Union of Zorasani Irfanic Republics

Union of Nautasian Irfanic Republics اتحاد جماهیراسلامی آسیای Ettehād-ye Jamaheer-ye Erfāni-ye Nasagheer اتحاد الجمهوريات الإسلامية الآسيوية al-Ittiḥād al-Jumhūrīat al-Erfānīyah al-Nausiawia
Flag Emblem
Motto: استقلال، آزادی، جمهوری اسلامی Esteqlāl, Āzādi, Ettehād اتِّحاد حُرّيّة اسْتِقْلال Istiqlāl, Ḥurriyya, Ittiḥād (Independence, Freedom, Union)
Anthem:  یک جهان Yek Bastan عالَم واحِد Wāḥidʻālam One World
Capital and largest city	Zahedan
Official languages	Arabic Pasdani
Ethnic groups	See Ethnicity
Demonym(s)	Nautasian
Government	Federal sattarist parliamentary republic
• Eternal Father of the Union	Mahrdad Ali Sattari
• State President	Evren Volkan
• First Minister	Farzad Akbari
• Speaker of the Supreme Assembly	Ibrahim Al-Fahim
Legislature	Supreme Assembly
Establishment
• Arduous Revolution	31 October 1926
• Constitution adopted	4 November 1926
• Treaty of Unification	22 May 1939
• Irvadistan War	1974-1979
• Treaty of Ascension	6 April 1979
• Current constitution	10 May 2018
Area
• Total	3,310,393 km2 (1,278,150 sq mi)
• Water (%)	1.3%
Population
• 2018 estimate	127,323,104
• 2012 census	123,889,600
• Density	38.159/km2 (98.8/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$1.516 trillion
• Per capita	$12,002.59
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$941.738 billion
• Per capita	$7,455
Gini	46.9 high
HDI	0.769 high
Currency	Toman (₮)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	left

The Union of Nautasian Irfanic Repulics (Pasdani: اتحاد جماهیراسلامی آسیای; Ettehād-ye Jamaheer-ye Erfāni-ye Nasagheer, EJEN; Arabic: اتحاد الجمهوريات الإسلامية الآسيوية; al-Ittiḥād al-Jumhūrīat al-Erfānīyah al-Nausiawia, MJEN), commonly called the Nautasian Union or the UNIR, is a federal single-party Irfanic Collectivist state located in Nautasia in central Borea. The UNIR is bordered by Siphria to the west, Mazaristan and Alatistan to the north, the Socialist Confederation of Council Republics and Kadaria to the east and the Sea of Shahadazhan. The UNIR is home to diverse ethnic groups, with Arta Irfan as the majority and XXX as the largest minority, it also includes XX, Yazidis, XX and a tiny minority of Abburites. Its two largest ethnic groups are Pasdanis and Arabs. With a population of 126.3 million it is the Xth largest country in the world and the largest in the region of Nautasia, and Xth largest in Borea, it has a total area of 3,310,393km² (1,278,150 sp mi), making it the largest in Nautasia and the Xth largest in the world.

The UNIR is the legal successor state to the Union of Khazestan and Pasdan, which was formed in 1926 following the Arduous Revolution as the first Islamic Collectivist state, this was followed by the Khazi-Pasdani Revolutionary War (1926-1928) and massive socio-political upheaval and change. Between 1929 and 1939, the country would be rocked by resistance and civil unrest as numerous minorities resisted "Normalisation", a process of cultural and linguistic assimilation into the Pasdani-Arab majority, this would culminate with the Treaty of Unification which equalised the minorities and created four new internal republics within the Union. The discovery of oil in the Dasht-e-Aftab in 1938 resulted in an economic revolution that dramatically altered standards of living, poverty and class relations within the next few decades. The 1950s saw the UKP attempt to export Islamic Collectivism to neighbouring countries, some of which remained colonial possessions sparking the Nautasian Crisis (1952-1956). A wave of de-colonisation followed and brought ideological tensions to the fore between the UKP and its neighbours, leading to the Heskif War, Aramand Incident and the Irvadistan War between 1974 and 1979. The war resulted in the annexation and ascension of Irvadistan into the UKP, which in turn formally became the Union of Nautasian Irfanic Republics. The rise of Javad Jahandar in 1975 resulted in dramatic political and economic reforms that unleashed the Nautasian Miracle, rapid industrialisation and diversification of the economy resulted in the UNIR becoming the largest economy in Nautasia and one of the largest in the world. The 1990s and early 2000s saw sporadic civil uprisings and instability, but were put down by 2002 with the Second Arduous Effort. Since, the UNIR has continued to develop economically and a limited liberalisation of its political system.

The UNIR is a member of the Organization of Esquarian Nations, Organisation of Nautasian Unity, International Forum for Developing States and is recognised as a regional to middle power by international commentators; some have claimed that it is a potential superpower in the event of further economic development. The UNIR has the largest proven oil reserves and is the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas, leading it to be considered an energy superpower.

Geography

The land area of the UNIR is XX square miles (XX km2). Pasdan is the largest state at XXXX square miles (XXXX km2). Aramand, is the smallest at is XXXXX square miles (XXX km2) in area. In Irvadistan the Ruqqad Highlands; which is home to Irvadistan's highest point, Mount Hajar Asud (2,814 m; 9,232 ft), divide the eastern coastal plain from the al-Ramal al-Wusta Desert, while directly south the Khazi eastern seaboard is divided from the Dasht-e-Aftab by the Yafā'Aswad highlands. The Dasht-e-Aftab covers roughly 36% of the Khazi-Pasdani central region. The Tinnin Plateau divides the Aftab from the western coastline, these mountains also aided the creation of the Aftab, by blocking rain-clouds from heading east. The Pasdani north-west is one of the world's most mountainous regions, its landscape dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate various basins or plateaux from one another. The north-west is dominated by the Exri and Kolkakarans; the last contains Pasdan's highest point, Mount Langarud at 5,610 m (18,406 ft). To the south of the north-west and the Aftab are highlands that protect the southern plains from the desert and arid north. The southern Pasdani region varies between open flat plains to rolling yet fertile hills and valleys.

Irvadistan's interior is arid desert, but is punctuated by two fertile zones, from the north to south runs the Khabur and from the north to the east runs the Khanzir, these two rivers are vital for the country's agricultural regions and are the primary locations of the population. Both stripes of fertile ground are flanked by arid desert.

The UNIR, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. Having 11 climates out of the world's 13, the UNIR's climate is diverse, ranging from arid or semiarid, to subtropical along the Pasdani coast and the southern forests. On the southern edge of the country (the Great Southern coastal plain) temperatures rarely fall below freezing and the area remains humid for the rest of the year. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 29 °C (84.2 °F). Annual precipitation is 680 mm (26.8 in) in the eastern part of the plain and more than 1,700 mm (66.9 in) in the western part. Water Scarcity is considered to be the biggest threat to Pasdan, Khazestan and Ninejah and the UNIR at large.

To the west, settlements in the Kolkkaran basin experience lower temperatures, severe winters with below zero average daily temperatures and heavy snowfall. The eastern and central basins are arid, with less than 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain, and have occasional deserts. Average summer temperatures rarely exceed 38 °C (100.4 °F). The coastal plains of Irvadistan in south-western Pasdan have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers. The annual precipitation ranges from 135 to 355 mm (5.3 to 14.0 in).

Dasht-e-Aftab desert

Namarestagh foothills

Mount Langarud

Rainforest of the Zuvand

Government and politics

Main article: Government of the Union of Nautasian Irfanic Republics

The UNIR is a federal, Sattarist, parliamentary republic. The Union’s political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1979 constitution known as the Treaty of Ascension (Ertegha-Peyman). Amendments generally require a two-thirds majority of both the Popular Council and the Superior Council; the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the role of Irfan, the federal structure, and the rule of law are valid in perpetuity.

State President Evren Volkan

First Minister Farzad Akbari

The Rayis Jomhur-katee (state president), Evren Volkan (19 March 2015–present), is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the Superior Council as one of two candidates presented by the Popular Council. The second-highest official in the Nautasian order of precedence is the Avval A’Zam (First Minister), the head of government, who is appointed by the Rayis-Jomhur-katee after being elected by the Popular Council. The third-highest ranking official is the Rayisol-Vozara (President of the Council), who is elected by the Popular Council and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body.

The First Minister, Farzad Akbari (20 March 2015–present), is the head of government and exercises executive power through their State Council, similar to the role of a Prime Minister in other parliamentary democracies. Federal legislative power is vested in the parliament consisting of the Majlis-Mee (Popular Council) and Majlis-Ala (Superior Council) , which together form the legislative body. The Majlis-Mee is elected through direct elections, by first-past-the-post. The members of the Majlis-Ala are divided between those who represent the governments of seven federated states, elected through direct elections by first-past-the-post and those (two-thirds majority), who are appointed by the military.

Since 1979, the entire political system of the UNIR has been constitutionally mandated as non-partisan, with no formal political party, movement or club being permitted to exist within the federal, state or local levels of government. However, the federal level does see several informal blocs or groupings of politicians. The three most prominent blocs are the Nautasian Alliance of the Great Journey, the League of Revolutionary Pioneers and the Civic and Just Association.

Government

The UNIR's three branches of government are poorly defined by the Constitution. The State President, who appoints the First Minister, is elected by the Superior Council. The First Minister is appointed by the State President after receiving the confidence of the Popular Council through an open-ballot election. The head of the Supreme Judicial Council is appointed by the Popular Council with the backing of the Joint Commission for Political Stability.

The relationship between the State President and the First Minister is often disputed. According to convention the Chairperson plays a mostly ceremonial role outside of appointing the First Minister, coordinating between the federal and state governments, acting as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and representing the Union in diplomatic affairs. The State President is elected in an direct election by the Superior Council. Meanwhile the First Minister officially acts as the head of government appointing and leading the executive (the State Council of Ministers) which heads several government departments. Whilst the First Minister is appointed by the State President, they must commanded the confidence of the Popular Council. Whilst the Constitution implies that the First Ministers' power outstrips that of the State President, a capable State President with greater influence over individual parliamentarians may allow the State President to exercise power and influence over the First Minister. Since 1998, the State President has been allowed to sit on cabinet meetings and request roles and duties outside of the constitution from the First Minister.

As of 2015, the Union has been governed by two members of the Nautasian Alliance for the Great Journey, with Evren Volkan as State President and Farzad Akbari as First Minister. It has been known that both worked jointly in 2015 to secure their respective positions, and share power.

The government is also believed to be beholden to the military and clergy, due to the two cabinet-level positions of First and Second State Councillor, with one of each going to the military and clergy. The State Councillors are appointed by the Joint Commission for Political Stability and act as mediators and overseers for the JCPS and government. The military is also guaranteed three positions within the cabinet, Minister of National Defence, Minister of National Security and the Minister of Media and Information.

Legislature

The legislature of the Union, known as the Popular and National Council, is a bicameral body, and is comprised of a 108-member Superior Council (upper house) and a 580-member Popular Council (lower house), the Popular Council is the sovereign national body. Members of the Popular Council are elected through the first-past-the-post system under universal adult suffrage, representing electoral districts known as Popular constituencies, all members serve for four-year terms. All candidates are vetted by the Joint Commission for Political Stability, a body comprised of senior figures from the military and clergy.

The Superior Council has one-third (36 members) elected from the seven constituent states and two union territories (each providing 4 members), the remaining 72 are appointed by the National Commission for Governance and Unity, a military run-body. The official role of the Superior Council is to equalise the power and representation of the seven states and ensure that all legislation works for the benefit of all states of the union.

A third body, though not constitutionally recognised as part of the legislature is the National Arbitration Council which is comprised of six jurists and seven military officers (nominally the most senior in the union). The Council interprets the constitution and may veto the Parliament. If a law is deemed incompatible with the constitution or Esafkar (Irfanic law), it is referred back to the Parliament for revision.

The legislature of the union is unique in that both houses are formally non-partisan. Though informal groupings of politicians do exist, none operate a structure, organising document or official leadership. These groupings often take shape as like-minded politicians voting in the same manner, while they lack any formal or organised structure, these groupings do vote as cohesive blocs and pursue set agendas. In order to avert de-facto partisanship, First Ministers are prohibited from having ministers drawn from one exclusive bloc by the constitution, as a result, most union governments take the form of coalition governments.

The history and nature of the blocs has been fluid since 1979. On average most blocs last only two consecutive terms of parliament, before either being dissolved or merged into another. However, since 2005, the current make up of the parliament has been solid, making the incumbent blocs the oldest in union history. The largest bloc is the Nautasian Alliance for the Great Journey, which is a hardline conservative Sattarist group, with extensive ties to the military. It has been the "bloc of power" since 2005, with two-consecutive state presidents and first ministers coming from the bloc. The second largest is the League of Revolutionary Pioneers, also comprised of hardliners, it often backs the NAGJ. The third largest is the Civic and Just Association, which is generally considered reformist and liberal in nature.

Foreign policy

The official goal of the government of the UNIR is to establish a new world order based on world peace, global collective security, and international equality. Since the time of the Irvadistan War, the Union's foreign relations have often been portrayed as being based on four strategic principles; eliminating outside influences in the region of Nautasia, maintaining the UNIR as the leading power of the region, securing Nautasian unification and pursuing extensive diplomatic contacts with developing and non-aligned countries, primarily in wider Borea.

The UNIR is a member of the International Forum for Developing States, Organisation of Esquarian Nations and the Organisation for Nautasian Unity.

First Minister Farzad Akbari (r) with Xiaodong's Chairman Yuan Xiannian.

The Union's closest relations are with Xiaodong and Alatistan], although the nature of these close relations differ. In regards to Xiaodong, following the Corrective Revolution when Lu Keqian met Mahrdad Ali Sattari in 1936 both countries began to foster close political and economic ties as both countries were ruled by one-party governments intent on regional hegemony. Close cooperation between both governments became more prominent under Sun Yuting and Hakim Ali Ghaddar, and have since Evren Volkan and Yuan Xiannian held office seen a dramatic revival with the onset of the Second Nautasian Crisis seeing Xiaodong support Union interventions in Nautasia. The government of Xi Yao-tong has furthered this policy, signing significant trade deals with the UNIR in 2016 and 2017, and an increase in military cooperation. The UNIR meanwhile has provided military and technological cooperation with Xiaodong, most prominently during the Third Duljunese-Xiaodongese War. The extremely close and friendly relations between Xiaodong and the Union has been called the Rongzhuo-Zahedan Axis.

The UNIR's other close ally is its northern neighbour of Alatistan...

Armed Forces

Main article: Irfanic Revolutionary Army

The Irfanic Revolutionary Army (Arteš-e Enghelâb-e Erfāni) consists of the Land Forces, the Navy and the Air Force. The fifth branch exists, which is held by the National Protection Force which exists as a mostly paramilitary force. The Irfanic Revolutionary Army currently has around 3,712,000 troops overall (761,000 active, 2,951,000 in reserve, including 367,664 paramilitary soldiers), making it overall the sixth largest military in the world and the largest in Nautasia in terms of manpower.

A IRAAF H-11 Tondar in-flight.

The State President of the Union is the commander-in-chief of the Irfanic Revolutionary Army, which answers to the State Council of Ministers via Ministry of National Defence (MoND), which is headed always, by the Chief of Staff of the Irfanic Revolutionary Army. Military affairs are primarily handled by the Supreme National Security Commission, a forum of military commanders who nominally subordinate to the State Council of Ministers. Since the Arduous Revolution, the military has played a significant and domineering role in national politics.

The coast guard and gendarmerie and police forces take on military functions - in the event of war, but are subordinate to the Ministry of State Security. The main intelligence unit, the General Intelligence Directorate (Resat-e Ejmal-e Ettela'at; RESAT), also is officially part of the military structure however they report directly to the government via the Ministry of National Defence. Despite its role as the military intelligence agency, it enjoys a significantly greater role in federal intelligence activities than the State Security Service (Ta'min-e Ejbaree-e Dowlat; TEJDO).

The Irfanic Revolutionary Army is one of the largest armed forces in the world and the largest in Nautasia.

The Irfanic Revolutionary Army has gone through numerous periods of modernisation and reform to maintain a dominant position within Nautasia; known as the Union First (Ebteda'Ettehād) policy, as the IRAF, which remains in place with the UNIR, allowing it remain relatively as the most disciplined, well armed and capable forces in Nautasia; this has meant either great efforts being made in domestic R&D or the purchase of quality equipment and systems from foreign producers.

It is widely accepted that the UNIR operates an extensive chemical weapons arsenal, with an estimated combined total of over 14,000 tons of chemical agents in storage.

Conscription - known as "Patriotic and Revolutionary Duty" (Takleef Enghelabee-parast) is currently enforced for all male citizens between the ages of 18-21 for a period of a year to three years, dependent on education and job location. The UNIR does not recognise conscientious objection and does not offer a civilian alternative to military service, many conscientious objectors are either imprisoned under charges of "conspiring against the state" or press-ganged into four year service.

The IRA is subject to controversial accusations of abuse and harsh treatment of trainee soldiers; with the use of beatings, caning and lashing in punishment of poor behaviour, low enthusiasm and slow progress in improvements. The IRA is also known to train its forces in "Isolated Desert Deployment"; in that units of troops are airdropped into the desert, with limited food and water to develop resilience in the event of being trapped or stranded in hostile environments seen in Nautasia.

Human rights

The UNIR has been consistently criticised internally and abroad, with human right monitoring organisations such as the Esquarian Human Rights Monitor, Guardians of Liberty and Global Assessment of Human Rights as of 2017 ranking the Union as unfree. The EHRM stated "the Union of Nautasian Irfanic Republics remains a fundamentally flawed parliamentary democracy, with overbearing control by the unaccountable and unelected clergy and military. The mass surveillance and censorship system remains in place and undermines freedom of speech and the press. The excessive use of capital punishment, torture, rape and false imprisonment also remains rampant."

The UNIR's situation is unique in that the systematic abuses of human rights is conducted outside government control and oversight. The EHRM has noted that much of the repressive policies and activities are conducted by the military, rather than the federal government. The military's oversized control of state media and the use of the General Intelligence Directorate (RESAT) to pursue activists, civil rights lawyers and critics of the state, led EHRM in 2018 to note, "without confrontation of the deep-state within the UNIR, it is unlikely that human rights will improve in the medium to long term."

Demographics

According to the Statistical Centre of the Union (Markaz-e Amar-e Ettehād), the country's population was 123.8 million people in 2012, nearly 70% of whom lived in towns and cities. According to the 2011 estimate, the population is increasing by 1.55 percent each year. The Union has an average population density of XX people per km². People within the 15–64 age group constitute 67.4 percent of the total population; the 0–14 age group corresponds to 25.3 percent; while senior citizens aged 65 years or older make up 7.3 percent. In 1980, when the first official census was recorded in the Union (following the annexation of Irvadistan), the population was 63.6 million. The largest city in the Union, Zahedan, is also the largest city in Nautasia and the largest in Western Borea in population, and the largest in size.

Composition of the UNIR by ethnicity (all estimations)
Pasdani			51.11%
Arab			32.21%
Turkics			10.02%
Kurds			2.73%
Yazidis			1.60%
Balochs			1.10%
Tajiks			0.69%
Pashtun			0.54%
Source: Markaz-e Amar-e Ettehād (SCU) These are estimates.

Article 18 of the Union Constitution defines a "Nautasian" as "anyone who is bound to the Nautasian union-state through the bond of citizenship"; therefore, the legal use of the term "Nautasian" as a citizen of the Union is different from the ethnic definition. However, the majority of the Nautasian population are of Pasdani ethnicity and approximately 55-60 per cent of the country's citizens identify themselves as Pasdani. It is estimated that there are at least 27 ethnic groups represented in the Union.

Reliable data on the ethnic mix of the population is not available, because Nautasian census figures do not include statistics on ethnicity. Arabs are the largest non-Pasdanic ethnicity at anywhere from 25-29 per cent of the population, Turkics are also included. Statisticians have been known to use pre-Union studies, finding that in 1928, Pasdanis represented 48% of the population, while Arabs formed 35%, alongside 10% for the Turkics of the Union. In a 2013 study, Bahram Azidi wrote, "it is more likely that the Pasdanic collectively form 53% of the national population, Arabs standing at 41% and various minorities standing at 6%. More often than not, many reject ideas of ethnicity in support of the Union's aims of unifying all Nautasian peoples as one harmonious group."

There remains in the Union, some significant "Non-Irfanic" minorities, including Yazidis, Kurds, Balochs, Pashtun and Tajiks.

Composition of the UNIR by ethnicity (all estimations)
Pasdani			51.11%
Arab			32.21%
Turkics			10.02%
Kurds			2.73%
Yazidis			1.60%
Balochs			1.10%
Tajiks			0.69%
Pashtun			0.54%
Source: Markaz-e Amar-e Ettehād (SCU) These are estimates.

Prior to 1979, many of the country's minorities were fixed in concentrated geographic regions. However, since 1979, there has been significant internal migration to disperse all ethnic groups across the country. As of 2018, the "Pasdani" population, though by majority concentrated in Pasdan, is found in large numbers within Irvadistan, Aramand and Samrin. The Arabs, originally concentrated in Khazestan and Irvadistan have migrated in great numbers to Pasdan and Ninejah. Yazidis and Kurds are primarily focused within Samrin and Ninejah. Balochs, Pashtun and Tajiks are found in Pasdan, Irvadistan and Aramand, mostly along the borders with the SCCR and Kadaria.

The term "minority" itself remains a sensitive issue in the Union, while the Nautasian government is frequently criticised for its treatment of minorities. Although minorities are not recognised, state-run Tasnim Broadcasting broadcasts television and radio programs in minority languages. Also, some minority language classes can be chosen in elementary schools.

The Union hosts the largest number of refugees in the world, including more than 2.8 million Mazari refugees, as of January 2018. 365,000 of whom have since been granted citizenship in exchange for serving the Black Hand invasion of Mazaristan.

Religion

Historically, Proto-Pasdani religion and the subsequent Zoroastrianism faith was the dominant religion in the Khazistan-Pasdan region, while pre-Irfanic polytheism dominated Irvadistan. This changed after the Irfanic conquest of all three countries. Since the 900s CE, Pasdan and Khazistan have been dominated by the Asha sect of Irfan, while Irvadistan saw the emergence of Hasawi Irfan in the 1100s, this sect represents a significant minority of the state. Other faiths such as Zoroastrianism and Yazdânism exist in smaller communities across the country. {{Bar box |width = 200px |float = right |title = Composition of the UNIR by religion |titlebar = #ddd |bars =

Asha

 

81.72% {{Bar percent|[[Irfan|Hasawi}}|purple|17.01}} Yazdânism

 

0.67% Zoroastrianism

 

0.41% Yazidism

 

0.19% |caption = Source: Markaz-e Amar-e Ettehād (SCU) }} Officially the UNIR is "Irfanic" with both Asha and Hasawi being recognised as the state religions, sectarianism against either sect is severely punished and unconstitutional, but no such status exists for the minority religions.

The Haram-Ma'refat in Javanrud is one of the holiest site in Irfan.

Today, the Asha remains the majority religion of the population, with 91,702,269 adherents which stands as 81.72% of the population. 17.01% of the population are Hasawi Irfanics, with 19,093,508 adherents. Yazdânism stands at 0.67% with 757,592 adherents, Zoroastrianism follows at 0.41% with 460,055 adherents and Yazidism is the smallest with 0.19% of the population and 213,196 adherents.

The Yazidi Baradat Temple in Faidah.

Yazdânism, Zoroastrianism and Yazidism are officially recognized by the government. But the Bahá'í Faith, which has several thousand adherents along the border with Siphria, is not officially recognized, and has been persecuted during its existence in both Khazistan and Pasdan since the 19th century, this was extended to the UNIR government upon its creation.

Healthcare

The Nautasian public health system, the Unified Health System (Beham Behbood Nezam), is managed and provided by all levels of government, being one of the largest system of this type in the world. On the other hand, private healthcare systems play a complementary role.

Public health services are universal and offered to all citizens of the country for free. However, the construction and maintenance of health centers and hospitals are financed by taxes, and the country spends about 9% of its GDP on expenditures in the area. In 2012, the Union had 1.85 doctors and 2.3 hospital beds for every 1,000 inhabitants.

Despite all the progress made since the creation of the universal health care system in 1988, there are still several public health problems in the Union. In 2006, the main points to be solved were the high infant (2.51%) and maternal mortality rates (73.1 deaths per 1000 births). However, since 2015 significant progress has been made in combating infant mortality, reducing it from 2.51% to 1.98%.

The number of deaths from noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (151.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants) and cancer (72.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants), also has a considerable impact on the health of the Nautasian population. Finally, external but preventable factors such as car accidents, violence and suicide caused 10.9% of all deaths in the country.

Education

Responsibility for educational supervision in the union is primarily organised within the individual federal states. The adult literacy rated 94.0% in September 2015, while it had rated 85.0% in 2008, up from 31.5% in 1976.

Abdolreza Mandarani University is considered the premier technical and scientific educational establishment in the UNIR and Nautasia. It is also the leading institute for scientific research and development in the UNIR.

The requirement to enter into higher education is to have a high school diploma and pass the Federal University Entrance Exam (officially known as konkur (کنکور)). Many students do a 1–2 year course of pre-university (piš-dānešgāh), which is the equivalent of the International Baccalaureate. The completion of the pre-university course earns students the Pre-University Certificate.

The Union's higher education is sanctioned by different levels of diplomas, including an associate degree (kārdāni; also known as fowq e diplom) delivered in two years, a bachelor's degree (kāršenāsi; also known as lisāns) delivered in four years, and a master's degree (kāršenāsi e aršad) delivered in two years, after which another exam allows the candidate to pursue a doctoral program (PhD; known as doktorā).

A system of apprenticeship called Dual Learning (Tāšnieh Blāmooz) leads to a skilled qualification which is almost comparable to an academic degree. It allows students in vocational training to learn in a company as well as in a state-run trade school. This has been widely credited for aiding the country's diversification of its economy away from reliance upon petrochemicals, it remains the only Nautasian country to operate the system.

According to some university rankings, the top university in the UNIR is the Rasool Burzafrah Academy, followed by Mahrdad Ali Sattari University and Zahedan Metropolitan University, Mazdavand Technical University and the Central Ekanbat University. However since the 1960s, many military academies have offered their student cadets non-military courses, in the sciences, engineering, mathematics and later IT.