Backgrounder: Basic facts about SCO observer states

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization will convene its sixth summit meeting in Shanghai Thursday in Shanghai to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its founding.

The following are basic facts about the four SCO observer states -- Mongolia, Pakistan, India and Iran.

-- Mongolia

Area: 1.56 million square km

Population: 2.55 million

Capital: Ulan Bator

Language: Mongolian

Religions: about 67 percent of the people believe in Lamaism

Economy: animal husbandry and mining are the major pillars of Mongolia's economy. Its GDP totaled 1.88 billion U.S. dollars in 2005, with a growth rate of 6.2 percent.

-- Pakistan

Area: 796,000 square km

Population: 149 million

Capital: Islamabad

Languages: Urdu (state), English (official)

Religions: Islam. Muslims account for 96 percent of the population

Economy: Agriculture as a pillar of the economy accounts for 24 percent of the GDP. Thanks to the government's active and prudent economic policy, Pakistan scored 8.4 percent growth in its GDP in the 2004/2005 fiscal year.

-- India

Area: about 2.98 million square km (excluding the Indian- occupied area on the Sino-Indian border and the Indian-controlled area in Kashmir)

Population: 1.09 billion

Languages: English and Hindi are both official languages

Religion: about 82 percent of residents believe in Hinduism

Capital: New Delhi

Economy: The country is basically self-sufficient in agriculture, and its industry has formed a complete system. The Indian government launched comprehensive economic reforms in July 1991, reducing government control of industry, foreign trade and banking. Its economic growth rate was 7.5 percent in the 2004-2005 fiscal year.

-- Iran

Area: 1.65 million square km

Population: 67.48 million

Language: Persian

Religion: Islam

Capital: Tehran

Economy: Iran is the fourth largest oil producer, the second largest oil exporter and the fifth largest natural gas producer in the world. Oil exports account for more than 85 percent of Iran's foreign exchange revenues. In 2005, Iran's GDP totaled 175.6 billion U.S. dollars, with a growth rate of 5.5 percent.