Statistical information Iraq 1998Iraq

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

Iraq in the World
Iraq in the World

Healthlabs


Iraq - Introduction 1998
top of page


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.


Iraq - Geography 1998
top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map referenceMiddle 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 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
Extremes highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use

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


Iraq - People 1998
top of page


Population: 21,722,287 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 3.2% (1998 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

Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (male 4,865,820; female 4,711,791)
15-64 years: 53% (male 5,794,336; female 5,662,163)
65 years and over: 3% (male 320,672; female 367,505) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 38.58 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.57 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 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
International agreements party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

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 (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 62.41 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.52 years
Male: 65.54 years
Female: 67.56 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.23 children born/woman (1998 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


Iraq - Government 1998
top of page


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): ead of
Government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA May 1994)
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 2002)
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

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

Flag descriptionflag of Iraq: 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


Iraq - Economy 1998
top of page


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. 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. Industrial and transportation facilities, which suffered severe damage, have been partially restored. At current prices, oil exports are about one-third of their prewar level because of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 986_the UN's oil-for-goods program_in December 1996. Shortages of spare parts continue. In accord with the oil-for-goods deal, Iraq is allowed to 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 arrived in April 1997. Per capita output for 1995-97 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% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,000 (1997 est.)

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

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
Labor force

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
Commodoties: crude oil
Partners: Jordan, Turkey (1996)

Imports: $NA
Commodoties: 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_1,530 (December 1997), 3,000 (December 1995; subject to wide fluctuations


Iraq - Energy 1998
top of page


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


Iraq - Communication 1998
top of page


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


Iraq - Military 1998
top of page


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

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Iraq - Transportation 1998
top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 111 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 76
With paved runways over 3047 m: 22
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 33
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 35
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 6
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 12
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 4 (1997 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 (1997 est.)

Ports and terminals


Iraq - Transnational issues 1998
top of page


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


Winebasket.com


You found a piece of the puzzle

Please click here to complete it
CheapOair