1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish
External Debt
$9,452,000,000 $
$20,030,000,000 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
the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
2.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
1
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Area
1,648,195 km sq
283,561 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
2,237 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
