1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Lutheran Church of Iceland 82.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2.4%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.3%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other Christian 2.8%, other religions 0.9%, unaffiliated 2.6%, other or unspecified 5.5% (2006 est.)
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
External Debt
$9,452,000,000 $
$124,500,000,000 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
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 85.619 (2008 est.), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
0.000%
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 Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Area
1,648,195 km sq
103,000 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
4,970 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
