Statistical information Iraq 1989

Iraq in the World
top of pageBackground: Iraq lies in the lower part of the Tigris-Euphrates valley, the heart of one of the four great ancient civilizations. The area was overrun by Arab, Mongol, and Turkish conquerors and became a British mandate following World War I. Independence came in 1932. Iraq's pro-Western stance ended in 1958 with the overthrow of the monarchy. Its subsequent turbulent history has witnessed the dictatorship of SADDAM Husayn, civil war with the Kurds and a bloody conflict with neighboring Iran.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries:
3,454 km total
Iran 1,458 km, Iraq - Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone 191 km, Jordan 134 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 495 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km
Coastline: 58 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: not specific
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers
Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes in southeast; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
ElevationNatural resources: crude oil, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use: 12% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 75% other; includes 4% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 18,073,963 (July 1989), growth rate 3.8% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Iraqi(s; adjective - Iraqi
Ethnic groups: 75-80% Arab, 15-20% Kurdish, 5% Turkoman, Assyrian or other
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Religions: 97% Muslim (60-65% Shia, 32-37% Sunni), 3% Christian or other
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 45 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: development of Tigris-Euphrates river systems contingent upon agreements with upstream riparians (Syria, Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 69 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 67 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 55% (est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
Government type: republic
Capital: Baghdad
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah; Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, As Sulaymaniyah, At Tamim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Irbil, Karbala, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
Dependent areasIndependence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)
Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (interim Constitution)
Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal adult
Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government - President Saddam HUSAYN (since 16 July 1979; Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974)
Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard Force, mobile police force
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: Arab League, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB - Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Abdul-Amir Ali AL-ANBARI; Chancery at 1801 P Street NW, Washington DC 20,036; telephone (202) 483-7,500; US - Ambassador April C. GLASPIE; Embassy in Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club), Baghdad (mailing address is P. O. Box 2,447 Alwiyah, Baghdad; telephone Õ964å (1) 719-6,138 or 719-6,139, 718-1840, 719-3,791
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; similar to the flags of the YAR which has one star and Syria which has two stars (in a horizontal line centered in the white band) - all green and five-pointed; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Development of the economy is guided by central planning, although economic reforms instituted in 1987 allowed some privatization. The economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. Since the early 1980s financial problems, caused by war expenditures and damage to oil export facilities by Iran, have led the government to implement austerity measures and to reschedule foreign debt payments. Oil exports have gradually increased as new pipelines have been constructed. Although the agricultural sector was privatized in 1987, development remains hampered by labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and collectivization programs. The agricultural sector employs about 35% of the labor force but accounts for less than 10% of GNP. The industrial sector, although accorded high priority by the government, is under financial constraints. New investment funds are allocated only to those projects which rely heavily on local raw materials and result either in import substitution or foreign exchange earnings.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: vegetables, wheat, barley, dates, rice, livestock
Industries: petroleum, textiles, construction materials, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1988)
Labor force:
3,500,000 (1980; 39%
services, 33% agriculture, 28%
industry, severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force about 1,000,000 (1987)
Unemployment rate: less than 5%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $20.0 billion; expenditures $18.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1987)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: crude oil and refined products, dates
Partners: Brazil, Italy, Turkey, France, Japan, Spain, USSR, Yugoslavia, US (1987)
Imports: $13.0 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: food, manufactures, consumer goods
Partners: Turkey, US, FRG, UK, France, Japan, USSR, other Communist countries, Italy (1987)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $40 billion (1988 est.), excluding nominal debt to Gulf Arab states
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 0.3109 (fixed rate since 1982)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 8,692,000 kW capacity; 22,839 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaIraq - Communication 1989
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: NA
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsIraq - Transportation 1989
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 106 total, 97 usable; 69 with permanent-surface runways; 7 with runways over 3,659 m; 48 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil, 4,350 km; 725 km refined products; 1,360 km natural gas
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km, but closed since September 1980 because of Iran-Iraq war; Tigris and Euphrates navigable by shallow-draft steamers (of little importance; Shatt al Basrah canal navigable by shallow-draft vessels
Merchant marine: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 906,496 GRT/1,616,429 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 18 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 18 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker
Ports and terminalsIraq - Transnational issues 1989
top of pageDisputes international: Iraq began formal UN peace negotiations with Iran in August 1988 to end the war that began on 22 September 1980 - troop withdrawal, freedom of navigation, sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway, and prisoner of war exchange are the major issues for negotiation; Kurdish question among Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and the USSR; shares Neutral Zone with Saudi Arabia; periodic disputes with Syria over Euphrates water rights; potential dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs