2008 Edition

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 military 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. Coalition forces remain in Iraq under a UNSC mandate, helping to provide security and to support the freely elected government. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004 to the Iraqi Interim Government, which governed under the Transitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL, elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was charged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which was approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An election under the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) was held on 15 December 2005. The CoR approval in the selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the transition from the ITG to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century.

Area

total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

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

Coastline

58 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m 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

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 42.7 cu km/yr (3%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,482 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

35,250 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 3,650 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Land use

arable land: 13.12% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 86.27% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified

Natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Terrain

mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Total renewable water resources

96.4 cu km (1997)

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.2% (male 5,613,420/female 5,438,770) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 8,270,573/female 8,057,423) 65 years and over: 3% (male 396,751/female 444,244) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

30.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 45.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.62 years male: 68.32 years female: 70.99 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.1% male: 84.1% female: 64.2% (2000 est.)

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 risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

Median age

total: 20.2 years male: 20.1 years female: 20.2 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

28,221,180 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

2.562% (2008 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.97 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Capital

name: Baghdad geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 23 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October

Constitution

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

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al-Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER embassy: Baghdad mailing address: APO AE 09316 telephone: 1-240-553-0589 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular Section

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the Presidency Council) head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH (since 20 May 2006)and Rafi al-ISSAWI (since 19 July 2008) cabinet: 34 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Rafi al-ISSAWI elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives

FAX

[1] (202) 333-1129

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; 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; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors; Council of Representatives approved this flag as a compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag

Government type

parliamentary democracy

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to be comprised of the Higher Juridical 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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system) elections: last held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives (next to be held January 2009); the Council of Representatives elected the Presidency Council and approved the prime minister and two deputy prime ministers election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 4%, other 10%; number of seats by party (as of November 2007) - Unified Iraqi Alliance (including the Sadrist bloc with 30 and Fadilah with 15) 130, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Front 44, Iraqi National List 25, Fadilah 15, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, other 12

National holiday

Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime; the Government of Iraq has yet to declare a new national holiday

Political parties and leaders

Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiya Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI]; General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid MAJEED]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN]; National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmed al-RISHAWI] note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Front, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

Sunni militias; Shia militias, some associated with political parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry

Budget

revenues: $42.3 billion expenditures: $48.4 billion (FY08 est.)

Central bank discount rate

20% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

19.74% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Currency code

NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Current account balance

$6.025 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$100.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$21.65 billion (2005)

Economy - overview

Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. Although looting, insurgent attacks, and sabotage have undermined economy rebuilding efforts, economic activity is beginning to pick up in areas recently secured by the US military surge. Oil exports are around levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom, and total government revenues have benefited from high oil prices. Despite political uncertainty, Iraq is making some progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic policy and has negotiated a debt reduction agreement with the Paris Club and a new Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF. Iraq has received pledges for $13.5 billion in foreign aid for 2004-07 from outside of the US, more than $33 billion in total pledges. The International Compact with Iraq was established in May 2007 to integrate Iraq into the regional and global economy, and the Iraqi government is seeking to pass laws to strengthen its economy. This legislation includes a hydrocarbon law to establish a modern legal framework to allow Iraq to develop its resources and a revenue sharing law to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although both are still bogged down in discussions. The Central Bank has been successful in controlling inflation through appreciation of the dinar against the US dollar. Reducing corruption and implementing structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, will be key to Iraq's economic success.

Electricity - consumption

35.84 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

2.315 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

33.53 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)

Exports

$38.14 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%

Exports - partners

US 36.8%, Italy 12.6%, South Korea 9.5%, Taiwan 6.3%, Spain 5.2%, Canada 4.7%, France 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 68% services: 27% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.9% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$60.12 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$102.4 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$25.67 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners

Syria 30.5%, Turkey 19.8%, US 11.1%, Jordan 5%, China 4.8% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

7.9% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.7% (2007 est.)

Labor force

7.4 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

1.8 billion cu m note: 1.48 billion cu m were flared (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

3.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

3.17 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

295,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

1.67 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

2.094 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

115 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$25.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$18.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$3.67 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

18% to 30% (2006 est.)

Internet country code

.iq

Internet hosts

3 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

54,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations (types NA) on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Radios

4.85 million (1997)

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 with an estimated 14 million current users in 2007 domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 continue; additional switching capacity is improving access; 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 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; planned international fiber-optic connections to Iran (terrestrial) with a link to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine fiber-optic cable (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.547 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

14.021 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

21 (2004)

Televisions

1.75 million (1997)

Airports

110 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 76 over 3,047 m: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 34 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 10 (2007)

Heliports

17 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 14 by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 (2008)

Pipelines

gas 2,250 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,509 km; refined products 1,637 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Railways

total: 2,272 km standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 44,900 km paved: 37,851 km unpaved: 7,049 km (2002)

Waterways

5,279 km note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2006)

Iraqi Armed Forces

Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 7,086,200 females age 16-49: 6,808,954 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 6,019,795 females age 16-49: 5,878,905 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 302,926 female: 294,747 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

8.6% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)

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

IDPs

2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey)