Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General Prime minister: Stephen Harper
Population
78,868,711
34,300,083
Life Expectancy
70.350 years
81.480 years
Capital City
Tehran
Ottawa
Largest city
Tehran (population: 7,153,310)
Toronto (population: 4,612,190)
Human Development Index
0.777
0.967
GDP per capita
$13,200 US
$41,100 US
Literacy Rate
77%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
2.3
8.7
Percentage of Women in Parliament
2.8%
24.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
David Thomson & family ($13.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
15.300%
7.500%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
theocratic republic
constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
Independence date
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
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
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0364 (2008 est.), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
1.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
18
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Area
1,648,195 km sq
9,984,670 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
202,080 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
