1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
12 March 1968 (from UK)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
External Debt
$9,452,000,000 $
$5,768,000,000 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
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
0.100%
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
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Area
1,648,195 km sq
2,040 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
177 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
