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 32.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 34.6 years
female: 29.3 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.72% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
13.41 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
3.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
7.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 85% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
7.682 million RIYADH (capital), 4.863 million Jeddah, 2.150 million Mecca, 1.573 million Medina, 1.329 million Ad Dammam, 872,000 million Hufuf-Mubarraz (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.42 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female
total population: 1.31 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.6 years
female: 78.8 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.9 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
6% of GDP (2021)
12.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
3.41 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Hospital bed density:**
2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
35.4% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 17.6% (2025 est.)
male: 28.3% (2025 est.)
female: 2% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
3.5% (2020 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
55.3% (2022 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
14.8% national budget (2024 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 97.9% (2024 est.)
male: 98.6% (2024 est.)
female: 96.7% (2024 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 17 years (2022 est.)
male: 16 years (2022 est.)
female: 18 years (2022 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
desertification; depletion of underground water resources; limited freshwater resources; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

**Climate:**
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 80.8% (2023 est.)
arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.3% (2023 est.)
other: 17.9% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 85% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
656.511 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 384,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 418.326 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 237.801 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
60.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 1,743.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 162.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 927.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 28.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 16.126 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 18.8% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 3.392 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 21.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
2.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Geoparks:**
total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 (2025)
global geoparks and regional networks: North Riyadh; Salma (2025)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
etymology: named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name Arabia can be traced back at least as far as the ancient Romans, who referred to the peninsula as "Arabia Felix" (Arabia the Fortunate)

**Government type:**
absolute monarchy

**Capital:**
name: Riyadh
geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name derives from the Arabic word riyadh, meaning "gardens;" the city was built around a small oasis

**Administrative divisions:**
13 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah al Munawwarah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jazan, Makkah al Mukarramah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk

**Legal system:**
Islamic (sharia) system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; commercial disputes handled by special committees

**Constitution:**
history: 1 March 1992 -- Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad
amendment process: proposed by the king directly or proposed to the king by the Consultative Assembly or by the Council of Ministers; passage by the king through royal decree

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal for municipal elections

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015)
head of government: Crown Prince and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 27 September 2022)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members
election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary; an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes who have a voice in selecting future Saudi kings

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Ash-Shura)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 151 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 9/2/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 19.9%
expected date of next election: August 2028

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): High Court (consists of the court chief; organized into circuits with 3-judge panels, except for the criminal circuit, which has a 5-judge panel for cases involving major punishments)
judge selection and term of office: High Court chief and chiefs of the High Court Circuits appointed by royal decree on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 10-member body of high-level judges and other judicial heads; new judges and assistant judges serve 1- and 2-year probations, respectively, before permanent assignment
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Specialized Criminal Court, first-degree courts composed of general, criminal, personal status, and commercial courts; Labor Court; a hierarchy of administrative courts

**Political parties:**
none

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan AL SAUD (since 8 July 2019)
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
FAX: [1] (202) 295-3625
email address and website:
saudisusemb@mofa.gov.sa
https://www.saudiembassy.net/
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alison DILWORTH (since January 2025)
embassy: Riyadh 11564
mailing address: 6300 Riyadh Place, Washington DC 20521-6300
telephone: [966] (11) 835-4000
FAX: [966] (11) 488-7360
email address and website:
RiyadhACS@state.gov
https://sa.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jeddah

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, CAEU, CP, FAO, G-20, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

**National holiday:**
Saudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932)

**Flag:**
description: green (traditional Islamic color) with the Shahada, or Muslim creed, in large white Arabic script that translates as, "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God;" the text is above a white horizontal saber pointing to the left
history: design dates to the early 20th century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family that established the kingdom in 1932; the flag has different sides so that the text reads correctly from right to left and the saber points in the same direction on both sides
note 1: the only national flag that has an inscription as its primary design
note 2: one of three national flags that differ on each side -- the others are Moldova and Paraguay

**National symbol(s):**
palm tree over two crossed swords

**National color(s):**
green, white

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King)
lyrics/music: Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB
history: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 7 (7 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Hegra Archaeological Site (al-Hijr / Madā ͐ in Ṣāliḥ) (c); At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (c); Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (c); Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia (c); Al-Ahsa Oasis, an Evolving Cultural Landscape (c); Ḥimā Cultural Area (c); ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid (n);The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area (c)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
high-income, oil-based Middle Eastern economy; OPEC founding member; Vision 2030 strategy prioritizing economic diversification, increased private sector involvement, and projects funded by sovereign wealth fund and foreign investment; young labor force; falling but significant poverty rate despite lack of official statistics

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$2.213 trillion (2024 est.)
$2.173 trillion (2023 est.)
$2.161 trillion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
1.8% (2024 est.)
0.5% (2023 est.)
12% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$62,700 (2024 est.)
$64,500 (2023 est.)
$67,200 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$1.238 trillion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
1.7% (2024 est.)
2.3% (2023 est.)
2.5% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.)
industry: 44.8% (2024 est.)
services: 47.2% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 45% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 21.4% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 28.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.4% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 29.2% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -25.6% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
milk, dates, chicken, wheat, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, olives, eggs, onions (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-1.3% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
17.168 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
3.9% (2024 est.)
4.1% (2023 est.)
5.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 13.8% (2024 est.)
male: 9.8% (2024 est.)
female: 23.8% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 20.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Remittances:**
0% of GDP (2024 est.)
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $378.413 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $388.489 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Taxes and other revenues:**
7.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Current account balance:**
-$5.685 billion (2024 est.)
$35.133 billion (2023 est.)
$150.353 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$360.897 billion (2024 est.)
$368.731 billion (2023 est.)
$445.881 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 21%, India 12%, Japan 12%, USA 6%, UAE 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, alcohols, ships (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$317.012 billion (2024 est.)
$289.91 billion (2023 est.)
$258.371 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 21%, UAE 8%, USA 7%, India 6%, Germany 5% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
cars, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$463.87 billion (2024 est.)
$457.949 billion (2023 est.)
$478.232 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.75 (2024 est.)
3.75 (2023 est.)
3.75 (2022 est.)
3.75 (2021 est.)
3.75 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 119.62 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 383.512 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 352 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 308 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 38.23 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 99.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 66,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 223,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 11.174 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 3.524 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 258.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 9.423 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
349.692 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 6.71 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2024 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 54.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 160 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-controlled broadcast media; state-run TV operates 4 networks; major market for pan-Arab satellite TV broadcasters; state-run radio with several networks; multiple international broadcasters available

**Internet country code:**
.sa

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 14.5 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
HZ

**Airports:**
90 (2025)

**Heliports:**
69 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 5,410 km (2016)
standard gauge: 5,410 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 433 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 20, oil tanker 55, other 348

**Ports:**
total ports: 16 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 7
very small: 8
ports with oil terminals: 10
key ports: Dammam, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Ju Aymah Oil Terminal, Ras Tannurah, Ras Al Khafji, Ras Al Mishab

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) are divided into two ministries:
Ministry of Defense: Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes marines, special forces, naval aviation), Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Missiles Force; Ministry of the National Guard: Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)
Other security forces include:
Ministry of Interior: Facilities Security Forces, Public Security Forces (police), General Directorate of Border Guard
State Security Presidency (SSP): General Directorate of Investigation (Mabahith), Special Security Forces, Special Emergency Forces (2025)
note 1: the regular armed forces under the Ministry of Defense are responsible for external defense, although they can be called for domestic security duties if needed
note 2: the SANG (also known as the White Army) is a land force comprised of tribal elements loyal to the House of Saud; it is responsible for internal security, protecting the royal family, guarding against military coups, defending strategic facilities and resources, and providing security for the cities of Mecca and Medina; it may also assist the regular armed forces in combat operations
note 3: the SAAF includes the Saudi Royal Guard Command, a unit which provides security and protection to the ruling family and other dignitaries

**Military expenditures:**
7.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
7% of GDP (2023 est.)
6.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
7% of GDP (2021 est.)
8% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 250,000 active Saudi Armed Forces, including 125,000 under the Ministry of Defense and 125,000 in the National Guard (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the inventory of the Saudi military forces, including the SANG, is comprised of imported modern armaments; major suppliers include Canada, China, France, Spain, the UK, and the US; Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest importers of arms (2025)
note: the Saudi Navy is in the midst of a multi-year and multi-billion-dollar expansion and modernization program to purchase new frigates, corvettes, and other naval craft from such suppliers as Spain and the US

**Military service age and obligation:**
voluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025)

**Military - note:**
Saudi Arabia's security concerns include border security, cyberattacks, instability in Yemen, international terrorism, maritime security, and regional rivals such as Iran and Turkey
Saudi Arabia has close security ties with the US; the SAAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and hosts US forces; the US has participated in a cooperative program to equip and train the SANG since 1973, and much of the equipment for both the regular forces and the SANG has been acquired from the US; Saudi Arabia also has defense relationships with China, France, India, Pakistan, the UK, and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members; it is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region; the force was established in 1982, and its leadership is based in Saudi Arabia (2025)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
Saudi Space Agency (SSA; elevated to agency level from previous Saudi Space Commission or SSC, which was established in 2018); King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST; established 1977) (2024)

**Space program overview:**
has a national space strategy (Vision 2030) that seeks to grow its domestic space industry and use the space sector to accelerate economic diversification, enhance scientific research and development, and raise private-sector participation in the global space industry; manufactures and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; develops a range of satellite subsystems and payload technologies; is the main founder and financier of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat, launched in 1976 and headquartered in Riyadh); cooperates with the space agencies and industries of a wide range of countries, including those of Belarus, China, Egypt, the ESA and its member states (particularly France, Germany, Greece, and Hungary), India, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, and the US; member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group (2025)

**Key space-program milestones:**
1985 - first communications satellite (Arabsat-1A) built and launched by European commercial companies; first Saudi astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle
2004 - first domestically built, experimental remote sensing (RS) satellite (SaudiSat-2) launched by Russia
2017-2019 - contributed to China’s robotic spacecraft mission (Chang’e-4) to the far side of the Moon
2021 - domestically built maritime-tracking satellite (Shaheen Sat) launched by Russia; began participating in Russia's astronaut training program
2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration
2023 - sent two astronauts, including first Saudi woman, to the International Space Station on a US commercial spacecraft

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 4,355 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 70,000 (2024 est.)

---

## Syria
**Slug:** syria
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇸🇾
**Codes:** cek: sy, iso2: SY, iso3: SYR, iso_num: 760, genc: SYR, stanag: SYR, internet: .sy

### Introduction

**Background:**
After World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability and experienced a series of military coups. Syria united with Egypt in 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost control of the Golan Heights region to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional, albeit unsuccessful, peace talks over its return. In 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the socialist Ba'ath Party and the minority Alawi sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. Following the death of al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in 2000. Syrian troops that were stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role were withdrawn in 2005. During the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. In 2007, Bashar al-ASAD's second term as president was again approved in a referendum.
In the wake of major uprisings elsewhere in the region, antigovernment protests broke out in the southern province of Dar'a in 2011. Protesters called for the legalization of political parties, the removal of corrupt local officials, and the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge. Demonstrations and violent unrest spread across Syria, and the government responded with concessions, but also with military force and detentions that led to extended clashes and eventually civil war. International pressure on the Syrian Government intensified after 2011, as the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the US expanded economic sanctions against the ASAD regime and those entities that supported it. In 2012, more than 130 countries recognized the Syrian National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. In 2015, Russia launched a military intervention on behalf of the ASAD regime, and domestic and foreign-government-aligned forces recaptured swaths of territory from opposition forces. With foreign support, the regime continued to periodically regain opposition-held territory until 2020, when Turkish firepower halted a regime advance and forced a stalemate between regime and opposition forces. The government lacks territorial control over much of the northeastern part of the country, which the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold, and a smaller area dominated by Turkey.
Since 2016, Turkey has conducted three large-scale military operations to capture territory along Syria's northern border. Some opposition forces organized under the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and Turkish forces have maintained control of northwestern Syria along the Turkish border with the Afrin area of Aleppo Province since 2018. The violent extremist organization Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Nusrah Front) emerged in 2017 as the predominant opposition force in Idlib Province, and still dominates an area also hosting Turkish forces. Negotiations have failed to produce a resolution to the conflict, and the UN estimated in 2022 that at least 306,000 people have died during the civil war. Approximately 6.7 million Syrians were internally displaced as of 2022, and 14.6 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance across the country. An additional 5.6 million Syrians were registered refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa. The conflict in Syria remains one of the two largest displacement crises worldwide (the other is the full-scale invasion of Ukraine).
On 8 December 2024, Syrian Islamist rebels captured the capital city of Damascus and overthrew President Bashar al-ASAD. The former president and his family fled to Moscow, where they were granted political asylum. The al-ASAD regime had ruled Syria for over 50 years.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

**Geographic coordinates:**
35 00 N, 38 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 187,437 sq km
land: 185,887 sq km
water: 1,550 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

**Area - comparative:**
slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Pennsylvania

**Land boundaries:**
total: 2,363 km
border countries (5): Iraq 599 km; Israel 83 km; Jordan 379 km; Lebanon 403 km; Turkey 899 km

**Coastline:**
193 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

**Climate:**
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

**Terrain:**
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

**Elevation:**
highest point: Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk) 2,814 m
lowest point: Yarmuk River -66 m
mean elevation: 514 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.)
arable land: 24% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 5.7% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 44.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 2.9% (2023 est.)
other: 23% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
9,820 sq km (2022)

**Major rivers (by length in km):**
Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Iran, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Iran, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

**Major watersheds (area sq km):**
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

**Population distribution:**
significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley
note: the recent civil war has altered the population distribution

**Natural hazards:**
dust storms, sandstorms
volcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border, have not erupted in centuries

**Geography - note:**
the capital of Damascus is located at an oasis fed by the Barada River and is thought to be one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; there are Israeli settlements and civilian land-use sites in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (2017)

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 24,261,882 (2025 est.)
male: 12,183,128
female: 12,078,754

**Nationality:**
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian

**Ethnic groups:**
Arab ~50%, Alawite ~15%, Kurd ~10%, Levantine ~10%, other ~15% (includes Druze, Ismaili, Imami, Nusairi, Assyrian, Turkoman, Armenian)

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 87% (official; includes Sunni 74% and Alawi, Ismaili, and Shia 13%), Christian 10% (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian), Druze 3%
note: the Christian population may be considerably smaller as a result of Christians fleeing the country during the ongoing civil war

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 33% (male 4,037,493/female 3,828,777)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 7,475,355/female 7,522,797)
65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 468,730/female 532,271)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 58.1 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 51.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 14.5 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 24.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.7 years

**Population growth rate:**
1.63% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
21.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley
note: the recent civil war has altered the population distribution

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 5.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
2.585 million DAMASCUS (capital), 2.203 million Aleppo, 1.443 million Hims (Homs), 996,000 Hamah (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
20 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 74.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.4 years
female: 76.4 years

**Total fertility rate:**
2.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.28 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 92.1% of population (2022 est.)
total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 7.9% of population (2022 est.)
total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
7.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
1.52 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
27.8% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 94.4% (2021 est.)
male: 97.2% (2021 est.)
female: 91.8% (2021 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; depletion of water resources; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

**Climate:**
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.)
arable land: 24% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 5.7% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 44.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 2.9% (2023 est.)
other: 23% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 5.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
20.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 33,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 14.79 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 5.42 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
25.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 519.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 144.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 138 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 1.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.5 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 2.5% (2010 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 1.475 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 615.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 14.67 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
16.802 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
etymology: the source of the name is uncertain; the name appears as "Suri" in Babylonian cuneiform writings dating from about 4000 B.C.

**Government type:**
transitional presidential republic

**Capital:**
name: Damascus
geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the city has an ancient, pre-Semitic name of unknown origin

**Administrative divisions:**
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq (Damascus), Halab (Aleppo), Hamah, Hims (Homs), Idlib, Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside), Tartus

**Legal system:**
mixed system of civil and Islamic (sharia) law (for family courts)

**Constitution:**
history: Syria's 2012 constitution was rescinded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led government in January 2025; in March 2025, interim authorities announced a transitional constitution to remain in effect for up to five years

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: Ahmad al-Shara'; former President Bashar al-ASAD was overthrown by Islamist rebels on 8 December 2024
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad al-BASHIR (since 8 December 2024)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints the vice president and prime minister
most recent election date: 26 May 2021
election results:
2021: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 95.2%, Mahmoud Ahmad MAREI (Democratic Arab Socialist Union) 3.3%, other 1.5%
2014: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8%
expected date of next election: 2028

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: People's Assembly (Majlis Al-Chaab)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 210 (140 indirectly elected; 70 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/5/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 9.6%
expected date of next election: March 2030

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Court of Cassation (organized into civil, criminal, religious, and military divisions, each with 3 judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members, including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges serve 4-year renewable terms
subordinate courts: courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court

**Political parties:**
legal parties/alliances:
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party
Arab Socialist (Ba'ath) Party – Syrian Regional
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syrian Regional Branch, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU
Democratic Arab Socialist Union
National Progressive Front or NPF
Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
Socialist Unionist Party
Syrian Communist Party (two branches)
Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP
Unionist Socialist Party
major political organizations:
Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD
Kurdish National Council or KNC
Syriac Union Party
Syrian Democratic Council or SDC
Syrian Democratic Party
Syrian Opposition Coalition
de facto governance entities:
Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria or DAANES
Syrian Interim Government or SIG
Syrian Salvation Government or SSG

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
none
note: operations at the embassy were suspended on 18 March 2014

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - on 6 February 2012, the US suspended operations at its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as a protecting power for US interests in Syria
mailing address: 6110 Damascus Place, Washington DC 20521-6110
email address and website:
USIS_damascus@embassy.mzv.cz
https://sy.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WBG, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

**Independence:**
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946)
note: celebrates the last French troops departing and the proclamation of full independence

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black; three five-pointed red stars in a horizontal line, centered on the white band
meaning: the design is the same as a previous Syrian national flag (in use 1932-58 and 1961-63), but it is still unclear if the elements will retain the same meanings; the bands formerly represented Syria’s past rulers: white (Umayyad Caliphate), black (Abbasid Caliphate), and green (Rashidun Caliphate); the first star represented Damascus, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zor, the three administrative subdivisions in Syria in the 1930s; the second star stood for Jabal Druze (the Mountain of the Druze), and the third star for the Alawite Mountains
history: in 2011, opponents to the Asad regime adopted the flag; in 2025, it became the new national flag, replacing the two-star design

**National symbol(s):**
northern bald ibis

**National color(s):**
red, white, black, green

**National anthem(s):**
title: “Ħumāt ad-Diyār (Guardians of the Homeland)
lyrics/music: Khalil Mardam BEY/Mohammad Salim FLAYFEL and Ahmad Salim FLAYFEL
history: adopted 1936, restored 1961; the country had a different anthem between 1958 and 1961, when Syria was part of the United Arab Republic

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient City of Damascus; Ancient City of Bosra; Site of Palmyra; Ancient City of Aleppo; Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din; Ancient Villages of Northern Syria

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
low-income Middle Eastern economy; prior infrastructure and economy devastated by 11-year civil war; ongoing US sanctions; sporadic trans-migration during conflict; currently being supported by World Bank trust fund; ongoing hyperinflation

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$98.858 billion (2023 est.)
$100.066 billion (2022 est.)
$99.338 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
-1.2% (2023 est.)
0.7% (2022 est.)
1.9% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$4,200 (2023 est.)
$4,500 (2022 est.)
$4,600 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$19.993 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
94.1% (2022 est.)
98.3% (2021 est.)
114.2% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 43.1% (2022 est.)
industry: 12% (2022 est.)
services: 44.9% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 114.8% (2022 est.)
government consumption: 2.7% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 4.5% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services: 6.8% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.8% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
wheat, barley, milk, sheep milk, tomatoes, olives, potatoes, maize, oranges, grapes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, automobile assembly

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-13.4% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
6.617 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
13% (2024 est.)
13.2% (2023 est.)
13.3% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 31.5% (2024 est.)
male: 27.8% (2024 est.)
female: 47.9% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
26.6 (2022 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 3.8% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 21.1% (2022 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Remittances:**
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $1.162 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: $3.211 billion (2017 est.)
note: government projections for FY2016

**Exports:**
$1.609 billion (2022 est.)
$2.227 billion (2021 est.)
$1.649 billion (2020 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
Turkey 29%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Lebanon 10%, India 10%, UAE 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
olive oil, phosphates, spice seeds, cotton, tomatoes (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$6.803 billion (2022 est.)
$6.56 billion (2021 est.)
$3.751 billion (2020 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
Turkey 49%, UAE 11%, China 8%, Egypt 7%, Lebanon 3% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
tobacco, plastics, wheat flours, plastic products, seed oils (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Debt - external:**
$4.573 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2,505.747 (2022 est.)
1,256 (2021 est.)
877.945 (2020 est.)
436.5 (2019 est.)
436.5 (2018 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 89% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 75%

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 9.636 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 15.522 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 358.723 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 4.214 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 95.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 15,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 15,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 65,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 102,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 2.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 2.763 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.763 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 240.693 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
13.569 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 2.816 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 17.6 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-run TV has 2 networks and 5 satellite channels; roughly two-thirds of homes have a satellite dish with access to foreign TV; 3 state-run radio channels; first private radio station launched in 2005; private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content (2018)

**Internet country code:**
.sy

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 35% (2019 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 1.62 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
YK

**Airports:**
42 (2025)

**Heliports:**
13 (2025)

**Railways:**
total: 2,052 km (2014)
standard gauge: 1,801 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

**Merchant marine:**
total: 24 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 13

**Ports:**
total ports: 3 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 1
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Al Ladhiqiyah, Baniyas, Tartus

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
the interim government authorities in Syria have established a Ministry of Defense and are attempting to unify the dozens of armed factions operating in Syria under a single, state-linked army; it has also established a Ministry of Interior to manage police and other security forces (2025)

**Military expenditures:**
6.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
6.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
6.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
6.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
7.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
not available

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the military forces of Syria are equipped with Russian and Soviet-era armaments (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
under Bashar al-ASAD, Syrian men aged 18-38 were required to serve 18-21 months in the military; conscription continued until ASAD's fall when the interim government announced that mandatory conscription to Syria’s armed forces would be abolished and only be reinstated in extreme cases, such as national emergencies relating to war (2025)

**Military - note:**
as of September 2025, the government did not exercise control over all of Syria; areas of the northeast were under the control of ethnic Kurdish-led forces and areas south of the capital Damascus were controlled by members of the Druze religious minority; Turkish forces remained in parts of the north, while Israeli forces had moved into formerly demilitarized areas between Syria and Israel and into some Syrian territory near the frontier
the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF has about 1,300 personnel (2025)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
Syrian Space Agency (created in 2014); status is unclear since the fall of the ASAD Government (2025)

**Space program overview:**
status unclear; has been handicapped by the impact of the civil war, including the loss of students and scientists who fled the country; had previously focused on satellite development and related space technologies, as well as scientific research; has relations with the space agency and space industries of Russia (2024)

**Key space-program milestones:**
1987 - first and only Syrian astronaut into space as part of a Soviet-crewed mission to the Mir Space Station under the Intercosmos program
2016 - signed a scientific cooperation agreement in the field of space technology and remote sensing with Russia
2018 - announced that developing a satellite would be a primary goal of the space program

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Ansar al-Islam; Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq; Hizballah; Hurras al-Din; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa'ida; Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command (PLFP-GC)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 16,402 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 7,408,809 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 160,000 (2024 est.)

**Trafficking in persons:**
tier rating: Tier 3 — Syria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Syria remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/syria/

---

## Turkey
**Slug:** turkey
**Region:** Middle East
**Codes:** cek: tu

---

## United Arab Emirates
**Slug:** united-arab-emirates
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇦🇪
**Codes:** cek: ae, iso2: AE, iso3: ARE, iso_num: 784, genc: ARE, stanag: ARE, internet: .ae

### Introduction

**Background:**
The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th-century treaties. In 1971, six of these states -- Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn -- merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ra's al Khaymah joined in 1972.
The UAE's per-capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. In 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE did not experience the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11, partly because of the government's multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates, and its aggressive pursuit of advocates for political reform.
The UAE in recent years has played a growing role in regional affairs. In addition to donating billions of dollars in economic aid to help stabilize Egypt, the UAE was one of the first countries to join the Defeat ISIS coalition, and to participate as a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. In 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel -- brokered by the US -- in Washington, D.C. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

**Geographic coordinates:**
24 00 N, 54 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 83,600 sq km
land: 83,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km

**Area - comparative:**
slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,066 km
border countries (2): Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km

**Coastline:**
1,318 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

**Climate:**
desert; cooler in eastern mountains

**Terrain:**
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east

**Elevation:**
highest point: Jabal Bil 'Ays 1,905 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 149 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, natural gas

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 5.5% (2023 est.)
arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 4.6% (2023 est.)
other: 89.7% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
940 sq km (2022)

**Population distribution:**
population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates -- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah -- are home to nearly 85% of the population

**Natural hazards:**
frequent sand and dust storms

**Geography - note:**
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for crude oil; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) together account for over 90% of UAE's area and two-thirds of the population

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 10,093,593 (2025 est.)
male: 6,831,802
female: 3,261,791

**Nationality:**
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati

**Ethnic groups:**
Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Filipino 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.)
note: data represent the total population; as of 2019, immigrants make up about 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data

**Languages:**
Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 74.5% (official) (Sunni 63.3%, Shia 6.7%, other 4.4%), Christian 12.9%, Hindu 6.2%, Buddhist 3.2%, agnostic 1.3%, other 1.9% (2020 est.)
note: data represent the total population; as of 2020, immigrants make up about 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 842,577/female 802,302)
15-64 years: 81.4% (male 5,812,470/female 2,353,750)
65 years and over: 2.2% (2024 est.) (male 169,084/female 52,030)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 23.4 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 20.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 33.4 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 35.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 38.1 years
female: 29.8 years

**Population growth rate:**
0.62% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
10.65 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
1.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates -- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah -- are home to nearly 85% of the population

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
3.008 million Dubai, 1.831 million Sharjah, 1.567 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.47 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 3.25 male(s)/female
total population: 2.13 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.6 years
female: 81.4 years

**Total fertility rate:**
1.6 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
0.78 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
5.3% of GDP (2021)
12.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
2.99 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Hospital bed density:**
2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
31.7% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 2.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 10.7% (2025 est.)
male: 13.9% (2025 est.)
female: 2.4% (2025 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
67.4% (2018 est.)

**Education expenditure:**
3.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
14.8% national budget (2021 est.)

**Literacy:**
total population: 98.8% (2024 est.)
male: 99% (2024 est.)
female: 98.4% (2024 est.)

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 16 years (2023 est.)
male: 15 years (2023 est.)
female: 16 years (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
air pollution; water scarcity; lack of natural freshwater resources; land degradation and desertification; waste generation, beach pollution from oil spills

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

**Climate:**
desert; cooler in eastern mountains

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 5.5% (2023 est.)
arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 4.6% (2023 est.)
other: 89.7% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
271.703 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 12.788 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 126.038 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 132.876 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
38.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 1,573.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 47.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 448.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 2.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.618 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.5% (2022 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 2.297 billion cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 55 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 2.466 billion cubic meters (2022)

**Total renewable water resources:**
150 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form: none
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
abbreviation: UAE
etymology: self-descriptive country name; the name Arabia can be traced back at least as far as the ancient Egyptians, who referred to the region as "Ar Rabi;" "emirates" derives from amir, the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince;" the former name, Trucial States, refers to a maritime truce from 1820 between the British and the Arab sheikhdoms

**Government type:**
federation of monarchies

**Capital:**
name: Abu Dhabi
geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: in Arabic, abu means "father," and dhabi refers to a personal name, Dhabi or Zabi, that comes from the word zab, or "gazelle"

**Administrative divisions:**
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

**Legal system:**
mixed system of Islamic (sharia) law and civil law

**Constitution:**
history: previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996
amendment process: proposed by the Supreme Council and submitted to the Federal National Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote of Federal National Council members present and approval of the Supreme Council president

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years

**Suffrage:**
limited
note: rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that accounts for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: President MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al Nuhayyan (since 14 May 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister and Co-Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al Maktum (since 5 January 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president
election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council -- composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates -- for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: unscheduled election held on 14 May 2022, after the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan
election results:
2022: MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al-Nuhayyan elected president; Federal Supreme Council vote - NA
expected date of next election: 2027
note: the Federal Supreme Council (FSC) is composed of the 7 emirate rulers and is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; the FSC establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihadi)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 40 (20 indirectly elected; 20 appointed)
electoral system: other systems
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/7/2023
percentage of women in chamber: 50%
expected date of next election: October 2027

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 4 judges; jurisdiction limited to federal cases)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the federal president after approval from the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiration of their appointment terms
subordinate courts: Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system
note: the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country’s two largest financial free zones, adjudicate civil and commercial disputes

**Political parties:**
note: political parties are banned; all candidates run as independents

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Yousif AL OTAIBA (since 28 July 2008)
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2408
email address and website:
info@uaeembassy-usa.org
https://www.uae-embassy.org/
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eric GAUDIOSI (since August 2025)
embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: 6010 Abu Dhabi Place, Washington DC 20521-6010
telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
FAX: [971] (2) 414-2241
email address and website:
abudhabiacs@state.gov
https://ae.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Dubai

**International organization participation:**
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
2 December 1971 (from the UK)

**National holiday:**
Independence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black, with a wider vertical red band on the left side
meaning: the flag incorporates all four pan-Arab colors, which in this case represent fertility (green), neutrality (white), oil (black), and unity (red); red is a traditional color that was part of all the emirates' flags before their unification

**National symbol(s):**
golden falcon

**National color(s):**
green, white, black, red

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE)
lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
history: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1986; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for Tunisia's and Libya's anthem

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 2 ( both cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud, and Oases Areas); Faya Palaeolandscape (c)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
high-income, oil-driven Middle Eastern economy; fastest GDP growth of Gulf states; diversification through tourism, construction, and services; strong foreign direct investment orientation; continued government investment and business-friendly reforms

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$745.994 billion (2024 est.)
$718.95 billion (2023 est.)
$693.842 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
3.8% (2024 est.)
3.6% (2023 est.)
7.5% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$68,600 (2024 est.)
$68,600 (2023 est.)
$68,900 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$537.079 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
1.7% (2024 est.)
1.6% (2023 est.)
5.3% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 0.7% (2023 est.)
industry: 47.7% (2023 est.)
services: 51.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 45.6% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 12.4% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 27.1% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 108.6% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -93.7% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
dates, cucumbers/gherkins, camel milk, goat milk, tomatoes, chicken, goat meat, eggs, milk, camel meat (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles

**Industrial production growth rate:**
0.8% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
7.09 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
2.2% (2024 est.)
2.2% (2023 est.)
2.9% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 6.4% (2024 est.)
male: 4.1% (2024 est.)
female: 12.1% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
26.4 (2018 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

**Average household expenditures:**
on food: 12.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2.8% (2018 est.)
highest 10%: 20.5% (2018 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

**Budget:**
revenues: $23.248 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $19.349 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Public debt:**
19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP

**Taxes and other revenues:**
0.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

**Exports:**
$558.402 billion (2023 est.)
$521.897 billion (2022 est.)
$425.156 billion (2021 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
China 11%, India 11%, Japan 10%, Iraq 6%, Thailand 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$481.852 billion (2023 est.)
$427.992 billion (2022 est.)
$347.529 billion (2021 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 19%, India 7%, USA 6%, Turkey 4%, Japan 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
gold, broadcasting equipment, cars, refined petroleum, diamonds (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$237.931 billion (2024 est.)
$189.491 billion (2023 est.)
$138.433 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.672 (2024 est.)
3.672 (2023 est.)
3.672 (2022 est.)
3.672 (2021 est.)
3.672 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 44.462 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 157.974 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 613 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 501.067 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 7.914 billion kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 75.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 4.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Nuclear energy:**
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 5.35GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 19.7% (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 5.411 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 82,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 5.512 million metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 4.146 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 846,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 55.8 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 67.734 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 6.863 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 18.938 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 6.091 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
450.432 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 2.259 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 22.4 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 203 (2024 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
most TV and radio stations state-owned, but many private organizations now operating in media free zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai; widespread use of satellite dishes to access pan-Arab and other international broadcasts (2022)

**Internet country code:**
.ae

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 3.95 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
A6

**Airports:**
42 (2025)

**Heliports:**
204 (2025)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 655 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 3, general cargo 122, oil tanker 16, other 512

**Ports:**
total ports: 20 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 4
small: 9
very small: 6
ports with oil terminals: 17
key ports: Abu Zaby, Jabal Az Zannah/Ruways, Khawr Fakkan, Mina Jabal Ali, Zirkuh

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard (includes special operations forces), National Guard (includes Coast Guard) (2025)
note: each emirate maintains a local police force called a general directorate, which is officially a branch of the federal Ministry of Interior; all emirate-level general directorates of police enforce their respective emirate’s laws autonomously; they also enforce federal laws within their emirate in coordination with one another under the federal ministry; the State Security Directorate (SSD) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai State Security (DSS) have primary responsibility for counterterrorism law enforcement efforts; local, emirate-level police forces, especially the Abu Dhabi Police and Dubai Police, are the first responders in such cases and provide technical assistance to SSD and DSS

**Military expenditures:**
4% of GDP (2024 est.)
4.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
4% of GDP (2022 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
6.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
approximately 65,000 active Armed Forces (45,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 12,000 Presidential Guard) (2025)

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the military is equipped with mostly modern imported armaments, and a smaller amount of domestically produced weapons; foreign suppliers have included China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Türkiye, and the US; the UAE's domestic defense industry produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, naval vessels, precision munitions, and unmanned aerial vehicles/drones for both internal use and export (2025)

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-40 for voluntary service; 18-30 years of age for compulsory national service for men with a 36-month service obligation for those without a secondary education and 11 months for secondary school graduates; women may volunteer for national service (11-month service obligation regardless of education) (2025)
note 1: compulsory service may be completed in the uniformed military, the Ministry of Interior, or other security institutions designated by the military leadership
note 2: the UAE military employs a considerable number of foreign personnel on contracted service

**Military deployments:**
maintains a few hundred troops in Somalia and Yemen (2025)

**Military - note:**
the UAE Armed Forces (UAEAF) are responsible for defending the state, its resources, and territory, preserving internal security, and supporting the UAE's foreign policy objectives; key security concerns include regional stability and cross-border threats, such as piracy and terrorism; in recent years, the UAE has undertaken a military modernization program to go along with an assertive security policy which has included military involvements in Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen
the UAE has close security ties to France and the US; it hosts a multi-service French military base, which includes the French naval command for the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN); the UAE has a defense cooperation agreement with the US and hosts thousands of US military troops, mostly air and naval personnel; it also has defense ties with a number of other countries, including Australia, China, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, South Korea, and the UK, as well as NATO and fellow members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly Saudi Arabia
the UAEAF traces its origins to the establishment of the Trucial Oman Scouts in 1951, a joint UK-Abu Dhabi organization modeled after Jordan’s Arab Legion, which became the Abu Dhabi Defense Force in 1965; the modern UAEAF were formed in 1976 (2025)

### Space

**Space agency/agencies:**
UAE Space Agency (created in 2014); Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC; established 2006) (2025)

**Space program overview:**
has an ambitious and growing national space program; focused on satellite development, including communications, remote sensing, and navigation, as well as deep space exploration; is building expertise, infrastructure, technology, and research and development capabilities; has elected to use foreign partners to launch payloads from spaceports abroad; has looked to invest in foreign commercial space companies and develop global partnerships; has a foreign-assisted astronaut training program; seeking to establish UAE as an international hub for space education; founding member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group; works with major global and regional players, including China, Egypt, the ESA, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and the US; sees its commercial space industry as a key to diversifying and developing the country’s non-oil economy; dozens of space companies operate in the UAE, including international and start-ups, plus several space-science research centers (2025)

**Key space-program milestones:**
1997 - initiated a national space sector
2009 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (DubaiSat-1) developed jointly with South Korea and launched by Russia
2017 - announced Mars 2117 project, which included building a “Mars Science City” as the first step to establishing a human settlement on Mars within 100 years
2018 - first domestically produced RS satellite (KhalifaSat or DubaiSat-3) launched by Japan
2019 - first UAE astronaut (trained by Russia and US) in space on the International Space Station
2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration
2021 - became first Arab country to successfully place a probe (al Amal or Hope) in Mars orbit; announced plans to launch a probe in 2028 to land on an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter
2025 - domestically produced advanced RS/Earth imaging satellite (MBZ-SAT) launched by US

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 7,634 (2024 est.)

**Illicit drugs:**
USG identification:
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

---

## West Bank
**Slug:** west-bank
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇵🇸
**Codes:** cek: we, iso2: PS, iso3: PSE, iso_num: 275, genc: XWB, stanag: PSE, internet: .ps, comment: ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

### Introduction

**Background:**
The landlocked West Bank -- the larger of the two Palestinian territories -- is home to some three million Palestinians. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the area currently known as the West Bank has been dominated by a succession of different powers. In the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan) captured the West Bank and annexed it in 1950; Israel then captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under the Oslo Accords -- a series of agreements that were signed between 1993 and 1999 -- Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for the many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank, as well as the Gaza Strip.
In addition to establishing the PA as an interim government, the Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three areas, with one fully managed by the PA (Area A), another fully managed by Israel (Area C), and a third with shared control (Area B) until a permanent agreement could be reached between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. In 2000, a violent intifada, or uprising, began across the Palestinian territories, and in 2001, negotiations for a permanent agreement between the PLO and Israel on final status issues stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area.
The PA last held national elections in 2006, when the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and to HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. In 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In recent years, Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel

**Geographic coordinates:**
32 00 N, 35 15 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km
water: 220 sq km
note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

**Area - comparative:**
slightly smaller than Delaware

**Land boundaries:**
total: 478 km
border countries (2): Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km

**Coastline:**
0 km (landlocked)

**Maritime claims:**
none (landlocked)

**Climate:**
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

**Terrain:**
mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east

**Elevation:**
highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m

**Natural resources:**
arable land

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.)
arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.8% (2023 est.)
other: 32.1% (2023 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip

**Irrigated land:**
(2013) 151 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip

**Major lakes (area sq km):**
salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 sq km
note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

**Population distribution:**
the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and around Jerusalem

**Natural hazards:**
droughts

**Geography - note:**
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers (2017)

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 3,310,554 (2025 est.)
male: 1,682,493
female: 1,628,061
note: approximately 468,300 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2022); approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021)

**Ethnic groups:**
Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other

**Languages:**
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

**Religions:**
Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1% (2012 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 36.7% (male 609,497/female 579,227)
15-64 years: 59.5% (male 979,719/female 949,746)
65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 59,234/female 65,946)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 68.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 61.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 14.8 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 22 years (2025 est.)
male: 21.6 years
female: 22.1 years

**Population growth rate:**
2.03% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
27.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and around Jerusalem

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 74.4 years
female: 78.8 years

**Total fertility rate:**
3.44 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.67 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 98% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)
total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Health expenditure:**
13.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Physician density:**
3.25 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

**Hospital bed density:**
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 99% of population (2022 est.)
total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 1% of population (2022 est.)
total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
2.1% (2020 est.)
note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
62.4% (2020 est.)
note: data includes Gaza and the West Bank

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 0.7% (2020)
women married by age 18: 13.4% (2020)
note: includes both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Education expenditure:**
5.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Literacy:**
total population: 98% (2022 est.)
male: 99% (2022 est.)
female: 97% (2022 est.)
note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank

**School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):**
total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment

**Climate:**
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.)
arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 1.8% (2023 est.)
other: 32.1% (2023 est.)
note: includes Gaza Strip

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Particulate matter emissions:**
31.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2024 est.)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 251 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 37 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 158 million cubic meters (2022)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

**Total renewable water resources:**
837 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank
etymology: name refers to the location of the British Mandate of Palestine that was occupied and administered by Jordan in 1948, on the west bank of the Jordan River; the designation was retained after the 1967 Six-Day War and subsequent changes in administration

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan; Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem; Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town; Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir

### Economy

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$20.339 billion (2024 est.)
$27.694 billion (2023 est.)
$29.016 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Real GDP growth rate:**
-26.6% (2024 est.)
-4.6% (2023 est.)
4.1% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Real GDP per capita:**
$3,800 (2024 est.)
$5,400 (2023 est.)
$5,800 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$13.711 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
53.7% (2024 est.)
5.9% (2023 est.)
3.7% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.)
industry: 17.4% (2022 est.)
services: 58.3% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**GDP - composition, by end use:**
household consumption: 95.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24.7% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 21% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

**Agricultural products:**
tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds

**Industries:**
small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-32.2% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Labor force:**
1.391 million (2022 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Unemployment rate:**
24.5% (2022 est.)
26.4% (2021 est.)
25.9% (2020 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 36.1% (2022 est.)
male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
female: 56.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Population below poverty line:**
29.2% (2016 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:**
36.4 (2023 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Household income or consumption by percentage share:**
lowest 10%: 2.5% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 27.1% (2023 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Remittances:**
5.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
18.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
24% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Budget:**
revenues: $1.409 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $1.499 billion (2021 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

**Taxes and other revenues:**
21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Current account balance:**
-$2.899 billion (2024 est.)
-$2.895 billion (2023 est.)
-$2.037 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Exports:**
$2.885 billion (2024 est.)
$3.413 billion (2023 est.)
$3.533 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Exports - partners:**
Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Exports - commodities:**
scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Imports:**
$8.264 billion (2024 est.)
$11.637 billion (2023 est.)
$12.257 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Imports - partners:**
Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Imports - commodities:**
cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$1.328 billion (2024 est.)
$1.323 billion (2023 est.)
$896.9 million (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

**Exchange rates:**
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.7 (2024 est.)
3.67 (2023 est.)
3.36 (2022 est.)
3.23 (2021 est.)
3.442 (2020 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 988 million kWh (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 66.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 33.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Coal:**
exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Petroleum:**
refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Energy consumption per capita:**
14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 383,653 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)
note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 4,148,420 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2023 est.)
note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

**Broadcast media:**
the Palestinian Authority operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; about 20 private TV and 40 radio stations; Jordanian TV and satellite TV accessible

**Internet country code:**
.ps
note: IANA has designated .ps for the West Bank, same as Gaza Strip

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)
note: includes the Gaza Strip

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 431,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2023 est.)
note: includes the Gaza Strip

### Transportation

**Airports:**
1 (2025)

**Heliports:**
2 (2025)

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
per the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is not permitted a conventional military but maintains security and police forces; PA security personnel have operated exclusively in the West Bank since HAMAS seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007; PA forces include the Palestinian National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Organization, and the Military Intelligence Organization (2024)
note: the National Security Forces conduct gendarmerie-style security operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the Civil Police; it is the largest branch of the PA security services and acts as the internal Palestinian security force; the Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection; the Preventive Security Organization is responsible for internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases, including political dissent

**Military expenditures:**
not available

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
the PA police and security forces have approximately 28,000 active personnel, including about 11,500 National Security Forces (2024)

**Military - note:**
Palestinian Authority security forces maintain security control of 17.5% (called Area A) of the West Bank, as agreed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in the Oslo Accords, although Israeli security forces frequently conducted security operations there; Israeli security forces maintain responsibility for the remaining 82.5% of the West Bank, including Area B (22.5%), where the Palestinian Authority has administrative control, and Area C (60%), where Israel maintains administrative control (2024)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
IDPs: 2,032,011 (2024 est.)

---

## Yemen
**Slug:** yemen
**Region:** Middle East
**Flag:** 🇾🇪
**Codes:** cek: ym, iso2: YE, iso3: YEM, iso_num: 887, genc: YEM, stanag: YEM, internet: .ye

### Introduction

**Background:**
The Kingdom of Yemen (colloquially known as North Yemen) became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became the People's Republic of Southern Yemen (colloquially known as South Yemen). Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation and changed the country's name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states, which were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement and brief civil war in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to delineate their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and then again from 2014 to the present. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007.
Public rallies in Sana'a against then President Ali Abdallah SALIH -- inspired by similar Arab Spring demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt -- slowly gained momentum in 2011, fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. Some protests resulted in violence, and the demonstrations spread to other major cities. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mediated the crisis with the GCC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH eventually agreed to step down and transfer some powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. After HADI's uncontested election victory in 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential powers. In accordance with the GCC Initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in 2014 and planned to proceed with constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections.
The Houthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, which culminated in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabled their forces to overrun the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. In 2015, the Houthis surrounded key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to resign. HADI fled first to Aden -- where he rescinded his resignation -- and then to Oman before moving to Saudi Arabia and asking the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen. Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes, and ground fighting continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN initiated peace talks that ended without agreement. Rising tensions between the Houthis and SALIH culminated in Houthi forces killing SALIH. In 2018, the Houthis and the Yemeni Government participated in UN-brokered peace talks, agreeing to a limited cease-fire and the establishment of a UN mission.
In 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened for the first time since the conflict broke out in 2014. Violence then erupted between HADI's government and the pro-secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen. HADI's government and the STC signed a power-sharing agreement to end the fighting, and in 2020, the signatories formed a new cabinet. In 2020 and 2021, fighting continued as the Houthis gained territory and also conducted regular UAV and missile attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the UN brokered a temporary truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. HADI and his vice-president resigned and were replaced by an eight-person Presidential Leadership Council. Although the truce formally expired in 2022, the parties nonetheless refrained from large-scale conflict through the end of 2023. Saudi Arabia, after the truce expired, continued to negotiate with the Yemeni Government and Houthis on a roadmap agreement that would include a permanent ceasefire and a peace process under UN auspices.

### Geography

**Location:**
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

**Geographic coordinates:**
15 00 N, 48 00 E

**Map references:**
Middle East

**Area:**
total : 527,968 sq km
land: 527,968 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

**Area - comparative:**
almost four times the size of Alabama; slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

**Land boundaries:**
total: 1,601 km
border countries (2): Oman 294 km; Saudi Arabia 1,307 km

**Coastline:**
1,906 km

**Maritime claims:**
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

**Climate:**
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east

**Terrain:**
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

**Elevation:**
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 999 m

**Natural resources:**
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.)
arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.)
forest: 1% (2023 est.)
other: 54.5% (2023 est.)

**Irrigated land:**
6,800 sq km (2012)

**Population distribution:**
the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country

**Natural hazards:**
sandstorms and dust storms in summer
volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, became active in 2007; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century

**Geography - note:**
strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and one of world's most active shipping lanes

### People and Society

**Population:**
total: 34,505,496 (2025 est.)
male: 17,275,539
female: 17,229,957

**Nationality:**
noun: Yemeni(s)
adjective: Yemeni

**Ethnic groups:**
predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asian, European

**Languages:**
Arabic (official)
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen

**Religions:**
Muslim 99.1% (official; virtually all are citizens, an estimated 65% are Sunni and 35% are Shia), other 0.9% (includes Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian; many are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2020 est.)

**Age structure:**
0-14 years: 34.4% (male 5,622,998/female 5,430,285)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 10,112,603/female 9,865,805)
65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 485,538/female 623,214)

**Dependency ratios:**
total dependency ratio: 70.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 64.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 18.4 (2025 est.)

**Median age:**
total: 20.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 21.9 years
female: 22.2 years

**Population growth rate:**
2.22% (2025 est.)

**Birth rate:**
29.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Death rate:**
6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Net migration rate:**
-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

**Population distribution:**
the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 39.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

**Major urban areas - population:**
3.292 million SANAA (capital), 1.080 million Aden, 941,000 Taiz, 772,000 Ibb (2023)

**Sex ratio:**
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

**Mother's mean age at first birth:**
20.8 years (2013 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

**Maternal mortality ratio:**
118 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

**Infant mortality rate:**
total: 42.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39 deaths/1,000 live births

**Life expectancy at birth:**
total population: 68.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 65.8 years
female: 70.6 years

**Total fertility rate:**
3.65 children born/woman (2025 est.)

**Gross reproduction rate:**
1.78 (2025 est.)

**Drinking water source:**
improved:
urban: 77.2% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 51.8% of population (2022 est.)
total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 22.8% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 48.2% of population (2022 est.)
total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)

**Health expenditure:**
4.3% of GDP (2015)
2.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

**Physician density:**
0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

**Sanitation facility access:**
improved:
urban: 83.1% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 44.8% of population (2022 est.)
total: 59.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 16.9% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 55.2% of population (2022 est.)
total: 40.1% of population (2022 est.)

**Obesity - adult prevalence rate:**
17.1% (2016)

**Alcohol consumption per capita:**
total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

**Tobacco use:**
total: 20.2% (2025 est.)
male: 33.1% (2025 est.)
female: 7.3% (2025 est.)

**Children under the age of 5 years underweight:**
40.7% (2022 est.)

**Currently married women (ages 15-49):**
63.9% (2023 est.)

**Child marriage:**
women married by age 15: 6.5% (2023)
women married by age 18: 29.6% (2023)

**Literacy:**
female: 54.1% (2023 est.)

### Environment

**Environmental issues:**
limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

**International environmental agreements:**
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

**Climate:**
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east

**Land use:**
agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.)
arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.)
forest: 1% (2023 est.)
other: 54.5% (2023 est.)

**Urbanization:**
urban population: 39.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

**Carbon dioxide emissions:**
8.193 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 93,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 8.08 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 21,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

**Particulate matter emissions:**
43.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

**Methane emissions:**
energy: 190.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 192.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 135.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 0.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

**Waste and recycling:**
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.837 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2016 est.)

**Total water withdrawal:**
municipal: 265 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 65 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 3.235 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

**Total renewable water resources:**
2.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

### Government

**Country name:**
conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
conventional short form: Yemen
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
local short form: Al Yaman
former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]
etymology: the name origin is unclear but may come from the Arabic word al-yamin, meaning "the right," as a reference to its geographic position in relation to Mecca

**Government type:**
in transition

**Capital:**
name: Sanaa
geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is reputed to mean "fortified place" in an ancient language

**Administrative divisions:**
22 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan (Aden), Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah (Sanaa City), 'Amran, Arkhabil Suqutra (Socotra Archipelago), Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a' (Sanaa), Shabwah, Ta'izz

**Legal system:**
mixed system of Islamic (sharia) law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law

**Constitution:**
history: adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification)

**International law organization participation:**
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

**Citizenship:**
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Yemen; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

**Suffrage:**
18 years of age; universal

**Executive branch:**
chief of state: Presidential Leadership Council Chairperson Dr. Rashad Muhammad al-ALIMI (since 19 April 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister Salim Salih BIN BURAYK (since 9 May 2025)
cabinet: 24 members from northern and southern Yemen, with representatives from Yemen's major political parties
election/appointment process: formerly, the president was directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 21 February 2012
election results:
2012: Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (GPC) elected consensus president
note: on 7 April 2022, President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI announced his abdication, the dismissal of Vice President ALI MUHSIN al-Ahmar and the formation of a Presidential Leadership Council, an eight-member body chaired by former minister Rashad AL-ALIMI; on 19 April 2022, the Council was sworn in before Parliament and began assuming the responsibilities of the president and vice president and carrying out the political, security, and military duties of the government; in May 2025, Chairperson al-ALIMI made changes to his cabinet

**Legislative branch:**
legislature name: Parliament (Majlis)
legislative structure: bicameral
note: the last legislative election occurred in 2003, and the six-year term for the House of Representatives expired in 2009. Ongoing instability, beginning in 2011, has since prevented new elections. A new Shura Council was appointed in 2021 and is currently chaired by Dr. Ahmed Obaid bin Dagher (as of Jan 2025).

**Legislative branch - lower chamber:**
chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Annowab)
number of seats: 301 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 4/27/2003
parties elected and seats per party: General People's Congress (GPC) (238); Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) (46); Other (17)
percentage of women in chamber: 0%

**Legislative branch - upper chamber:**
chamber name: Shura Council (Majlis Alshoora)
number of seats: 111 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
most recent election date: 4/28/2001
percentage of women in chamber: 1.1%
note: the Shura Council serves in an advisory role to the president; it has no legislative responsibilities

**Judicial branch:**
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, which is chaired by the president of the republic and includes 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges serve for life with mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts

**Political parties:**
General People’s Congress or GPC (3 factions: pro-Hadi, pro-Houthi, pro-Salih)
Nasserist Unionist People's Organization
National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party
Southern Transitional Council or STC
Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islah
Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP

**Diplomatic representation in the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulwahab Abdullah Ahmed AL-HAJRI (since 24 July 2025)
chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760
FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017
email address and website:
Information@yemenembassy.org
https://www.yemenembassy.org/

**Diplomatic representation from the US:**
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven H. FAGIN (since 1 June 2022); note - the embassy closed in March 2015; Yemen Affairs Unit currently operates out of US Embassy Riyadh
mailing address: 6330 Sanaa Place, Washington DC 20521-6330
telephone: US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-835-4000
FAX: US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-488-7360
email address and website:
YemenEmergencyUSC@state.gov
https://ye.usembassy.gov/

**International organization participation:**
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, EITI (temporarily suspended), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMHA, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNVIM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Independence:**
22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); notable earlier dates: 1 November 1918 (North Yemen independent from the Ottoman Empire), 27 September 1962 (North Yemen becomes republic), 30 November 1967 (South Yemen independent from the UK)

**National holiday:**
Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

**Flag:**
description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
meaning: the band colors come from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)
note: similar to the flags of Iraq (Arabic inscription centered in the white band) and Egypt (heraldic eagle centered in the white band)

**National symbol(s):**
golden eagle

**National color(s):**
red, white, black

**National anthem(s):**
title: "Al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida" (United Republic)
lyrics/music: Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI
history: adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990

**National heritage:**
total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Walled City of Shibam (c); Old City of Sana'a (c); Historic Town of Zabid (c); Socotra Archipelago (n); Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib (c)

### Economy

**Economic overview:**
low-income Middle Eastern economy; infrastructure, trade, and economic institutions devastated by civil war; oil/gas-dependent but decreasing reserves; massive poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment; high inflation

**Real GDP (purchasing power parity):**
$18.719 billion (2024 est.)
$18.908 billion (2023 est.)
$19.294 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2015 dollars

**Real GDP growth rate:**
0.8% (2018 est.)
-5.1% (2017 est.)
-9.4% (2016 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

**Real GDP per capita:**
$200 (2024 est.)
$200 (2023 est.)
$300 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2015 dollars

**GDP (official exchange rate):**
$8.278 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

**Inflation rate (consumer prices):**
29.1% (2022 est.)
26% (2021 est.)
19.6% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices

**GDP - composition, by sector of origin:**
agriculture: 28.7% (2018 est.)
industry: 25.4% (2018 est.)
services: 41.8% (2018 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

**Agricultural products:**
mangoes/guavas, potatoes, milk, onions, spices, chicken, sorghum, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

**Industries:**
crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles, leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; aluminum products; cement; commercial ship repair; natural gas production

**Industrial production growth rate:**
-1.1% (2018 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

**Labor force:**
7.848 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

**Unemployment rate:**
17.1% (2024 est.)
17.1% (2023 est.)
17.4% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment

**Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):**
total: 32.4% (2024 est.)
male: 31.8% (2024 est.)
female: 38.4% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

**Remittances:**
20.05% of GDP (2023 est.)
16.02% of GDP (2022 est.)
19.44% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

**Budget:**
revenues: $2.207 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $3.585 billion (2019 est.)

**Current account balance:**
-$2.419 billion (2016 est.)
-$3.026 billion (2015 est.)
-$1.488 billion (2014 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

**Exports:**
$384.5 million (2017 est.)
$938.469 million (2016 est.)
$1.867 billion (2015 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

**Exports - partners:**
UAE 28%, India 21%, Saudi Arabia 17%, Oman 7%, Malaysia 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

**Exports - commodities:**
gold, fish, scrap iron, shellfish, industrial acids/oils/alcohols (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

**Imports:**
$4.079 billion (2017 est.)
$8.256 billion (2016 est.)
$7.697 billion (2015 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

**Imports - partners:**
China 23%, UAE 15%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Turkey 8%, India 7% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

**Imports - commodities:**
wheat, raw sugar, rice, iron bars, plastic products (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

**Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:**
$1.251 billion (2022 est.)
$1.688 billion (2021 est.)
$969.613 million (2020 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

**Debt - external:**
$6.492 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

**Exchange rates:**
Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1,355.116 (2023 est.)
1,115.002 (2022 est.)
1,028.108 (2021 est.)
743.006 (2020 est.)
486.731 (2019 est.)

### Energy

**Electricity access:**
electrification - total population: 76% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 96.1%
electrification - rural areas: 65%

**Electricity:**
installed generating capacity: 1.79 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.579 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 486.24 million kWh (2023 est.)

**Electricity generation sources:**
fossil fuels: 83% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 17% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

**Coal:**
consumption: 27,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 36,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

**Petroleum:**
total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 3 billion barrels (2021 est.)

**Natural gas:**
production: 10.286 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 10.286 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 478.555 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

**Energy consumption per capita:**
2.987 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

### Communications

**Telephones - fixed lines:**
total subscriptions: 728,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)

**Telephones - mobile cellular:**
total subscriptions: 20 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (2023 est.)

**Broadcast media:**
state-run TV with 2 stations; state-run radio with 2 national radio stations and 5 local stations; stations from Oman and Saudi Arabia can be accessed

**Internet country code:**
.ye

**Internet users:**
percent of population: 14% (2020 est.)

**Broadband - fixed subscriptions:**
total: 486,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)

### Transportation

**Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:**
7O

**Airports:**
37 (2025)

**Heliports:**
6 (2025)

**Merchant marine:**
total: 30 (2023)
by type: general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 27

**Ports:**
total ports: 10 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 2
small: 2
very small: 5
ports with oil terminals: 6
key ports: Aden, Al Ahmadi, Al Mukalla, Al Mukha, Ras Isa Marine Terminal

### Military and Security

**Military and security forces:**
Yemeni Armed Forces: Yemeni National Army, Air Force and Air Defense, Navy and Coastal Defense Forces, Border Guard, Strategic Reserve Forces (includes Special Forces and Presidential Protection Brigades, which are under the Ministry of Defense but responsible to the president), Popular Committee Forces (aka Popular Resistance Forces; government-backed tribal militia)
Ministry of Interior: Security Forces, Emergency Forces, Counterterrorism Units (2025)
note 1: both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have raised and continue to back tribal and regionally based irregular forces in Yemen
note 2: Houthi (alt Huthi; aka Ansarallah) forces include land, aerospace (air, missile), naval/coastal defense, presidential protection, special operations, internal security, and militia/tribal auxiliary components; a considerable portion--up to 70 percent by some estimates--of Yemen’s military and security forces defected in whole or in part to former president SALAH and the Houthi opposition in 2011-2015

**Military and security service personnel strengths:**
not available

**Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:**
the Yemeni Government forces have an inventory consisting primarily of older foreign-supplied weapons systems, mostly of Russian or Soviet origin (2025)
note: Houthi rebel forces are armed largely with weapons seized from the Yemeni Government stockpiles, smuggled in from Iran, and manufactured copies of Iranian designs and pre-war Yemeni Government weapons

**Military service age and obligation:**
limited available information; 18 is the legal minimum age for military service under the Yemeni Government (2025)
note: there is widespread recruitment of fighters by numerous armed groups operating in Yemen; all parties to the civil war have been implicated in child soldier recruitment and use; in 2022, the Houthis signed a plan with the UN to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers; Houthi leaders previously pledged to end the use of child soldiers in 2012, as did the Government of Yemen in 2014; in 2019, the Saudi and UAE-led coalition committed to protect children in a memorandum of understanding signed with the UN

**Military - note:**
government forces under the Yemeni Ministry of Defense are responsible for both external and internal defense; their priorities are the Houthi separatists (aka Ansarallah), the terrorist groups al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Yemen (ISIS-Yemen), and maritime security, particularly against arms smuggling; in 2022, the Yemeni Government and the Houthis signed a truce, halting most fighting and establishing humanitarian measures; the former front lines of conflict, in some areas mirroring Yemen’s pre-unification borders, remain static; AQAP and ISIS-Yemen continue to be active in remote areas (2025)

### Terrorism

**Terrorist group(s):**
Terrorist group(s): Ansarallah (Houthis); Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) - Yemen; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

### Transnational Issues

**Refugees and internally displaced persons:**
refugees: 60,921 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 4,795,983 (2024 est.)

**Trafficking in persons:**
tier rating: Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/yemen/

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