Country Study Assessment on Iran Societal Assessment

Iran Societal Assessment Societal Assessment The RAND document shows that a powerful country is one that is able to take decisions that make it economically productive for many years to come. And to gain this productivity the country requires a combination of state and societal strength Hence this shows the significance of the societal aspect of any country's power in the world. SOCIETAL OVERVIEW: the Iranian population is one of the most rapidly increasing populations.

At the start of the twentieth century Iranian population was estimated to be around 5 million but the actual numbers showed a figure of 10 million, twice the projected size. Each consecutive census shows that this fast paced trend has since continued on its path as it is. By 1956 had seen an increase of approximately 9 million while in the next 3 decades the population rise was around 16 million. This humungous increase was due to the large number of Afghan refugees who crossed the border in Iran to escape the Afghan-Russia war.

UN estimations had placed future population figures at, 54.6 million in 1990 and around 114 million in the year 2025. Till the mid of 2011, the actual population size stood at 78 million or 78,868,711, making it the 18 most populated nation of the world. It has many of its neighbors like Pakistan, India, China and Bangladesh above it in this list.

Iran's population growth rate is around 1.247% which places it on the 93rd place in the world which is quiet low when compared to the rates of its fellow Muslim countries, like Qatar which stands at the first place with a 5% growth every year. Similarly UAE has a rate of 3.06%, Gaza 3.11%, Bahrain 2.65% and immediate neighbors Iraq 2.35%, Afghanistan 2.22%. Its rate is not very high in comparison to the 1.55% growth in Pakistan but the difference between the two is of level of development.

This difference is evident in its other populace figures, such as births and deaths per year, mortality rate and life expectancy. In Iran every year an estimated 18.52 births a year for every 1000 people, in comparison Pakistan has 25 births per year. Similarly Iran experiences 5.94 deaths per year per 1000 people and Pakistan has 7 deaths an year. In Iran around 30 infants die every year for 100,000 live births which equals to 41.11. The men in Iran live up to 68.84 or 69 years of age and women have a life expectancy of about 71.93 or 72 years.

According to a study until 1926 growth rate had stayed comfortably below 1%. Later part of the century, including the two revolutions, saw the birth rates spike and death rates decline. This resulted from general economic progress that enhanced living standards and encouraged more and more people to get married and start a family. The superior medical facilities supported the general public by helping reduce mortality and increasing fertility ratios and life expectancy.

These figures show that Iran's population growth is not the most rapid and it has the capability look after its public. Iran is socially more developed and stable than its immediate neighbors Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In recent times however, the country's population trends are undergoing another transition phase. Family planning has become an integral part of the country's health infrastructure thus leading to the promotion of the idea of a two children family. This seems to indicate the modern set of mind of majority of the masses.

Analysts say the continuation of this trend will take Iran far beyond and above its Muslim counterparts. But the Neo-conservative government and President Ahmad-Nejd are not happy and want to introduce reforms to help take the population to 120 million. This seems to hint at the modernization of the populace and the fact that the government and people don't get along very well. NATIONAL COHESION: If Pakistan has a diverse population with a variety of cultural, social and ethnic groups residing in the country Iran is not far behind.

The Iranian nation is composed of more than 10 ethnic groups and a similar number of languages here. The religious composition of the country is also equally diverse. The official religion is Islam and there are 89% Shia Muslims, 9% Sunnis and the last 2% is made up of Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians etc. The most prominent ethnic groups in the country are: Persians (61%), 16% Azeris, Kurds (10%), Lur (6%), 2% Arabs, 2% Baloch and 2% of Turkmen tribes and 1% of others.

Unlike Pakistan, where ethnic groups are close in quantity and group loyalty has made it difficult for the people to unite, Iran does not have that issue. Its dominant force is the Shia population that is in control of every administrative department. It was religious unity that had provided support to the two revolutions that have shaped the country's history and its current political system. The overwhelming support that Ayatollah Khomeini got in 1979, to bring about the revolution, characterizes the revolution as 'a society vs. state' conflict.

All factions of society had some conflict with the existing government: the farmers were saddened over the monetary losses they had faced; the Ulema (cleric) felt the state was alienated from religion, hence.