Map of Iraq | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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 strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was 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 led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate through 2009 and under a bilateral security agreement thereafter helping to provide security and to train and mentor Iraqi security forces. In October 2005 Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and pursuant to this document elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) in December 2005. After the election Ibrahim al-JAFARI was selected as prime minister; he was replaced by Nuri al-MALIKI in May 2006. The CoR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006 marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. On 31 January 2009 Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all provinces except for the three provinces comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk province. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010 and after nine months of deadlock the CoR approved the new government in December.


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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: 438,317 km²
Rank: 58
Land: 437,367 km²
Water: 950 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries
Total: 3,650 km
Border countries: (6) Iran 1458 km; Jordan 181 km; Kuwait 240 km; Saudi Arabia 814 km; Syria 605 km; Turkey 352 km

Coastline: 58 km

Maritime claims
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
Extremes highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is neither Gundah Zhur 3,607 m nor Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas phosphates sulfur

Land use
Arable land: 13.12%
Permanent crops: 0.61%
Other: 86.27% (2005)

Irrigated land: 35,250 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 96.4 km³ (1997)

Natural hazards: dust storms; sandstorms; floods

Geography
Note: strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf


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Population: 29,671,605 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 40
Growth rate: 2.449% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 34
Below poverty line: 25% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Iraqi
Adjective: Iraqi

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

Languages: Arabic (official) Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions) Turkoman (a Turkish dialect) Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic) Armenian

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65% Sunni 32%-37%) Christian or other 3%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.8%
15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,535,550/female 8,303,942)
65 years and over: 3% (male 410,395/female 469,701) (2010 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 20.6 years
Male: 20.5 years
Female: 20.8 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.449% (2010 est.)
Rank: 34

Birth rate: 29.41 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 45

Death rate: 4.92 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 189

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population
Rank: 82

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 67% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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 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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 43.16 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 64
Male: 47.47 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 38.62 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.25 years
Rank: 145
Male: 68.88 years
Female: 71.69 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.76 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 43

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 151
People living with hivaids: fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 148
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible r

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 74.1%
Male: 84.1%
Female: 64.2% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 8 years (2005)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
Conventional short form: Iraq
Local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq
Local short form: Al Iraq

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Baghdad
Geographic coordinates: 33 20 N 44 23 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 18 governorates (muhafazat singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al Anbar Al Basrah Al Muthanna Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah) An Najaf Arbil (Erbil) As Sulaymaniyah Babil Baghdad Dahuk Dhi Qar Diyala Karbala' Kirkuk Kurdistan Regional Government* Maysan Ninawa Salah ad Din Wasit

Dependent areas

Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government

National holiday: Republic Day July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has yet to declare an official national holiday but still observes Republic Day

Constitution: ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum)

Legal system: based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI
Head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers consists of ministers appointed by the Presidency Council plus the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers
Elections: president elected by Council of Representatives (parliament) to serve a four-year term (eligible for a second term)
Election results: President Jalal TALABANI reelected on 11 November 2010; parliamentary vote count on second ballot - 195 votes; Nuri al-MALIKI reselected prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Council of Representatives (325 seats consisting of 317 members elected by an optional open-list proportional representation system and 8 seats reserved for minorities; members serve four-year terms); note - Iraq's Constitution calls for the establishment of an upper house the Federation Council
Elections: last held on 7 March 2010 for an enlarged 325-seat parliament; next election to be held in 2014
Election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition - Iraqi National Movement 25.9% State of Law coalition 25.8% Iraqi National Alliance 19.4% Kurdistan Alliance 15.3% Goran (Change) List 4.4% Tawafuq Front 2.7% Iraqi Unity Alliance 2.9% Kurdistan Islamic Union 2.3% Kurdistan Islamic Group 1.4%; seats by coalition - Iraqi National Movement 91 State of Law Coalition 89 Iraqi National Alliance 70 Kurdistan Alliance 43 Goran (Change) List 8 Tawafuq Front 6 Iraqi Unity Alliance 4 Kurdistan Islamic Union 4 Kurdistan Islamic Group 2 seats reserved for minorities 8

Judicial branch: the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to be comprised of the Higher Judicial Council Federal Supreme Court Federal Court of Cassation Public Prosecution Department Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in accordance with the law

Political parties and leaders: Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]; Da'wa al-Islamiya Party [Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI]; Da'wa Tanzim [Hashim al-MUSAWI branch]; Da-wa Tanzim [Abd al-Karim al-ANZI branch]; Fadilah Party [Hashim al-HASHIMI]; Hadba Gathering [Athil al-NUJAYFI]; Iraqi Charter Assembly [Ahmad Abd al-Ghafur al-SAMARRAI]; Iraqi Constitutional Party [Jawad al-BULANI]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Usama al-TIKRITI]; Iraqi Justice and Reform Movement [Shaykh Abdallah al-YAWR]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [former Prime Minister Ayad ALLAWI]; Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Ammar al-HAKIM]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Kurdistan Regional Government President Masud BARZANI]; National Gathering [Deputy Prime Minister Rafi al-ISSAWI]; National Movement for Reform and Development [Jamal al-KARBULI]; National Reform Trend [former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Renewal List [Vice President Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR]; Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmad al-RISHAWI]; Tawafuq Front
Note: numerous smaller local tribal and minority parties

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CAEU CICA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IPU ISO ITSO ITU LAS MIGA NAM OAPEC OIC OPCW OPEC PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI
In the us chancery: 3,421 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600
In the us fax: [1] (202) 333-1129
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James F. Jeffrey
From the us embassy: Baghdad
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,316
From the us telephone: 1-240-553-0589 ext. 5,340 or 5,635; note - Consular Section
From the us fax: NA

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top) white and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning 'God is great') in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red) to be replaced by a bright future (white); the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise temporary replacement for the Ba'athist Saddam-era flag
Note: similar to the flag of Syria which has two stars but no script Yemen which has a plain white band and that of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Mawtini'
Lyricsmusic: Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL
Note: adopted 2004; following the ousting of Saddam HUSSEIN Iraq adopted 'Mawtini' a popular folk song throughout the Arab world which also serves as an unofficial anthem of the Palestinian people

National heritage


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Economy overview: An improved security environment and an initial wave of foreign investment are helping to spur economic activity particularly in the energy construction and retail sectors. Broader economic improvement long-term fiscal health and sustained increases in the standard of living still depend on the government passing major policy reforms and on continued development of Iraq's massive oil reserves. Although foreign investors viewed Iraq with increasing interest in 2010 most are still hampered by difficulties in acquiring land for projects and by other regulatory impediments. Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector which provides over 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings. Since mid-2009 oil export earnings have returned to levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom and government revenues have rebounded along with global oil prices. In 2011 Baghdad probably will increase oil exports above the current level of 1.9 million barrels per day (bbl/day) as a result of new contracts with international oil companies but is likely to fall short of the 2.4 million bbl/day it is forecasting in its budget. Iraq is making modest progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic policy. In 2010 Bagdad signed a new agreement with both the IMF and World Bank for conditional aid programs that will help strengthen Iraq's economic institutions. Some reform-minded leaders within the Iraqi government are seeking to pass laws to strengthen the economy. This legislation includes a package of laws to establish a modern legal framework for the oil sector and a mechanism to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation although these and other important reforms are still under contentious and sporadic negotiation. Iraq's recent contracts with major oil companies have the potential to greatly expand oil revenues but Iraq will need to upgrade its oil processing pipeling and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their potential. The Government of Iraq is pursuing a strategy to gain additional foreign investment in Iraq's economy. This includes an amendment to the National Investment Law multiple international trade and investment events as well as potential participation in joint ventures with state-owned enterprises. Provincial Councils also are using their own budgets to promote and facilitate investment at the local level. However widespread corruption inadequate infrastructure insufficient essential services and antiquated commercial laws and regulations stifle investment and continue to constrain the growth of private non-energy sectors. The Central Bank has successfully held the exchange rate at approximately 1170 Iraqi dinar/US dollar since January 2009. Inflation has decreased consistently since 2006 as the security situation has improved. However Iraqi leaders remain hard pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into improved lives for ordinary Iraqis. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country. Reducing corruption and implementing reforms - such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector - would be important steps in this direction.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 64
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 46

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 161
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 9.7%
Industry: 63%
Services: 27.3% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat barley rice vege

Industries: petroleum chemicals textiles leather construction materials food processing fertilizer metal fabrication/processing

Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (2010 est.)
Rank: 70

Labor force: 8.5 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 54
By occupation agriculture: 21.6%
By occupation industry: 18.7%
By occupation services: 59.8% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15.2% (2008 est.)
Rank: 153

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 25% (2008 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.8% (2009 est.)
Rank: 122

Central bank discount rate: 16.75% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 16

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 19.5% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 21

Stock of narrow money: $30.02 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 50

Stock of broad money: $37.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 68

Stock of domestic credit: $10.16 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 76

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 93

Current account balance: -$19.9 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 40

Exports: $40.86 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 54
Commodities: crude oil 84% crude materials excluding fuels food and live animals
Partners: US 27.62% India 14.45% Italy 10.14% South Korea 8.62% Taiwan 5.61% China 4.23% Netherlands 4.13% Japan 3.99% (2009)

Imports: $50 billion (2008 est.)
Rank: 51
Commodities: food medicine manufactures
Partners: Turkey 24.99% Syria 17.36% US 8.66% China 6.79% Jordan 4.17% Italy 3.98% Germany 3.97% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $44.38 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 24

Debt external: $73 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 55

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar - 1170 (2010) 1170 (2009) 1176 (2008) 1255 (2007) 1466 (2006)


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Electricity
Production: 46.39 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 49
Consumption: 52 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 44
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 5.6 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 1.88 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 58
Consumption: 9.454 billion m³
Consumption rank: 48
Consumption note: 1.48 billion m³ were flared (2008 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 168
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 160
Proven reserves: 3.17 trillion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 11

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.108 million (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 73
Mobile cellular: 19.722 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 40

Telephone system
General assessment: the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international connections; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications through fiber optic links are in progress; the mobile cellular market has expanded rapidly and its subscribership base is expected to continue increasing rapidly
Domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 continue; additional switching capacity is improving access; mobile-cellular service is available and centered on 3 GSM networks which are being expanded beyond their regional roots improving country-wide connectivity; wireless local loop is available in some metropolitan areas and additional licenses have been issued with the hope of overcoming the lack of fixed-line infrastructure
International: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave radio relay connects border regions to Jordan Kuwait Syria and Turkey; international terrestrial fiber-optic connections have been established with Saudi Arabia Turkey and Kuwait with planned connections to Iran and Jordan; a link to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine fiber-optic cable is planned (2009)

Broadcast media: the number of private radio and television stations has increased rapidly since 2003; government-owned TV and radio stations are operated by the publicly-funded Iraqi Public Broadcasting Service; private broadcast media are mostly linked to political ethnic or religious groups; satellite TV is available to an estimated 70% of viewers and many of the broadcasters are based abroad; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are accessible (2007)

Internet
Country code: .iq
Hosts: 9 (2010)
Hosts rank: 222
Users: 325,900 (2009)
Users rank: 126

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 8.6% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 4

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-40 years of age for voluntary military service (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 104 (2010)
Rank: 58
With paved runways total: 75
With paved runways over 3047 m: 20
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 36
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 8 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 29
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 13
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 6 (2010)

Heliports: 21 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 2,501 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,032 km; refined products 1637 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 2,272 km
Rank: 69
Standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 44,900 km
Rank: 83
Paved: 37,851 km
Unpaved: 7,049 km (2002)

Waterways: 5,279 km
Rank: 23
Note: Euphrates River (2,815 km) Tigris River (1899 km) and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2008)

Merchant marine
Total: 2
Rank: 147
By type: petroleum tanker 2
Registered in other countries: 2 (Marshall Islands 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Al Basrah Khawr az Zubayr Umm Qasr


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Disputes international: coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan and lesser numbers to Egypt Lebanon Iran and Turkey; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey)
Idps: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007)

Illicit drugs