2020 Edition

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

land

437,367 sq km

total

438,317 sq km

water

950 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of New York State

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

highest point

Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for "Black Tent") 3,611 m

lowest point

Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation

312 m

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iran 1,599 km; Jordan 179 km; Kuwait 254 km; Saudi Arabia 811 km; Syria 599 km; Turkey 367 km

total

3,809 km

Land use

agricultural land

21.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 9.2% (2023 est.)

forest

1.6% (2023 est.)

other

76.5% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Hammar - 1,940 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage

(Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

continental shelf

not specified

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

dust storms; sandstorms; floods

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

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

Terrain

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

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

23.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

7.2% (2018)

women married by age 18

27.9% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.9% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

64.3% (2018 est.)

Death rate

3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

16.9 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.5 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

54.6 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

4.7% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic groups

Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, other 5% (includes Turkmen, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka'i, Bedouin, Romani, Assyrian, Circassian, Sabaean-Mandaean, Persian)

Gross reproduction rate

1.48 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

17 deaths/1,000 live births

male

20.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

18.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.7 years

male

71.9 years

total population

73.7 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

77.8% (2021 est.)

male

90.3% (2021 est.)

total population

84.1% (2021 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

22.7 years

male

22 years

total

22.7 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Iraqi

noun

Iraqi(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

30.4% (2016)

Physician density

1.02 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

21,302,848

male

21,614,894

total

42,917,742 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.94% (2025 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 97.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.3% (2025 est.)

male

36.2% (2025 est.)

total

18.6% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.03 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

71.6% of total population (2023)

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

Capital

etymology

the origin of the name is unclear; it may mean "gift of God," from the pre-Islamic words bagh (god) and dad (given)

geographic coordinates

33 20 N, 44 24 E

name

Baghdad

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters collectively, or by one fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen rights and liberties requires two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president

history

several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Iraq

conventional short form

Iraq

etymology

the name probably derives from Uruk ("Erech" in Aramaic), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River

former

Mesopotamia, Mandatory Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq

local long form

Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq

local short form

Al Iraq/Eraq

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador Joshua HARRIS (since 2 September 2025)

email address and website

BaghdadACS@state.gov https://iq.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad; note - consulate in Al Basrah closed as of 28 September 2018

mailing address

6060 Baghdad Place, Washington DC 20521-6060

telephone

0760-030-3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Nazar Issa Abdulhadi AL-KHIRULLAH (since 30 June 2023)

consulate(s) general

Detroit, Los Angeles

email address and website

washington@scrdiraq.gov.iq https://www.iraqiembassy.us/

FAX

[1] (202) 462-8815

telephone

[1] (202) 483-7500

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives (COR)

chief of state

President Latif RASHID (since 13 October 2022)

election results

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

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by COR to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)

head of government

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-SUDANI (since 27 October 2022)

most recent election date

13 October 2022

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 meaning: the colors come from the Arab Liberation flag and stand for oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white) history: the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise replacement for the Ba'thist SADDAM-era flag

Government type

federal parliamentary republic

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (compliant country), 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 (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of a court president, 5 vice presidents, and at least 24 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Federal Supreme Court (FSC) judges nominated by the High Judicial Council (HJC) president, the FSC chief justice, the public prosecutor's office chief, and the head of the Judicial Oversight Commission; FSC members required to retire at age 72; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the HJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement, nominally at age 63, but can be extended to age 66

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts, including first instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony, misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile, and traffic courts

Legal system

mixed system of civil and Islamic law

Legislative branch

electoral system

other systems

expected date of next election

November 2029

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Council of Representatives of Iraq

most recent election date

11/11/2025

number of seats

329 (all directly elected)

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%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 2004, after the ouster of SADDAM Husayn; popular Arab folk song that also serves as an unofficial anthem for the Palestinian people

lyrics/music

Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL

title

"Mawtini" (My Homeland)

National color(s)

red, white, black

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (c); Babylon (c); Erbil Citadel (c); Hatra (c); Samarra Archaeological City (c); The Ahwar (Marshland) of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (m)

total World Heritage Sites

6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle

Political parties

Al Fatah Alliance Azm Alliance Babiliyun Movement Imtidad Ishraqat Konun Kurdistan Democratic Party National Contract Party New Generation Movement Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Sadrist Bloc State Forces Alliance State of Law Coalition Taqadum Tasmim Alliance

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, dates, maize, tomatoes, rye, grapes, milk, chicken, potatoes, fruits (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

28.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$64.512 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$90.204 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$24.565 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$58.01 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$28.375 billion (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$15.58 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

highly oil-dependent Middle Eastern economy; fiscal sustainability subject to fluctuation in oil prices; rising public confidence in economic conditions; import-dependent for most sectors; persistent challenges of corruption, informal markets, banking access, and political fragility

Exchange rates

Currency

Iraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1,192 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,450 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1,450 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1,312.5 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1,300 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$78.26 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$127.079 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$107.852 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, petroleum coke, gold, natural gas (2023)

Exports - partners

China 33%, India 28%, USA 8%, Greece 5%, UAE 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

37.5% (2024 est.)

government consumption

20.3% (2024 est.)

household consumption

41.2% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.2% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.6% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

8.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.4% (2024 est.)

industry

51.6% (2024 est.)

services

45.8% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$279.641 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

29.8 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.2% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

3.7% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$50.707 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$69.162 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$81.179 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, jewelry, gold (2023)

Imports - partners

UAE 32%, China 20%, Turkey 18%, India 5%, USA 2% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.7% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

6% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.4% (2023 est.)

Labor force

12.008 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2018

27.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$592.017 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$595.082 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$585.887 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-1.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$13,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$13,200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$12,700 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$97.009 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$112.233 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$100.691 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

1.3% (of GDP) (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

15.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

15.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

15.6% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

62.7% (2024 est.)

male

27.5% (2024 est.)

total

32.1% (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

73.521 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

3.134 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

31.339 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

79.904 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

98.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

64.311 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

19.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

8.771 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

10.537 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

3.729 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

145.019 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1.043 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

4.448 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17 (2023 est.)

total

7.77 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

the number of private radio and TV stations has increased rapidly since 2003; state-owned TV and radio stations are operated by the publicly funded Iraqi Media Network; private broadcast media are mostly linked to political, ethnic, or religious groups; satellite TV is available to about 70% of viewers; many broadcasters are based abroad; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are accessible (2019)

Internet country code

.iq

Internet users

percent of population

82% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

1.977 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

100 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

46.1 million (2024 est.)

Airports

73 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

YI

Heliports

10 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, oil tanker 6, other 67

total

74 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Al Basrah, Al-Basra Oil Terminal, Khawr Al Amaya, Khawr Al Zubair, Umm Qasr

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

3

small

1

total ports

6 (2024)

very small

4

Railways

standard gauge

2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

2,272 km (2014)

Military - note

the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are primarily focused on internal and border security; they are actively conducting counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group, particularly in northern and western Iraq; the operations include securing the border with Syria; the Kurdish Security Forces, as well as are also active in conducting operations against ISIS  two international military task forces operate in Iraq to assist the country's security forces at the request of the Iraqi Government; in 2018, NATO established an advisory, training and capacity-building mission for the Iraqi military known as the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI); in December 2021, the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) transitioned from a combat role to an advise, assist, and enable role (2025)

Military and security forces

Ministry of Defense: Iraqi Army, Iraqi Navy, Iraqi Air Force Office of the Prime Minister: Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (CTS); Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC) Ministry of Interior: Federal Police Forces Command, Border Guard Forces Command, Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency, Emergency Response Division, Facilities Protection Directorate, and Provincial Police; Ministry of Oil: Energy Police Directorate (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 200,000 active armed forces personnel under the Ministry of Defense (Army, Aviation Command, Air/Air Defense, Navy, Special Forces); approximately 20-25,000 National-Level Security Forces Ministry of Peshmerga: estimated 150,000 active personnel Popular Mobilization Forces: estimated 200,000 militia (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Iraqi military's inventory includes a mix of European, Russian, Soviet-era, and US armaments (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

1,201,813 (2024 est.)

refugees

335,343 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

233 (2024 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Ansar al-Islam; Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN); Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi; Kata'ib Hizballah; Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (KIA); Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

7,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

37.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

152.931 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

190.815 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

habitat loss from wetland draining; inadequate potable water; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification; air, soil, and groundwater pollution from military and industries; water pollution from oil refineries and factory and sewage discharges; soil pollution from fertilizer and chemicals; air pollution in urban areas

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification

Methane emissions

agriculture

157 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

2,243 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

2.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

325 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

45.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

89.86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

31.169 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

4.52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

6.735 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

13.14 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.4% (2022 est.)