1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy
External Debt
$17,900,000,000 $
$7,336,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
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
drams (AMD) per US dollar - 303.93 (2008 est.), 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
2.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
6
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Area
1,648,195 km sq
29,743 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
0 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
