1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
External Debt
$9,452,000,000 $
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
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
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
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Area
1,648,195 km sq
1,267,000 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
0 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
