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Islamic Republic of Iran
Anthem:  National Anthem of Iran  (official) Ey Iran  (De facto) (Persian: Oh Iran)
Capital (and largest city)		Tehran 35°41′N 51°25′E / 35.683°N 51.417°E / 35.683; 51.417
Official language(s)		Persian
Spoken languages		Armenian, Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, Azeri, Kurdish, Luri, Balochi, Arabic, Turkmen
Demonym		Iranian
Government		Islamic republic
-	Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
-	President	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
-	First Vice President	Mohammad-Reza Rahimi
-	Speaker of the Parliament	Ali Larijani
-	Chief Justice	Sadegh Larijani
Legislature		Consultative Assembly
Unification
-	Median Empire	625 BC
-	Safavid Empire	1501
-	Islamic Republic	1 April 1979
-	Current constitution	24 October 1979
Area
-	Total	1,648,195 km2 (18th) 636,372 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0.7
Population
-	2010 estimate	77,891,220 [1] (17th)
-	2010 census	74,700,000
-	Density	45/km2 (163rd) 116.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2010 estimate
-	Total	$818.653 billion[2]
-	Per capita	$10,864[2]
GDP (nominal)		2010 estimate
-	Total	$357.221 billion[2]
-	Per capita	$4,740[2]
Gini (2008)		38[3] (medium)
HDI (2010)		0.702[4] (high) (70th)
Currency		Rial (﷼) (IRR)
Time zone		IRST (UTC+3:30)
-	Summer (DST)	Iran Daylight Time (IRDT) (UTC+4:30)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.ir, ایران.
Calling code		98
1	Bookrags.com
2	Iranchamber.com
3	Statistical Center of Iran. جمعيت و متوسط رشد سالانه (Persian). Retrieved on 2009-02-13. [dead link]
4	CIA Factbook

Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, formerly known internationally as Persia, is a Southwest Asian country located in the geographical territories of the Middle East, Southern Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Shi'a Islam is the state religion and Persian the official language. Due to the legacy of the Persian Empire and the culture associated with it, the country has historically been regarded as the most civilised entity located between Europe and China

The 18th largest country in the world in terms of area at 1,648,000 square kilometers, Iran is about the size of United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany combined. It has a population of over seventy million people.

Iran borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north; Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east; and Turkey and Iraq to the west. In addition, it borders the Persian Gulf, an important oil-producing area, Gulf of Oman, and the Caspian Sea. Because of its geographically central location it also has a proximity to Europe, Africa, South and Central Asia and is therefore considered to be of geographical importance.

The political system of Iran comprises several intricately connected governing bodies. It is based on the 1979 Constitution. The highest state authority is the Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran is one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BCE, making it a possible candidate for the earliest human civilization. Throughout history Iran has been of geostrategic importance because of its central location in Eurasia.

It occupies an important position in international energy security and world economy due to its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. The country is known for its independent stances in the global arena. Iran is currently a regional power. The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan, and literally means "Land of the Aryans".

Multimedia

See also

• Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran

1. ↑ CIA Factbook - 2010
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Iran. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved on 2011-04-21.
3. ↑ CBI: Economic Trends 2008/2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
4. ↑ Human Development Report 2010. United Nations (2010). Retrieved on 5 November 2010.