In the 1970s, Iran was in a bad place when it came to education. The literacy rate was just 37%. Things had completely turned around by 2015, with 93% of Iranian adults knowing how to read. The literacy rate has been climbing ever since and has reached an impressive 97%.
The Iranian government has established a modern educational system since 1979, which adheres to Islamic laws. The textbooks represent an Islamic point of view and males and females are taught in separate classes.
A Youthful Population
With one of the youngest populations in the entire world, Iran is a youthful country, with 70 percent of its 80-million citizens under the age of 30. The young residents are making the most of their youth by seeking to make a political difference. Iran actually has the most politically active youth of all 57 nations that make up the Islamic world. They also have a political head start, with the right to vote at just 15 years old.
The young have made a real difference in Iran’s political agenda since 1997. Following the presidential election of 2009, they banded together and formed the country’s biggest party named “People Power.” They are a major driving force for democracy and are still going strong today.
Energy Superpower
The Middle East is practically synonymous with oil, and Iran is an energy superstar supplying about 10%, or 125 million barrels, of the oil reserves for the entire world and 15% of its gas. The country also produces roughly four million barrels of oil per day.
The country is currently the fourth-largest producer of oil in the world, with the Persian Golf holding at least 60% of the world’s oil reserves. For general information, the Persian Gulf is made up of seven Arab countries which are: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Sour Tooth
We have already learned that Iranians have a big sweet tooth, but did you know that they also have a highly developed sour tooth? They can be seen out and about sucking on a lemon and they don’t even make a face. They also enjoy extremely sour cherries and apricots and ripe versions of these fruits are not typically sold in supermarkets.
Two of the country’s most beloved snacks are Lavashak, a type of Persian fruit roll and Gojeh Sabzm, unripe, super sour plums. Iranians have even been known to add salt to their sour goodies, so prepare yourself to politely decline if sour is simply not your thing.
Nose Job Capital of the World
Although it is hard to believe, Iran holds the highest rate of cosmetic nose surgeries per capita in the entire world. Part of the reason actually stems from the dress restriction which requires women to wear a hijab, making the face the main physical component on display, but nose jobs are not all about beauty.
In Iran, nose jobs are considered a status symbol. Even the fact that you have had one marks you as wealthy because you could afford it. That is the reason many patients leave their recovery bandages on longer than strictly necessary. There have even been cases in which people have sported fakes!