Iran, formerly known as Persia, is located in the center of Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea. It is slightly larger than Alaska, with an area of 1.648 million square kilometers (636,400 square miles). Iran's population was approximately 70 million in 2004. The population includes many ethnic groups. Persians (who speak Farsi or Persian) make up slightly more than half the population. About a quarter of the population is Azari (who speak a dialect of Turkish). Other major ethnic groups are Gilaki, Mazandarani, Kurd, Arab, Lur, Balooch, and Turkmen. Approximately 98 percent of the population is Muslim. Eighty-five percent of Iranian Muslims practice Shia Islam, which is a minority sect in the worldwide Islamic faith. The rest of the population is Zoroastrian, Jewish, or Christian. The literacy rate in Iran is relatively high for the Middle East, approximately 80 percent. According to the 2003 CIA World Factbook...