Iran's Population Growth and Environmental Crisis

Iran: Population, Economy, and Resource Base

With a population of 71.4 million, the Islamic Republic of Iran is the most populous country in Central and South Asia and the 16th most populous in the world. It is simultaneously the second largest economy in the region, with a Gross Domestic Product of US$110 billion (UNICEF, 2005). Iran is also the second largest oil producer among members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and possesses the second largest natural gas reserves in the world. Recent reports indicate that the country has transitioned from a traditional rural-based society to a semi-industrialized one, yet it continues to confront serious challenges, including unemployment above 25%, poor income distribution, and inequality of opportunity. Poverty in Iran was officially set at 18% of the population, meaning that approximately 6.5 million people live below the poverty line. Iran is listed among the 15 most demographically heterogeneous countries in the world (Marcoux, 1996). Its population growth rate exceeds 3%, and approximately 60% of the population lives in rural areas, engaging in agriculture and pastoralism — activities that contribute relatively little to the gross national product (Spooner, 1984).

Land Degradation and Agricultural Decline

Iran is among the five countries with an incidence of land degradation above the world average, sometimes considerably higher (Marcoux, 1996). Land degradation consists primarily of soil erosion affecting 25% of the total area under crops and pastures, and wind erosion affecting 48% of that same land. Sixty percent of Iran is classified as a dry zone, and chemical degradation through salinization, loss of soil fertility, and pollution is widespread. Salinization has damaged more than half of all agricultural land in the country. In addition to natural hazards, direct and underlying human causes contribute significantly to land degradation. These include inappropriate use and management of land, deforestation, elimination of natural vegetation, over-use of wood cover for commercial or domestic purposes, overgrazing, and unsustainable planting practices. Over-cutting of vegetation for timber, fuelwood, and similar products in a semi-arid environment is a leading cause of land degradation in Iran.

Public Health, Infrastructure, and Environmental Policy

There is no end in sight to land-use damage. The Iranian population continues to grow rapidly, even as public health has improved over the last two to three decades through the establishment of preventive health services that have significantly reduced maternal mortality and raised life expectancy at birth (UNICEF, 2005). Mortality among infants and children under five years old has also declined sharply — from 122 and 191 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 28.6 and 35.6 per 1,000 live births in 2000, respectively. More than 85% of the population now has access to health services, and more than 90% of births are attended by healthcare professionals. The maternal mortality rate has been reported at 37 per 100,000 live births, while moderate to severe underweight, wasting, and stunting stand at 11%, 5%, and 15%, respectively. Approximately 93% of households had access to safe drinking water and 73% to sanitary toilet facilities in 2000. Nevertheless, malnutrition remains somewhat high owing to inadequate income distribution and poor caring practices, particularly in rural areas (UNICEF, 2005).

Iran established a Department of Environment in 1971 under Article 50 of its Constitution, initially aimed at addressing environmental problems over the long term (Energy Information Administration, 2002). This article prohibits any activity that would result in pollution or irreparable destruction of the environment. However, eight years of war against Iraq, international political isolation, and economic sanctions pushed aside these environmental goals, and long-term objectives were reduced to short-term conservation measures such as the establishment of national parks, national monuments, and wildlife refuges (EIA, 2002).

Conclusion: Addressing the Roots of Environmental Decline

It is easy to see how uncontrolled population growth in Iran over the past decades has been a critical driver and accelerant of its environmental problems (Energy Information Administration, 2002). As the population expands, more people depend on fossil fuels and add more cars to already congested roads, compounding the problem. The 1999 pollution crisis should prompt Iran to seriously reconsider how the health and lives of its citizens are directly linked to fuel consumption and environmental degradation. In confronting this reality, Iran must phase out leaded gasoline, require the use of catalytic converters, and adopt a serious long-term approach to environmental protection and promotion. Its leaders should also redirect policy toward developing gas fields and reducing dependence on oil — not only to reduce pollution and protect public health, but also to diversify and strengthen the national economy (EIA, 2002).