Final answer:
The Safavid Empire, based in what is now Iran, was a significant historical Islamic empire that influenced present-day Iran and surrounding regions, known for its contributions to the arts and the establishment of Shia Islam as the state religion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The present-day country that the Safavid Empire lived within and significantly influenced is Iran. The Safavid Empire, established in the early 16th century, controlled regions that now embody modern Iran and extended into areas of current Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Georgia, and Iraq, as well as parts of Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Safavid rulers, such as Shah Abbas the Great, fostered a period of cultural and economic prosperity, making Shia Islam the state religion and contributing to Perso-Islamic culture through advancements in the arts, particularly in textile arts and the creation of renowned Persian carpets. The Safavid military expansion inevitably led to conflicts with neighboring empires, notably the Ottomans to the west and the Uzbeks to the northeast.