1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
28 February 1922 (from UK)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals
External Debt
$17,900,000,000 $
$33,740,000,000 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
Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.4 (2008 est.), 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
3.400%
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
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula
Area
1,648,195 km sq
1,001,450 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
2,450 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
