1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Religions
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Languages
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Exports
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
External Debt
$548,300,000,000 $
$17,900,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
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
2.300%
2.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
2
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Area
92,090 km sq
1,648,195 km sq
Coastline
1,793 km
2,440 km
Climate
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
