President: George Abela Prime minister: Lawrence Gonzi
Population
78,868,711
409,836
Life Expectancy
70.350 years
79.850 years
Capital City
Tehran
Valletta
Largest city
Tehran (population: 7,153,310)
Birkirkara (population: 21,676)
Human Development Index
0.777
0.894
GDP per capita
$13,200 US
$25,800 US
Literacy Rate
77%
92.8%
Corruption Perception Index
2.3
5.8
Percentage of Women in Parliament
2.8%
8.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
15.300%
6.400%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
theocratic republic
republic
Independence date
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
21 September 1964 (from UK)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
External Debt
$17,900,000,000 $
$48,790,000,000 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
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6494 (2008 est.), 0.6795 (January 2008), Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
0
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Area
1,648,195 km sq
316 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
197 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
