Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
Population
78,868,711
67,091,089
Life Expectancy
70.350 years
73.830 years
Capital City
Tehran
Bangkok
Largest city
Tehran (population: 7,153,310)
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
Human Development Index
0.777
0.786
GDP per capita
$13,200 US
$9,500 US
Literacy Rate
77%
92.6%
Corruption Perception Index
2.3
3.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
2.8%
12.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
Unemployment Rate
15.300%
0.700%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
theocratic republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (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%
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
External Debt
$17,900,000,000 $
$115,600,000,000 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
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
4
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Area
1,648,195 km sq
513,120 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
3,219 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
