Statistical information Iraq 1999

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, 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.
top of pageLocation: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map reference:
Middle EastAreaTotal: 437,072 km²
Land: 432,162 km²
Water: 4,910 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundariesTotal: 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 kmCoastline: 58 km
Maritime claimsContinental 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Extremes highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land useArable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 9%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 79% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 25,500 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 22,427,150 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 3.19% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structure0-14 years: 44% (male 4,982,510; female 4,825,129)
15-64 years: 53% (male 6,030,417; female 5,889,543)
65 years and over: 3% (male 326,223; female 373,328) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.19% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 38.42 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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 (salination) and erosion; desertification
International agreements party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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 (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 62.41 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 66.52 years
Male: 65.54 years
Female: 67.56 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.12 children born/woman (1999 est.)
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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 58%
Male: 70.7%
Female: 45% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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 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 (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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief 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 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 leadersInternational 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 representationIn the us: none; note_Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi AL ZUBAYDI; address:Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 2,118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone:[1] (202) 265-2,800; FAX:[1] (202) 667-2,174
From the us: none; note_the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address:P. O. Box 2,051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone:[964] (1) 719-0296; 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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Iraq's 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, 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. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity and increased 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. The implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve economic conditions. For the first three six-month phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods. The UN allowed Iraq to export $5.2 billion of oil beginning with the fourth phase of the program in May 1998. At an average volume of 1.9 million barrels per day during the last half of 1998, oil exports are about three-quarters their prewar level. 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 10% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,400 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%
Agriculture products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 4.4 million (1989)
By occupation services: 48%
By occupation agriculture: 30%
By occupation industry: 22% (1989)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A, including capital expenditures of $N/A
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: $5 billion (1998 est.)
Commodities: crude oil
Partners: Russia, France, China, Turkey (1998)
Imports: $3 billion (1998 est.)
Commodities: food, medicine, manufactures
Partners: Russia, France, Jordan, Australia, China (1998)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: very heavy relative to GDP but the exact amount is unknown (1998)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1_0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982; black market rate_Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1_1,810 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 3,000 (December 1995; subject to wide fluctuations
top of pageElectricityProduction: 27.6 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 97.83%
Production by source hydro: 2.17%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 27.6 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaIraq - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 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 mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsIraq - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 109 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 77
With paved runways over 3047 m: 20
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 36
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 32
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1998 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km
RailwaysTotal: 2,032 km
Standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge
RoadwaysWaterways: 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 marineTotal: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 456,845 GRT/780,318 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 11, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsIraq - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes 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 although the government continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs