1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Religions
Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Languages
Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census)
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Exports
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
External Debt
$61,230,000,000 $
$9,452,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.67 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), tolars per US dollar - 190.85 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004) note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007
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
1.700%
2.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
5
2
Location
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Area
20,273 km sq
1,648,195 km sq
Coastline
47 km
2,440 km
Climate
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
