Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during World War I and was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration in 1920. Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. It was proclaimed a republic in 1958 after a coup overthrew the monarchy, but in actuality, a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Hussein, from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly war from 1980 to 1988. In 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition forces during the two-month-long Gulf War of 1991. After Iraq's expulsion, 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 led to the Second Gulf War in 2003, when US-led forces ousted the SADDAM regime. In 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR). The COR approved most of the cabinet ministers, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century. Iraq's constitution also established the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), a semi-autonomous region that administers the governorates of Erbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah. Iraq has held four national legislative elections since 2006, most recently in 2021. The COR approved Mohammad Shia' al-SUDANI as prime minister in 2022. Iraq has repeatedly postponed elections for provincial councils -- last held in 2013 -- and since 2019, the prime minister has had the authority to appoint governors rather than provincial councils. Between 2014 and 2017, Iraq fought a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) to recapture territory the group seized in 2014. In 2017, then-Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI publicly declared victory against ISIS, although military operations against the group continue in rural areas. Also in 2017, Baghdad forcefully seized disputed territories across central and northern Iraq from the KRG, after a non-binding Kurdish independence referendum.

Area
Total: 438,317 km²
Land: 437,367 km²
Water: 950 km²
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New York State

Land boundaries
Total: 3,809 km
Border countries (6): (6) Iran 1,599 km; Jordan 179 km; Kuwait 254 km; Saudi Arabia 811 km; Syria 599 km; Turkey 367 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
Highest point: Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for 'Black Tent') 3,611 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Mean elevation: 312 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 21.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 9.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 1.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 76.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 35,250 km² (2012)

Major rivers: Euphrates river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 3,596 km; Tigris river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 1,950 km; the Tigris and Euphrates join to form the Shatt al Arab
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: dust storms; sandstorms; floods

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

Population
Total: 42,083,436 (2024 est.)
Male: 21,193,356
Female: 20,890,080
Distribution: population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited
Growth rate: 1.99% (2024 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official); Turkmen (a Turkish dialect) and Syriac (Neo-Aramaic) are recognized as official languages where native speakers of these languages are present
Major-language sample(s): ; كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim (official) 95-98% (Shia 61-64%, Sunni 29-34%), Christian 1% (includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Church of the East), other 1-4% (2015 est.)
Note: the last census in Iraq was in 1997; while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, the overall Christian population has decreased at least 50% and perhaps as much as 90% since 2003, according to US Embassy estimates, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon

Age structure
0-14 years: 34.6% (male 7,447,266/female 7,130,883)
15-64 years: 61.7% (male 13,064,516/female 12,907,702)
65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 681,574/female 851,495)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 62 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 56.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 16.9 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 22.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 22 years
Female: 22.7 years

Population growth rate: 1.99% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 23.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited

Urbanization
Urban population: 71.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 7.711 million BAGHDAD (capital), 1.792 million Mosul, 1.448 million Basra, 1.075 million Kirkuk, 958,000 Najaf, 897,000 Erbil (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 17 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 71.9 years
Female: 75.7 years

Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.9% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 15.6% (2024 est.); 15.5% (2023 est.); 15.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Baghdad
Geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it may mean 'gift of God,' from the pre-Islamic words bagh (god) and dad (given)

Administrative divisions: 19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)); 'Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Halabjah; Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit
Note: Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government administers Arbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah (as Hewler, Dihok, and Slemani, respectively)

Legal system: mixed system of civil and Islamic law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Latif RASHID (since 13 October 2022)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-SUDANI (since 27 October 2022)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives (COR)
Election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by COR to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
Most recent election date: 13 October 2022
2022: Latif RASHID elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Latif RASHID (PUK) 157, Barham SALIH (PUK) 99; COR vote in second round - Latif RASHID 167, Barham SALIH 99; Mohammed Shia' al-SUDANI approved as prime minister
2018: Barham SALIH elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; COR vote in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; Adil ABD AL-MAHDI approved as prime minister

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Council of Representatives of Iraq
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 329 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: other systems
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 11/11/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: Reconstruction & Development Coalition, The Progress (Taqaddum) Party, State of Law Coalition, Sadiqoun Movement, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Badr Organization, National State Forces Alliance, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Azm Alliance, National Sovereignty, Ishraqat Kanun, Asas (Iraqi Foundation) Coalition, Tasmeem Alliance, Huquq Movement, National Resolve (Hasm)
Percentage of women in chamber: 28.9%
Expected date of next election: November 2,029

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic phrase meaning 'God is great') in green Arabic script is centered in the white band

National anthem
Title: 'Mawtini' (My Homeland)
Lyrics/music: Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL
History: adopted 2004, after the ouster of SADDAM Husayn; popular Arab folk song that also serves as an unofficial anthem for the Palestinian people

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: -1.5% (2024 est.); 0.5% (2023 est.); 8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: -1.5% (2024 est.); 0.5% (2023 est.); 8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 41.2% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 20.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 8.8% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 37.5% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.4% (2024 est.)
Industry: 51.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 45.8% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: -2.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 12.008 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 15.6% (2024 est.); 15.5% (2023 est.); 15.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 15.6% (2024 est.); 15.5% (2023 est.); 15.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $90.204 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $64.512 billion (2019 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 1.3% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $107.852 billion (2023 est.); $127.079 billion (2022 est.); $78.26 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, petroleum coke, gold, natural gas (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $81.179 billion (2023 est.); $69.162 billion (2022 est.); $50.707 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, jewelry, gold (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 31.339 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 73.521 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 3.134 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 79.904 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 98.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 4.448 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 1.043 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 145.019 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 10.537 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 19.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 8.771 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 3.729 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 190.815 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 7,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 152.931 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 37.878 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 64.311 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.977 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 45.7 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 82% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 7.77 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.); 3% of GDP (2021 est.); 3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 73 (2025)

Heliports: 10 (2025)

Railways
Total: 2,272 km (2014)
Standard gauge: 2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Merchant marine
Total: 74 (2023)
By type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 6, other 67