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| Government Legislative power is vested in the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis), with 275 members. The chief executive is the President, and both are elected by universal adult suffrage for a four-year term. A twelve-member Council of Guardians ensures that legislation is in accordance with the constitution and Islamic precepts.  Language Persian (Farsi) is the most widely spoken language. Arabic is spoken in Khuzestan in the southwest, and Turkish in the northwest around Tabriz. English, French and (to a lesser extent) German are spoken by many businessmen and officials. Location Middle East. Area : 1,648,000 sq km (636,296 sq miles). Population : 68,727,000 (1998 estimate). Population Density : 35 persq km. Capital : Tehran. Population : 8,042,584(1994) Geography : Iran is located in the Middle East, bounded to the north by the CIS and the Caspian Sea, the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and the west by Iraq and Turkey. The center and east of the country is largely barren undulating desert, punctured by Qantas (irrigation canals and tree eases, but there are mountainous regions in the west along the Turkish and Iraqi borders and in the north where the Alburz Mountains rise steeply from a fertile belt around the Caspian Sea. Money Currency : Iranian Rials. Notes are in denominations of RL20000, 10000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200 and 100. Coins are in denominations of 250, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5.All foreign currencies such as Deutsch Marks, Pound Sterling, US Dollars and Yens can be exchanged and credit cards (Mastercard & Visa) are also accepted. Religion Predominantly Islamic; mostly Shi'ite, with a minority of Sunnis. Many Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians also live in Iran. |