1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Languages
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Exports
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
External Debt
$469,500,000 $
$9,452,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,142.8 (2008 est.), 9,407.5 (2007), 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004) note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
2.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
2
Location
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Area
622,984 km sq
1,648,195 km sq
Coastline
0 km
2,440 km
Climate
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
