| 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.
The Coalition plans to return sovereignty to the Iraqi people
by July 2004. |
| Location: |
Middle East, bordering
the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
33 00 N, 44 00
E |
| 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 - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions): |
territorial
sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: not specified
|
| 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
signed, but not ratified: Environmental
Modification |
| Geography
- note: |
strategic location
on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian
Gulf |
| Population: |
25,374,691 (July
2004 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years:
40.3% (male 5,198,966; female 5,039,173)
15-64 years:
56.7% (male 7,280,167; female 7,094,688)
65 years
and over: 3% (male 357,651; female 404,046) (2004 est.)
|
| Median
age: |
total:
19.2 years
male: 19.1 years
female:
19.3 years (2004 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.74% (2004 est.)
|
| Birth
rate: |
33.09 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.66 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration
rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 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: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
52.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.55
deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.58
deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
68.26 years
male: 67.09 years
female:
69.48 years (2004 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.4 children born/woman
(2004 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 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; 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,
AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
LAS, 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
note: the current Iraqi Governing Council has formed
a committee to design a new flag for Iraq that is broadly
acceptable to all parties and ethnic/sectarian groups |
| 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 that 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. 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 pre-1991
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, but with the loss of a comparatively
small amount of capital plant. The rebuilding of oil, electricity,
and other production is proceeding steadily at the start
of 2004 with foreign support and despite the continuation
of severe internal strife. A joint UN and World Bank report
released in the fall of 2003 estimated that Iraq's key reconstruction
needs through 2007 would cost $55 billion. In October 2003,
international donors pledged assistance worth more than
$33 billion toward this rebuilding effort. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $38.79 billion (2003 est.) |
| GDP -
real growth rate: |
-20% (2003 est.)
|
| GDP -
per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,600 (2003 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): |
27.5% (2003 est.)
|
| Labor
force: |
7.8 million (2004
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture NA%,
industry NA%, services NA% |
| Unemployment
rate: |
NA% (2003 est.)
|
| Budget: |
revenues:
$12.8 billion $NA
expenditures: $13.4 billion
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 budget)
|
| 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 (2001) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2001) |
| Oil -
production: |
2.2 million bbl/day;
note - prewar production was 2.8 million bbl/day (January
2004 est.) |
| Oil -
consumption: |
460,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
| Oil -
exports: |
1.7 million bbl/day
(January 2004) |
| Oil -
imports: |
NA |
| Oil -
proved reserves: |
113.8 billion
bbl (1 January 2002) |
| Natural
gas - production: |
2.76 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
| Natural
gas - consumption: |
2.76 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
| Natural
gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
|
| Natural
gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
|
| Natural
gas - proved reserves: |
3.149 trillion
cu m (1 January 2002) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, barley,
rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep |
| Exports: |
$7.542 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude oil |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 37.4%, Taiwan
7.7%, Canada 7.5%, France 7.5%, Jordan 6.9%, Netherlands
5.8%, Italy 4.9%, Morocco 4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2002) |
| Imports: |
$6.521 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
food, medicine,
manufactures |
| Imports
- partners: |
Jordan 10.4%,
France 8.4%, China 7.9%, Vietnam 7.9%, Germany 7.2%, Russia
6.9%, Australia 6.8%, Italy 6.1%, Japan 5.3% (2002) |
| Debt
- external: |
$120 billion (2003
est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
more than $33
billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004) |
| Currency: |
New Iraqi dinar
(NID) as of 22 January 2004 |
| Currency
code: |
NID, IQD prior
to 22 January 2004 |
| Exchange
rates: |
New Iraqi dinars
per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
675,000; note
- an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed
during the March-April 2003 war (2003) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
20,000 (2002)
|
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
the 2003 war severely disrupted telecommunications throughout
Iraq including international connections; USAID is overseeing
the repair of switching capability and the contruction of
mobile and satellite communications facilities
domestic:
repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recent fighting
continue but sabotage remains a problem; cellular service
is expected to be in place within two years
international:
country code - 964; 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) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
13 (1997); note
- unknown number were destroyed during the March-April 2003
war |
| Internet
country code: |
.iq |
| Internet
users: |
25,000 (2002)
|
| Railways: |
total:
1,963 km
standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge
(2003) |
| 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:
13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWT
by type: cargo 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
5, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries:
3 (2003 est.) |
| Airports: |
111; note - unknown
number were damaged during the March-April 2003 war (2003
est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
79
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m:
36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m:
10 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
32
under 914 m: 9 (2003 est.)
over 3,047
m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
914 to
1,523 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 |
| Heliports: |
6 (2003 est.)
|
| Military
branches: |
note: the
US and UK Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) dissolved
the former Iraqi Armed Forces, together with the Ministry
of Defense and other security institutions, and is implementing
plans to create a new Iraqi Army with a purely defensive
mission and capability; recruiting and training began in
July 2003, with strength projected to be 3 divisions comprising
approximately 36,000 personnel by July 2004; there are also
plans to reconstitute an Iraqi Army Aviation Corps and Navy
in the future but, as of early 2004, there are no plans
to reconstitute an Iraqi Air Force (January 2004) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age;
note - US-led coalition is planning to create a new Iraqi
military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraqi territory
from external threats (2004 est.) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
6,547,762 (2004 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
3,654,947 (2004 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
304,527 (2004 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.3 billion (FY00)
|
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
|
| Disputes
- international: |
coalition
forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security, but
resolution of disputes and creation of maritime boundaries
with neighboring states will remain in hiatus until full
sovereignty is restored in Iraq; Turkey has expressed concern
over the status of Kurds in Iraq |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|
