1989 Edition

Agriculture

accounts for 20% of GDP and employs majority of population; products — tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulses, citrus fruit, variety of animal products; self-sufficient in food most years

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $2.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $7.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $665 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $4.5 billion

Budget

revenues $12.1 billion; expenditures $14.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.08 billion (FY88 est.)

Climate

desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers

harsh, dry desert

Coastline

58 km

none — landlocked

Comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Continental shelf

not specific

Currency

Turkish lira (plural — liras); 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kuru?

Disputes

Iraq began formal UN peace negotiations with Iran in August 1988 to end the war that began on 22 September 1980 — sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway, troop withdrawal, freedom of navigation, and prisoner of war exchange are the major issues for negotiation; Kurdish question among Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and the USSR; shares Neutral Zone with Saudi Arabia — in July 1975, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to divide the zone between them, but the agreement must be ratified before it becomes effective; disputes Kuwaiti ownership of Warbah and Bubiyan islands; periodic disputes with upstream riparian Syria over Euphrates water rights; potential dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Electricity

14,064,000 kW capacity; 40,000 million kWh produced, 720 kWh per capita (1989)

Environment

development of Tigris-Euphrates river systems contingent upon agreements with upstream riparians (Syria, Turkey); air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification

harsh, inhospitable

Exchange rates

Turkish liras (TL) per US$1— 2,314.7 (November 1989), 1,422.3 (1988), 857.2 (1987), 674.5 (1986), 522.0 (1985) Fiscal year calendar year

Exports

$1 1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— industrial products 70%, crops and livestock products 25%; partners — FRG 18.4%, Iraq 8.5%, Italy 8.2%, US 6.5%, UK 4.9%, Iran 4.7%

External debt

$36.3 billion (November 1989)

GDP

$75 billion, per capita $1,350; real growth rate 1.8% (1989 est.)

Illicit drugs

one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Imports

$14.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities— crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, metals, Pharmaceuticals, dyes, plastics, rubber, mineral fuels, fertilizers, chemicals; partners— FRG 14.3%, US 10.6%, Iraq 10.0%, Italy 7.0%, France 5.8%, UK 5.2%

Industrial production

growth rate 7.4% (1988)

Industries

textiles, food processing, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron minerals), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

68.8% (1989)

Land boundaries

3,454 km total; Iran 1,458 km, Iraq —Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone 191 km, Jordan 134 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 495 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km

389 km total; 191 km Iraq, 198 km Saudi Arabia

Land use

12% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 75% other; includes 4% irrigated

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other (sandy desert)

Maritime claims

none — landlocked

Natural resources

crude oil, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

none

Note

landlocked; located west of quadripoint with Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia

Terrain

mostly broad plains; reedy marshes in southeast; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

sandy desert

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

Total area

434,920 km2; land area: 433,970 km2

3,520 km2; land area: 3,520 km2

Total area

200km Srr regional map V

Unemployment rate

15.8% (1988)

Birth rate

46 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Death rate

7 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

67 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

3,400,000 (1984); 39% services, 33% agriculture, 28% industry, severe labor shortage (1987); expatriate labor force about 1,000,000 (1989)

Language

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

Life expectancy at birth

66 years male, 68 years female (1990)

Literacy

55-65% (1 989 est.)

Nationality

noun — Iraqi(s); adjective — Iraqi

Net migration rate

0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

less than 10% of the labor force

Population

18,781,770 (July 1990), growth rate 3.9% (1990)

uninhabited

Religion

97% Muslim (60-65% Shi'a, 3237% Sunni), 3% Christian or other

Total fertility rate

7.3 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

18 provinces (muhafazat, singular — muhafazah); Al AnbSr, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadislyah, An Najaf, Arbll, As Sulaymanlyah, At Ta'mlm, Babil, Baghdad, Dahflk, Dhl Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Mays3n, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, WSsil

Capital

Baghdad

Communists

about 1,500 hardcore members

Constitution

22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (interim Constitution); new constitution now in final stages of drafting

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Sadiq AL-MASHAT; Chancery at 1801 P Street NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 4837500; US— Ambassador April C. GLASPIE; Embassy in Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club), Baghdad (mailing address is P. O. Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdad); telephone [964] (1) 719-6138 or 719-6139, 718-1840, 719-

Elag

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; similar to the flags of the YAR which has one star and Syria which has two stars (in a horizontal line centered in the white band) — all green and five-pointed; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Elections

National Assembly — last held on 1 April 1989 (next to be held NA); results— Shi'a Arabs 30%, Kurds 15%, Sunni Arabs 53%, Christians 2% est.; seats — (250 total) number of seats by party NA

Executive branch

president, vice president, chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, vice chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, prime minister, first deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers

Independence

3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government—President Saddam HUSAYN (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MA'RUF (since 21 April 1974)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al 'Umma)

Long-form name

Republic of Iraq

none

Member of

ACC, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB— Islamic Development Bank, I FAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, QIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

National holiday

Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)

Other political or pressure groups

political parties and activity severely restricted; possibly some opposition to regime from disaffected members of the regime, Army officers, and religious and ethnic dissidents

Political parties

National Progressive Front is a coalition of the Arab Ba'th Socialist Party, Kurdistan Democratic Party, and Kurdistan Revolutionary Party

Suffrage

universal adult at age 18

Type

republic

joint administration by Iraq and Saudi Arabia; in July 1975, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to divide the zone between them, but the agreement must be ratified, however, before it becomes effective

Agriculture

accounts for less than 1 0% of GNP but 33% of labor force; principal products — wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton, wool; livestock — cattle, sheep; not self-sufficient in food output

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $3 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $607 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1980-89), $37.2 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $3.9 billion

Budget

revenues SNA billion; expenditures $35 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1989)

Currency

Iraqi dinar (plural — dinars); 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils

Electricity

9,902,000 kW capacity; 20,000 million kWh produced, 1,110 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1— 0.3109 (fixed rate since 1982)

Exports

$12.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— crude oil and refined products, machinery, chemicals, dates; partners — US, Brazil, USSR, Italy, Turkey, France, Japan, Yugoslavia (1988)

External debt

$40 billion (1988 est.), excluding debt to Persian Gulf Arab states

Fiscal year

calendar year Iraq-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone

GNP

$35 billion, per capita $1,940; real growth rate 5% (1989 est.)

Imports

$10.2 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities— manufactures, food; partners — Turkey, US, FRG, UK, France, Japan, Romania, Yugoslavia, Brazil (1988)

Industrial production

NA%

Industries

petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

30-40% (1989 est.)

Overview

The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of industrial production and foreign Iraq (continued) trade while leaving some small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. Since the early 1980s financial problems, caused by war expenditures and damage to oil export facilities by Iran, have led the government to implement austerity measures and to reschedule foreign debt payments. Oil exports have gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines. Agricultural development remains 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, is under financial constraints. New investment funds are generally allocated only to projects that result in import substitution or foreign exchange earnings.

no economic activity

Unemployment rate

less than 5% (1989 est.)

Airports

111 total, 101 usable; 72 with permanent-surface runways; 8 with runways over 3,659 m; 53 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 14 with runways 1,2202,439 m

1 19 total, 112 usable; 69 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways over 3,659 m; 30 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 28 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard Force, mobile police force, Republican Guard Military manpower males 15-49, 4,097,190; 2,284,417 fit for military service; 219,701 reach military age (18) annually

Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Coast Guard

Defense expenditures

NA 50km

3.9% of GDP, or $2.9 billion (1989 est.)

Highways

25,479 km total; 8,290 km paved, 5,534 km improved earth, 11,655 km unimproved earth

none; some secondary roads

49,615 km total; 26,915 km bituminous; 16,500 km gravel or crushed stone; 4,000 km improved earth; 2,200 km unimproved earth (1985)

Inland waterways

1,015 km; Shatt al Arab usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 1 30 km, but closed since September 1980 because of I ranIraq war; Tigris and Euphrates navigable by shallow-draft steamers (of little importance); Shatt al Basrah canal navigable in sections by shallow-draft vessels

about 1 ,200 km

Merchant marine

44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 947,721 GRT/ 1,703,988 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 passengercargo, 1 8 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 19 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker

327 ships (1,000 CRT or over) totaling 2,972,465 CRT/ 5,087,620 DWT; includes 6 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 193 cargo, 1 container, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 1 livestock carrier, 35 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 5 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 4 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 55 bulk, 4 combination bulk, 1 specialized liquid cargo Civil air 30 major transport aircraft (1985)

Military manpower

males 15-49, 14,413,944; 8,813,430 fit for military service; 597,547 reach military age (20) annually

Pipelines

crude oil, 4,350 km; 725 km refined products; 1,360 km natural gas Civil air 64 major transport aircraft (including 30 IL-76s used by the Iraq Air Force)

1,738 km crude oil; 2,321 km refined ^products; 70_8 km natural gas_

Ports

Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr

Iskenderun, Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir

Railroads

2,962 km total; 2,457 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 505 km 1 .000-meter gauge

8,401 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 479 km electrified

Telecommunications

good network consists of coaxial cables, radio relay links, and radiocommunication stations; 632,000 telephones; stations — 9 AM, 1 FM, 81 TV; satellite earth stations — 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 GORIZONT Atlantic Ocean in the Intersputnik system; coaxial cable and radio relay to Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey Defense Forces

fair domestic and international systems; trunk radio relay network; 3,100,000 telephones; stations — 15 AM; 45 (60 repeaters) FM; 61 (476 repeaters) TV; communications satellite earth stations operating in the INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean) and EUTELSAT systems; 1 submarine telephone cable Defense Forces