1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Religions
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Exports
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
External Debt
$24,490,000,000 $
$9,452,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (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
1.500%
2.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
2
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Area
163,610 km sq
1,648,195 km sq
Coastline
1,148 km
2,440 km
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
