Iran’s automotive industry is the second most active industry of the country, after its oil and gas industry, accounting for 10% of Iran's GDP and 4% of the workforce (700,000 persons). Iran developed a significant automotive industry with annual production of up to 200 thousand units under the Shah's regime. But after the Islamic revolution of 1979 production drastically decreased. Since the early 2000, automobile production in Iran has grown exponentially. Iran's automobile production crossed the 1 million mark in 2007/2008. Today, Iran is the 18th largest automaker in the world and one of the largest in Asia, with annual production of more than 1.6 million. In 2009 Iran ranked fifth in car production growth standing next to China, Taiwan, Romania and India. According to OICA statistics,