republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Independence date
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Languages
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Exports
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles
External Debt
$17,900,000,000 $
$8,570,000,000 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
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 1,317 (2008 est.), 1,263.8 (2007), 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.500%
3.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
6
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
Area
1,648,195 km sq
447,400 km sq
Coastline
2,440 km
0 km
Climate
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
