Land Area
Russia
17,098,246 km²
Largest
Iran
1,648,195 km²
9.6% of largest
Russia is 10.37× larger than Iran
Population
Russia
LARGEST
145.9M
PEOPLE
Iran
58.3% OF LARGEST
85.03M
PEOPLE
Russia has 1.72× the population of Iran
GDP
Russia
LARGEST
$2.24T
Iran
88.1% OF LARGEST
$1.97T
Armed Forces
Active Personnel
Russia
LARGEST
900K
TROOPS
Iran
63.9% OF LARGEST
575K
TROOPS
Russia has 1.57× the active personnel of Iran
Air Force
Russia
LARGEST
4.17K
AIRCRAFT
Iran
13.2% OF LARGEST
551
AIRCRAFT
Russia has 7.57× the aircraft of Iran
Naval Assets
Russia
Iran
Wealth
Gold Reserves
Russia
LARGEST
2,332.8
Metric Tonnes
Iran
6.5% OF LARGEST
150.6
Metric Tonnes
Foreign-Exchange Reserves
Russia
LARGEST
$413B
Reserves · excl. gold
Iran
31.5% OF LARGEST
$130B
Reserves · excl. gold
Billionaires
Russia
MOST
120
billionaires
Iran
0% OF MOST
0
billionaires
Oil
Proven Reserves
Iran
LARGEST
209
Billion barrels
Russia
38.3% OF LARGEST
80
Billion barrels
Production & Consumption
Iran
NET EXPORTER
Production
3.8M b/d
Consumption
1.9M b/d
+1.9M b/d net
Russia
NET EXPORTER
Production
10.8M b/d
Consumption
3.7M b/d
+7.1M b/d net
Trade (Import/Export)
Iran
$111.9B
Exports
$111.9B
Imports
$135.5B
Trade Balance
$-23.6B
Trade Deficit
Russia
$476.4B
Exports
$476.4B
Imports
$382.4B
Trade Balance
+$94.0B
Trade Surplus
Drinks per Person
Coffee
kg / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Iran
consumption
Tea
kg / person / yr
Iran
consumption
Russia
consumption
Beer
litres / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Iran
consumption
Wine
litres / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Iran
consumption
Alcohol
litres pure alcohol / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Iran
consumption
Smoking
% of adults 15+ who smoke
Russia
Iran
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol; smoking = % of adults 15+ (WHO)
Olympic Medals
Russia
192
Gold
164
Silver
184
Bronze
540
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 422
❄ Winter: 118
Iran
27
Gold
29
Silver
32
Bronze
88
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 88
❄ Winter: 0
Religious Demographics
Religious Distribution
Religious Composition by Country
Iran
Russia
Age Demographics
Median Age
Russia
39.2
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Iran
32.4
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Age Distribution
Population breakdown by age bracket (percentage)
Demographic Insights
Age Gap
Russia is 6.8 years older (median) than Iran
Youth Population
Iran has the highest youth population at 46% (under 30)
Elderly Population
Russia has the highest elderly population at 22% (60+)
Global Statistics
| Metric |
Iran
|
Russia
|
|---|---|---|
| Travel & Mobility | ||
| Passport Power visa-free destinations |
44
|
119
|
| Tourist Arrivals per year |
9.0M
|
24.4M
|
| Culture & Prestige | ||
| Nobel Laureates all-time |
2
|
32
|
| 3-Michelin-Star Restaurants current guide |
0
|
0
|
Figures as of 2026. Sources: IMF, EIA/OPEC, Henley Passport Index, UNWTO, Forbes, Michelin Guide, Nobel Foundation.
Cost of Living
|
Metric
All indices use New York City as base (100)
Lower values indicate lower costs.
|
Iran
|
Russia
|
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index |
|
|
| Rent Index |
|
|
| Groceries Index |
|
|
| Restaurant Price Index |
|
|
| Local Purchasing Power |
|
|
| Common Expenses Comparison | ||
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $3 | $8 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $12 | $35 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $350 | $600 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $200 | $400 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $50 | $85 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $18 | $12 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $10 | $25 |
Historical Data
Basic Information
| Metric | Iran | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 85028759 | 145900000 |
| Area (sq km) | 1648195 | 17098246 |
| Capital | Tehran | Moscow |
| Official Language | Persian (Farsi) | Russian |
| Currency | Iranian Rial (IRR) | Russian Ruble (RUB) |
| Government Type | Unitary Islamic republic | Federal semi-presidential republic |
Military Strength
| Metric | Iran | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Active Personnel | 575,000 | 900,000 |
| Reserve Personnel | 350,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Total Military Personnel | 925,000 | 3,350,000 |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $19,600,000,000 | $154,000,000,000 |
| Tanks | 1,650 | 12,420 |
| Armored Vehicles | 2,500 | 30,122 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 292 | 6,574 |
| Towed Artillery | 2,030 | 7,571 |
| Rocket Projectors | 1,900 | 3,391 |
Economy
| Metric | Iran | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $1,973,000,000,000 | $2,240,400,000,000 |
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $23,046 | $15,357 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 11.8% | 4.9% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 40.8 | 37.5 |
| Currency | Iranian Rial (IRR) | Russian Ruble (RUB) |
| Direct Currency Comparison (1 unit of row currency equals X units of column currency) | ||
| Iran Currency | 1.00 (Same) | 16940.0348 Stronger |
| Russia Currency | 0.0001 Weaker | 1.00 (Same) |
| USD Base Exchange Rates (All calculations use USD as the base currency) | ||
| Currency | IRR | RUB |
| 1 USD equals | 1273341.7612 IRR Updated: 2026-06-27 | 75.1676 RUB Updated: 2026-06-27 |
Interesting Comparisons & Trivia
Did You Know?
Russia is 10.4 times larger in area than Iran.
That's a massive difference!
Russia has 1.7 times more people than Iran.
Iran has the highest GDP per capita at $23,046 among the selected countries.
Russia has the largest economy with a GDP of
$2.24 trillion.
Russia has the largest active military personnel with 900,000 troops.
Russia has the largest air force with 4,173 aircraft.
Russia has the largest navy with 605 vessels.
Russia Fact: Russia spans 11 time zones, more than any other country in the world.
Iran vs Russia: Key Comparisons
Economy: Russia's GDP of $2.2T is 1.1x larger than Iran's $2.0T — both among the world's largest economies.
Population: Russia's population of 146M is 1.7x larger than Iran's 85M.
Area: Russia covers 17,098,246 km², making it 10.4x larger than Iran.
Military: Russia fields 900Thousand active troops vs Iran's 580Thousand.
Trade: Iran has a trade deficit of $24B while Russia runs a trade surplus of $94B.
Life Expectancy: Iran leads with a life expectancy of 77 years vs Russia's 73.
Data compiled from World Bank, IMF, Global Firepower, SIPRI, Numbeo, and Pew Research.
Last updated June 2026.
Sources & methodology