Head of state: Emperor Akihito Prime minister: Yoshihiko Noda
Population
78,868,711
127,368,088
Life Expectancy
70.350 years
83.910 years
Capital City
Tehran
Tokyo
Largest city
Tehran (population: 7,153,310)
Tokyo (population: 8,336,600)
Human Development Index
0.777
0.956
GDP per capita
$13,200 US
$35,200 US
Literacy Rate
77%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
2.3
7.3
Percentage of Women in Parliament
2.8%
12.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Tadashi Yanai & family ($6.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
15.300%
4.600%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
theocratic republic
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Independence date
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Japanese
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
External Debt
$17,900,000,000 $
$2,719,000,000,000 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
yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
0.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
25
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Area
1,648,195 km sq
377,915 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
29,751 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
