Legend:
Definition of Term
 Arranged
by Countries Field Listing
| Background: |
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain
during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League
of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the
next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a 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 over a period of 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: unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is
not Gundah Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 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 the Tigris and 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: |
24,683,313 (July 2003 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 5,103,669; female 4,946,443)
15-64 years: 56.3% (male 7,033,268; female 6,855,644)
65 years and over: 3% (male 348,790; female 395,499) (2003
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.78% (2003 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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 (2003 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 61.09 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 67.81 years
male: 66.7 years
female: 68.99 years (2003 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 1,000 |
| 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: 40.4%
male: 55.9%
female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
|
| Country
name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq |
| 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; note - 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, 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, WCO, 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 - $58 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
-3% (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2002 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): |
70% (2002 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: |
36.01 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 98.4%
hydro: 1.6%
other:
0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
33.49 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Oil -
production: |
2.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.); note - production was disrupted
as a result of the March-April 2003 war (2001 est.) |
| Oil -
consumption: |
460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil -
exports: |
NA (2001) |
| Oil - proved reserves: |
113.8 billion bbl (37257) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
|
| Exports: |
$13 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude oil |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands 6.4%,
Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 4.4% (2002) |
| Imports: |
$7.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
food, medicine, manufactures |
| Imports
- partners: |
Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%,
Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002) |
| Debt
- external: |
$120 billion (2002 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$327.5 million (1995) |
| Currency: |
Iraqi dinar (IQD) |
| Currency
code: |
IQD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.31 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31 (2000),
0.31 (1999), 0.31 (1998), note: fixed official rate since 1982;
market rate subject to wide fluctuations |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Railways: |
total: 2,339 km
standard gauge: 2,339
km 1.435-m gauge (2001) |
| Highways: |
total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,399 km
unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 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: |
gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2003) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
|
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 119,433 GRT/170,221
DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 6, 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
Hussein'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: 6,339,458 (2003 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 292,930 (2003 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.3 billion (FY00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA%
|
| Disputes
- international: |
despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iran
over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other
issues from eight-year war persist; land and Shatt al Arab boundary
demarcation put an end to claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and
Warbah islands, but no maritime boundary exists with Kuwait in
the Persian Gulf; Iraq protests Turkey's hydrological projects
to regulate the Tigris and Euphrates rivers upstream | |
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