|
|
|
Background:
|
Formerly part of the
Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic"
was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen
have ruled the country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn.
Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly
eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but
was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War
of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
during the past 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq
in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition
forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure
and facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government. |
|
Location:
|
Middle East, bordering
the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
33 00 N, 44 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Middle East |
|
Area:
|
total: 437,072
sq km
water: 4,910 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly more than
twice the size of Idaho |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 3,650
km
border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240
km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km |
|
Coastline:
|
58 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
continental shelf:
not specified
territorial sea: 12 NM |
|
Climate:
|
mostly desert; mild
to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous
regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters
with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes
causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly broad plains;
reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas;
mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, natural
gas, phosphates, sulfur |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
11.89%
permanent crops: 0.78%
other: 87.33% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
35,250 sq km (1998
est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
dust storms, sandstorms,
floods |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
government water control
projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of
An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers;
a once sizable population of Marsh Arabs, who inhabited these areas
for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction
of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife
populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of
Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream
riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination)
and erosion; desertification |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic location
on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
|
|
Population:
|
24,001,816 (July 2002
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
41.1% (male 5,003,755; female 4,849,238)
15-64 years: 55.9% (male 6,794,265; female 6,624,662)
65 years and over: 3% (male 341,520; female 388,376) (2002
est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
2.82% (2002 est.)
|
|
Birth rate:
|
34.2 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
6.02 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
57.61 deaths/1,000
live births (2002 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population:
67.38 years
female: 68.5 years (2002 est.)
male: 66.31 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
4.63 children born/woman
(2002 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
less than 0.01% (1999
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish
15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% |
|
Religions:
|
Muslim 97% (Shi'a
60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3% |
|
Languages:
|
Arabic, Kurdish (official
in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 70.7%
female: 45% (1995 est.)
|
|
Country name:
|
conventional long
form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local short form: Al Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah |
|
Government type:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Capital:
|
Baghdad |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
18 governorates (muhafazat,
singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah,
An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk,
Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit |
|
Independence:
|
3 October 1932 (from
League of Nations mandate under British administration) |
|
National holiday:
|
Revolution Day, 17
July (1968) |
|
Constitution:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Legal system:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Suffrage:
|
formerly 18 years
of age; universal; in transition following April 2003 defeat of
SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state:
in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
by US-led coalition |
|
Legislative branch:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Judicial branch:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
International organization participation:
|
ABEDA, ACC, AFESD,
AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
in transition following
April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition |
|
Flag description:
|
three equal horizontal
bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed
stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase
ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the
right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star
- was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar
to the flag of Syria which has two stars but no script and the flag
of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag
of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
|
|
Economy - overview:
|
Iraq's economy is
dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about
95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems
caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and
damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement
austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign
debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from the war of at
least $100 billion. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports
gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration
of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990,
subsequent international economic sanctions, and damage from military
action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically
reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting
large military and internal security forces and allocating resources
to key supporters of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation
of the UN's oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped
improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed
to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine,
and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security
Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil
as required to meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports have recently
been more than three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's
export revenues under the program have been deducted to meet UN
Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP
in 2001-02 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown
and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly,
while medical supplies and health care services steadily improved.
Per capita output and living standards were still well below the
prewar level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The
military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted
in the shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure
and the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power parity
- $59 billion (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
-5.7% (2001 est.)
|
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity
- $2,500 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
6%
industry: 13%
services: 81% (1993 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
|
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
60% (2001 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
6.5 million (2002
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture NA%, industry
NA%, services NA% |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
NA% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
|
|
Industries:
|
petroleum, chemicals,
textiles, construction materials, food processing |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA% |
|
Electricity - production:
|
27.3 billion kWh (2000)
|
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
98%
hydro: 2%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
25.389 billion kWh
(2000) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh (2000) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat, barley, rice,
vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep |
|
Exports:
|
$15.8 billion f.o.b.
(2001 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
crude oil |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%,
France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000) |
|
Imports:
|
$11 billion f.o.b.
(2001 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
food, medicine, manufactures
|
|
Imports - partners:
|
France 22.5%, Australia
22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$120 billion (2002
est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$327.5 million (1995)
(1995) |
|
Currency:
|
Iraqi dinar (IQD)
|
|
Currency code:
|
IQD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Iraqi dinars per US
dollar - 0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate
- Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 2,000 (December 2001), 1,910 (December
1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 910 (December
1996); note - subject to wide fluctuations |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
675,000 (1997) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
NA; service available
in northern Iraq (2001) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment:
an unknown number of telecommunication facilities were damaged during
the March-April 2003 war
domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave
radio relay links
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region),
and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
|
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 19 (5 are inactive),
FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998) |
|
Radios:
|
4.85 million (1997)
|
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
13 (1997) |
|
Televisions:
|
1.75 million (1997)
|
|
Internet country code:
|
.iq |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
1 (2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
12,500 (2001)
|
|
Railways:
|
total: 2,339
km
standard gauge: 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001) |
|
Highways:
|
total: 45,550
km
paved: 38,400 km
unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.) |
|
Waterways:
|
1,015 km
note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic
for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use;
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft
boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft
before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war |
|
Pipelines:
|
crude oil 4,350 km;
petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Umm Qasr, Khawr az
Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 25 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 186,709 GRT/278,575 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
150 (2002); note -
unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003 war |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 77
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 73
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 |
|
Heliports:
|
5 (2002)
|
|
Military branches:
|
Army, Republican Guard,
Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen
Saddam; note - with the defeat of SADDAM Husayn's regime in 2003,
the data listed in the following entries for Iraq is invalid, but
is retained here for historical purposes and until replaced by valid
information related to the future Iraqi Government (April 2003) |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age (2002
est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 15-49:
6,135,847 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 15-49:
3,430,819 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males: 274,035
(2002 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$1.3 billion (FY00)
|
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
NA%
|
|
| |
 |
 |
|
