Iran2019 Economic Complexity : 0.0091, Rank 70 of 146
2019 Product Exports | Imports: $25B | $34.9B, 69 of 225 | 63 of 225
2019 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $301 | $421, 173 of 219 | 180 of 219
2017 Service Exports | Imports : $9.85B | $17.3B, 53 of 145 | 44 of 145
Overview In 2019 Iran was the number 69 in total exports, the number 63 in total imports and the number 70 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports The top exports of Iran are Crude Petroleum ($12.3B), Ethylene Polymers ($2.63B), Acyclic Alcohols ($1.09B), Iron Ore ($1.06B), and Other Nuts ($630M), exporting mostly to China ($12.1B), India ($3.03B), South Korea ($1.89B), Turkey ($1.5B), and United Arab Emirates ($1.14B).
Imports The top imports of Iran are Rice ($1.47B), Corn ($1.42B), Broadcasting Equipment ($1.38B), Soybean Meal ($853M), and Soybeans ($788M), importing mostly from China ($9.61B), United Arab Emirates ($7.08B), India ($3.86B), Turkey ($2.6B), and Brazil ($2.19B).
In 2019, Iran was the world's biggest importer of Rice ($1.47B)
Location Iran borders Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan by land and Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates by sea.
Top Export (2019): Crude Petroleum, $12.3B
Top Destination (2019): China, $12.1B
In 2019, Iran exported a total of $25B, making it the number 69 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Iran have changed by -$73.6B from $98.6B in 2014 to $25B in 2019.
The most recent exports are led by Crude Petroleum ($12.3B), Ethylene Polymers ($2.63B), Acyclic Alcohols ($1.09B), Iron Ore ($1.06B), and Other Nuts ($630M). The most common destination for the exports of Iran are China ($12.1B), India ($3.03B), South Korea ($1.89B), Turkey ($1.5B), and United Arab Emirates ($1.14B).
In 2019 Iran imported $34.9B, making it the number 63 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of Iran changed by -$40.9B from $75.9B in 2014 to $34.9B in 2019.
The most recent imports of Iran are led by Rice ($1.47B), Corn ($1.42B), Broadcasting Equipment ($1.38B), Soybean Meal ($853M), and Soybeans ($788M). The most common import partners for Iran are China ($9.61B), United Arab Emirates ($7.08B), India ($3.86B), Turkey ($2.6B), and Brazil ($2.19B).
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2018 - 2019)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2018 - 2019)
Iran Exports Services (2017): $9.85B
Iran Imports Services (2017): $17.3B
In 2017, Iran exported $9.85B worth of services. The top services exported by Iran in 2017 were Transportation ($3.75B), Personal travel ($3.59B), Construction services ($881M), Business travel ($812M), and Other business services ($456M).
The top services imported by Iran in 2017 were Personal travel ($9.41B), Transportation ($2.86B), Business travel ($1.89B), Other business services ($928M), and Construction services ($760M).
The top product import tariffs by their MFN Ad Valorem value for Iran are Wine lees, argol (400%) and Opium sap (200%).
Click any of the products in the bar chart to see the specific Ad Valorem Duty Rates by partner country.
*The tariffs applied to imports for Iran are:
Iran has a high level of specialization in Iron Ingots (64.9), Knotted Carpets (62.6), Marble, Travertine and Alabaster (41.1), Sheep Hides (27.5), and Sulphur (26.7). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Iran observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of Iran according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Polymers of styrene, in primary forms (0.95), Artificial waxes and prepared waxes (0.77), Wheat gluten (0.76), Cyclic hydrocarbons (0.71), and Copper pipes, tubes (0.52). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for Iran according to the relatedness index, are Raw Cotton (0.18), Gold (0.17), Other Oily Seeds (0.17), Dried Legumes (0.17), and Calcium Phosphates (0.17). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Iran is not specialized in.
The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products it is currently specialized in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk and the strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is a predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower emissions.
During the last 20 years Iran's economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the 61st to the 70th position in the ECI rank.
These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.