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2023
Economic Complexity
Trade 0.084Rank 58 of 132
2021
Economic Complexity
Technology 0.096Rank 48 of 96
2022
Economic Complexity
Research 0.36Rank 41 of 140
2023
Product
Exports | Imports $13.2B | $29.1B92 of 226 |  73 of 226
2023
Per Capita Product
Exports | Imports $146 | $321162 of 220 |  193 of 220

About

Overview In 2023, Iran was the number 36 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 92 in total exports, the number 73 in total imports, the number 125 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 58 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) .

Exports The top exports of Iran are Ethylene Polymers ($1.85B), Iron Ore ($1.3B), Acyclic alcohol derivatives (halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated) ($871M), Petroleum Gas ($631M), and Refined Copper ($560M), exporting mostly to China ($4.59B), Turkey ($2.18B), India ($1.02B), Pakistan ($943M), and Armenia ($597M).

Imports The top imports of Iran are Broadcasting Equipment ($3.24B), Motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701 to 8705) ($1.27B), Corn ($1.27B), Soybeans ($1.24B), and Vehicle Bodies (including cabs) for the motor vehicles (8701 to 8705) ($1B), importing mostly from China ($10B), United Arab Emirates ($5.78B), Turkey ($3.06B), Brazil ($2.3B), and Germany ($1.26B).

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.

Latest Trends

Latest Trade

Flow
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Y-AXIS SCALE

The following section uses the most recent trade data from partners of Iran.

Disclaimer: data is presented based on availability and only countries that use the harmonized system are being shown.

* Trade values are converted to USD using each month's exchange rate. For December 2023 data, the exchange rate from December 30, 2023 is used.

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Latest Data

Flow
Color
Depth

The data obtained is mirror data. The trade of countries that do not report current data can be reconstructed based on data reported by partner countries with current data available.

*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.

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Historical Data

Yearly Trade

Flow
Color
Depth
Top Export (2023)Ethylene Polymers$1.85B
Top Destination (2023)China$4.59B

In 2023, Iran exported a total of $13.2B, making it the number 92 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Iran have changed by -$74.5B from $87.7B in 2018 to $13.2B in 2023.

The most recent exports are led by Ethylene Polymers ($1.85B), Iron Ore ($1.3B), Acyclic alcohol derivatives (halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated) ($871M), Petroleum Gas ($631M), and Refined Copper ($560M). The most common destination for the exports of Iran are China ($4.59B), Turkey ($2.18B), India ($1.02B), Pakistan ($943M), and Armenia ($597M).

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Exports (2023)
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Destinations (2023)
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Market Growth

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Growth
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2022 - 2023)
Uzbekistan$15M (+ 4.81%)
Belgium$5.35M (+ 23.6%)
Switzerland$3.45M (+ 21.3%)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2022 - 2023)
Uzbekistan$56.3M (+ 44.5%)
Kyrgyzstan$8M (+ 45.9%)
Canada$2.75M (+ 0.82%)

Total Export Growth by Market (2022 - 2023)

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

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Service Trade

Service Trade

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).

Service Exports (2017)

Service Imports (2017)

Economic Complexity

Overview

Economic Complexity (Trade)0.084Rank 58 of 132
Economic Complexity (Technology)0.096Rank 48 of 96
Economic Complexity (Research)0.36Rank 41 of 140

Most Specialized Products by RCA Index

Iran has a high level of specialization in Sheep and Goats (198), Iron Ingots (102), Knotted Carpets (98.4), Marble, Travertine and Alabaster (81.1), and Spices (56.4). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Iran observed and expected exports in each product.

Most Complex Products by PCI

The highest complexity exports of Iran according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Furnace burners for liquid fuel, for pulverised solid fuel or for gas;... (1.15), Glass; cast glass and rolled glass in sheets or profiles, whether or... (1.08), Metal-rolling mills and rolls therefor (1.02), Glass; articles n.e.c. in chapter 70 (0.92), and Pigments, prepared; opacifiers, colours, vitrifiable enamels, glazes, engobes (slips), liquid lustres etc... (0.9). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.

Export Opportunities by Relatedness

The top export opportunities for Iran according to the relatedness index, were Raw Cotton (0.27), Crude Petroleum (0.27), Gold (0.26), Manganese Ore (0.26), and Other Oily Seeds (0.25). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Iran is not specialized in.

Product Space

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 a country currently specializes in.

Relatedness Space

This network shows the products most related to the production structure of Iran. These are products that tend to be co-exported with the products that Iran exports. Higher relatedness values ​​indicate greater knowledge, which predicts a greater probability of exporting that product in the future.

Relatedness Space (2023)

Diversification Frontier

Filter
Depth

The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is 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 greenhouse emissions.

Diversification Frontier

Economic Complexity Ranking

Methodology
Scale

During the last 20 years Iran's⁩ ⁨economy has become relatively more complex, moving from the ⁩⁨63rd to the 58th⁩ 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.

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ECI (Trade) Ranking by Country

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