Leader: Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei
Population: 66,128,965
Area: 636,000 square miles -- slightly larger than Alaska
Infant mortality rate: 29.04/1,000 births
Life expectancy: 69.95 years
Religions: Shia Muslim 89%; Sunni Muslim 10%; Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian and Bahai 1%
GDP: $413 billion/$6,300 per capita
Defense: 6.5% of GDP/540,000 active troops
Stance: Opposes the Taliban, but has warned the United States not to use its airspace for attacks on Afghanistan