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Background Information on IRAQ
Legend:
 Definition
 Field
Listing
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Background:
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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 January-February 1991. The
victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to
stay in control. 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. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete
Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions. |
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait |
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Geographic coordinates:
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33 00 N, 44 00 E |
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Map references:
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Middle East |
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Area:
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total: 437,072 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Idaho |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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58 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south
with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
Turkey |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur |
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Land use:
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arable land: 11.89%
permanent crops: 0.78%
other: 87.33% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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35,250 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust storms, sandstorms, floods |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 Shi'a Muslims, who have 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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
the Persian Gulf
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Population:
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24,001,816 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.82% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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34.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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57.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 67.38 years
female: 68.5 years (2002 est.)
male: 66.31 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.63 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.01% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi |
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% |
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Religions:
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Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3% |
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Languages:
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Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 70.7%
female: 45% (1995 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local short form: Al Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Baghdad |
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Administrative divisions:
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18 provinces (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 |
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Independence:
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3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration) |
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National holiday:
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Revolution Day, 17 July (1968) |
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Constitution:
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22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional
constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted |
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system
elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July
1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April
1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991)
elections: president and vice presidents elected by a
two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election
last held 17 October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002); note - in a
presidential referendum held 15 October 2002, SADDAM Husayn was
reelected president for a fifth consecutive five-year term
election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president;
percent of vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin
RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of vote - NA%; note - in
a presidential referendum held 15 October 2002, SADDAM Husayn was
reelected president for another seven-year term
cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - there is also a
Revolutionary Command Council or RCC with eight members as of 2001
(Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri)
which controls the ruling Ba'th Party; the RCC is the highest
executive and legislative body and the most powerful political
entity in the country; new RCC members must come from the Regional
Command Leadership of the Ba'th Party
head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29
May 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA
1979), Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad
Husayn al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah
al-HUWAYSH (since NA July 2001) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30
appointed by the president to represent the three northern
provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by
popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 March 2000 (next to be held NA
March 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Cassation |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn, central party leader] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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any formal political activity must be sanctioned by the
government; opposition to regime from Kurdish groups and southern
Shi'a dissidents |
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International organization participation:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none; note - Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy
headed by Akram AL DOURI; address: Iraqi Interests Section,
Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036;
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy
in Baghdad; address: P. O. Box 2051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone:
[964] (1) 718-9267; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297 |
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Flag description:
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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
|
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Economy - overview:
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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 in
December 1996 has helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi
citizen. For the first six, six-month phases of the program, 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 are now more than three-quarters prewar level. However,
28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program are deducted to
meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop
in GDP in 2001 was largely the result of the global economic
slowdown and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports have
increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care
services are steadily improving. Per capita output and living
standards are still well below the prewar level, but any estimates
have a wide range of error. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $59 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-6% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6%
industry: 13%
services: 81% (1993 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by
percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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60% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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4.4 million (1989) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
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Industries:
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petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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27.3 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 98%
hydro: 2%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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25.389 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep |
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Exports:
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$15.8 billion (f.o.b.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil |
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Exports - partners:
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US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$11 billion (f.o.b.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food, medicine, manufactures |
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Imports - partners:
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France 22.5%, Australia 22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$62.2 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$327.5 million (1995) |
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Currency:
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Iraqi dinar (IQD) |
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Currency code:
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IQD |
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Exchange rates:
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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 |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
|
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Railways:
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total: 2,339 km
standard gauge: 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001) |
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Highways:
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total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,400 km
unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.) |
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Waterways:
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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 |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360
km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited
functionality |
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Merchant marine:
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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.) |
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Airports:
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108 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 73
over 3,047 m: 20
2,438 to 3,047 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 7 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 35
under 914 m: 12 (2001)
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 |
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Heliports:
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4 (2001)
|
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Military branches:
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Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border
Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49: 6,135,847 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military
service:
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males age 15-49: 3,430,819 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age
annually:
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males: 274,035 (2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$1.3 billion (FY00) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA%
|
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Disputes - international:
|
despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, lacks maritime
boundary with Iran and disputes land boundary, navigation
channels, and other issues from eight-year war; in November 1994,
Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which
had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991),
773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to
Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands although the government
continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water
development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
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Breaking News:
April 17, 2006
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