Country
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Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Jomhori-e Islami-e Irân
Political Status: Former monarchy; Islamic Republic proclaimed April 1–2, 1979, on basis of referendum of March 30–31; present constitution adopted at referendum of December 2–3, 1979.
Area: 636,293 sq. mi. (1,648,000 sq. km.).
Population: 60,055,488 (1996C, excluding adjustment for underenumeration); 68,492,000 (2005E).
Major Urban Center (2005E): TEHRAN (7,268,000).
Official Language: Persian (Farsi).
Monetary Unit: Rial (official rate July 1, 2006: 9,165 rials = $1US). Until recently, a dual exchange rate was maintained—one (approximately 1,750 rials = $1US) for state imports of many basic goods and another, much higher, for all other transactions. To eliminate the economic distortions from that system, state enterprises were able to sell imports domestically at a much higher price than they had paid for them. A unified exchange rate, established on ...