Map of Iraq | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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, a bloody conflict with neighboring Iran, and, in 1990, an invasion of Kuwait, swiftly turned back by a Western coalition led by the US. Noncooperation with UN Security Council resolution obligations and the UN's inspection of Iraq's nuclear, chemical, biological, and long-range missile weapons programs remain major problems.


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Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 437,072 km²
Land: 432,162 km²
Water: 4,910 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries
Total: 3,631 km
Border countries: (6) Iran 1,458 km; , Jordan 181 km; , Kuwait 242 km; , Saudi Arabia 814 km; , Syria 605 km; , Turkey 331 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 which melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Extremes highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use
Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 9%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 79% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 25,500 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Geography


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Population: 22,219,289 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Iraqi(s)
Adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 47% (male 5,353,088; female 5,181,960)
15-64 years: 50% (male 5,565,926; female 5,442,949)
65 years and over: 3% (male 314,705; female 360,661) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.52 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.33 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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 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 (salinization) and erosion; desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 57.5 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.38 years
Male: 66.31 years
Female: 68.5 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.26 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 58%
Male: 70.7%
Female: 45% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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: republic

Capital: Baghdad

Administrative divisions: 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 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 (provisional Constitution; new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991)
Head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA); Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Note: there is also a Revolutionary Command Council; Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri
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)
Election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of Revolutionary Command Council vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of Revolutionary Command Council vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by SADDAM Husayn 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 24 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; note - Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi O. T. AL ZUBAIDI; address:Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20,036; telephone:[1] (202) 483-7,500; FAX:[1] (202) 462-5,066
From the us: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad, which is in the Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club; address:P. O. Box 2,447 Alwiyah, Baghdad; telephone:[964] (1) 719-6,138, 719-6,139, 718-1840, 719-3,791; FAX:[964] (1) 718-9,297

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 that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of industrial production and foreign trade while leaving some small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The economy has been 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 and to borrow heavily and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses of at least $100 billion from the war. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high priority by the government, also was under financial constraints. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture. Industrial and transportation facilities, which suffered severe damage, have been partially restored. Oil exports are at 25% of the prewar level following the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 986 in December 1996. Shortages of spare parts continue. The UN-sponsored economic embargo has reduced exports and imports and has contributed to the sharp rise in prices. The Iraqi Government has been unwilling to abide by UN resolutions so that the economic embargo could be removed. The government's policies of supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. In accord with a UN resolution Iraq agreed to an oil-for-food deal in 1996, under which it would export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for badly needed food and medicine. The first oil was pumped in December 1996, and the first supplies of food and medicine should arrive in March 1997. Per capita output for 1995-96 and living standards are well below the 1989-90 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton; cattle, sheep

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 4.4 million (1989)
By occupation services: 48%
By occupation agriculture: 30%
By occupation industry: 22%
Note: severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about 1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A, including capital expenditures of $N/A

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $NA
Commodities: crude oil
Partners: Jordan, Turkey (1996)

Imports: $NA
Commodities: manufactures, food
Partners: France, Turkey, Jordan, Vietnam, Australia (1996)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: very heavy relative to GDP but amount unknown (1996)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982; black market rate - Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 1,200 (May 1997), 3,000 (December 1995; subject to wide fluctuations


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Electricity
Capacity: 6.83 million kW (1996)
Production: 31.8 billion kWh (1996)
Consumption per capita: 1,362 kWh (1996 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 632,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt
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

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 101 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 85
With paved runways over 3047 m: 21
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 33
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 16 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 16
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 4 (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km

Railways
Total: 2,032 km
Standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Persian Gulf war

Merchant marine
Total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 791,485 GRT/1,428,307 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; 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; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs