World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country fits inside Iran 16 times
Iran: 1,745,150 km² (2024) · World median: 111,370 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Iran’s coastline is 5.5 times as long as the median country’s
Iran: 2,440 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Iran’s highest peak towers 3,290 m above the median country’s
Iran: 5,625 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 38% of the median country, versus 29% of Iran
Iran: 29% (2024) · World median: 37.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Iran has 12 times as many people as the median country
Iran: 92.4 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The median country is 73% more densely populated than Iran
Iran: 57 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Iran are 2.1 cm taller than in the median country
Iran: 175.6 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Iran and the median country are practically level
Iran: 161.2 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Iran is 1.7 years older than in the median country
Iran: 32.9 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the median country have 0.2 more children on average than in Iran
Iran: 1.68 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
Iran and the median country are practically level
Iran: 8.6% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Iran hosts 10 times as many refugees per resident as the median country
Iran: 8.3 per 1,000 (2025) · World median: 0.8 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Iran has produced 0.3 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country none
Iran: 0.3 (2026) · World median: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Iran and the median country are practically level
Iran: 1 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Iran’s economy is 8 times the size of the median country’s
Iran: $363 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The median country produces 7% more per person than Iran
Iran: Int$19,699 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Iran than in the median country (Gini 1.5 points higher)
Iran: 35.9 (2023) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
2.5% of people in Iran live on less than $3 a day, versus 1.6% in the median country
Iran: 2.5% (2023) · World median: 1.6% (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 8.3% in Iran, versus 5.1% in the median country
Iran: 8.3% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Iran and the median country are practically level
Iran: 2.1% (2025) · World median: 1.8% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Iran: no data · World median: 17% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The median country’s price level (US = 100) is 2.3× Iran’s
Iran: 20% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The median country spends 76% more on health per person than Iran
Iran: $267 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Iran live 3.2 years longer than in the median country
Iran: 77.9 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the median country is 23% more likely to die before turning one than in Iran
Iran: 10.3 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Iran has 8% more doctors per person than the median country
Iran: 1.8 per 1,000 (2023) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
The median country has 31% more hospital beds per person than Iran
Iran: 1.9 per 1,000 (2019) · World median: 2.4 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in the median country is 67% higher than in Iran
Iran: 6 per 100k (2023) · World median: 10 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Iran are obese, versus 24% in the median country
Iran: 25.7% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
19% of adults in the median country smoke, versus 12% in Iran
Iran: 11.9% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the median country rate their lives 0.68 points higher than in Iran
Iran: 5.15 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the median country drink 210 times as much alcohol as in Iran
Iran: 0.021 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The median country has 88% more meat per person than Iran
Iran: 29.9 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The median country has 63 kcal more food per person per day than Iran
Iran: 2,875 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Iran put in 272 more hours a year than in the median country
Iran: 2,246 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Iran went to school 0.91 years longer than in the median country
Iran: 10.8 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Iran: no data · World median: 0.34 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
Iran has 27 more World Heritage sites than the median country (30 against 3)
Iran: 30 (2026) · World median: 3 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Iran has won 88 Olympic medals, the median country 4
Iran: 88 (2026 edition) · World median: 4 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
85% of people in Iran are online, versus 82% in the median country
Iran: 85% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Iran: no data · World median: 161 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
Iran and the median country are practically level
Iran: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
77% of people in Iran live in cities, versus 64% in the median country
Iran: 77% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Iran has 174 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the median country 115
Iran: 174 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Iran’s railway network is 4.4 times as long as the median country’s
Iran: 9,455 km (2021) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the median country fly 22% more passengers per resident than those from Iran
Iran: 0.2 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 33% of the median country, but only 6.6% of Iran
Iran: 6.6% (2024) · World median: 32.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Iran emits 2.9 times as much CO₂ as someone in the median country
Iran: 8.7 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
31% of the median country’s electricity is renewable, versus 3.8% in Iran
Iran: 3.8% (2025) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Iran carries 2.3 times as much fine dust as in the median country
Iran: 37.7 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 5% more likely to be murdered in Iran than in the median country
Iran: 2.4 per 100k (2014) · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Iran are 55% deadlier than in the median country
Iran: 28.9 per 100k (2023) · World median: 18.6 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The median country is on average 3.7 °C warmer than Iran
Iran: 19.3°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The median country gets 3.7 times as much rain as Iran
Iran: 272 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Iran bigger than the median country?
Iran is larger. The median country fits inside Iran 16 times.
Which has more people, Iran or the median country?
Iran has 12 times as many people as the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Iran or the median country?
People in Iran live 3.2 years longer than in the median country. Life expectancy at birth is 77.9 years in Iran and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Iran or the median country?
Men in Iran are 2.1 cm taller than in the median country (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
