from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Iraq
Introduction
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, the
latest 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,
helping to restore degraded infrastructure and
facilitating the establishment of a freely elected
government, while simultaneously dealing with a robust
insurgency. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which
temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion,
transferred full governmental authority on 28 June
2004, to the Iraqi Interim Government (IG), 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 in 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 full-term government.
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran
and Kuwait
Geographic 33 00 N, 44 00 E
coordinates:
Map Middle East
references:
Area: total: 437,072 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km
Area - slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
comparative:
Land total: 3,650 km
boundaries: border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait
240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352
km
Coastline: 58 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak
is not Gundah Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595
m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
resources:
Land use: arable land: 13.12%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 86.27% (2005)
Irrigated 35,250 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural dust storms, sandstorms, floods
hazards:
Environment - government water control projects have drained most of
current the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by
issues: 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 - party to: Law of the Sea
international signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
agreements:
Geography - strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the
note: head of the Persian Gulf
People
Population: 26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,398,645/female 5,231,760)
15-64 years: 57.3% (male 7,776,257/female 7,576,726)
65 years and over: 3% (male 376,700/female 423,295)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 19.7 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.66% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 31.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 (2006 est.)
Infant total: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 42.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 69.01 years
expectancy at male: 67.76 years
birth: female: 70.31 years (2006 est.)
Total 4.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 500 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or
other 5%
Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or
other 3%
Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions),
Assyrian, Armenian
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.4%
male: 55.9%
female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq
Government transitional democracy
type:
Capital: name: Baghdad
geographic coordinates: 33 21 N, 44 25 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1
October
Administrative 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al
divisions: Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf,
Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad,
Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah
ad Din, Wasit
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 Interim Government
National Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was
holiday: celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi
Interim Government has yet to declare a new national
holiday
Constitution: ratified on 15 October 2005
Legal system: based on European civil and Islamic law under the
framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution
Suffrage: formerly 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April
branch: 2005); Deputy Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq
al-HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note - the president
and deputy presidents comprise the Presidency Council)
head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI
(since 20 May 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham
SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI (since 20 May 2006)
cabinet: 37 ministers appointed by the Presidency
Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI, and Deputy
Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI
elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member
Council of Representatives
Legislative unicameral Council of Representatives or Mejlis Watani
branch: (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list,
proportional-representation system)
elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member
Council of Representatives that will finalize a
permanent constitution
election results: Council of Representatives - percent
of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - NA
Judicial Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister,
branch: confirmed by the Presidency Council
Political Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Assyrian Democratic
parties and Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Conference of Iraqi People
leaders: [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or
CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahim
al-JA'FARI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah
al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid al-MUSA]; Iraqi
Hizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi
Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi
al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Muhsin Abd
al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; 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,
chairman]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO
[Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Jama'at al Fadilah
or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan
Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Muslim Ulama
Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman al-DARI, secretary
general]; National Iraqi Front [Salih al-MUTLAQ];
National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan
al-JABBURI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal
TALABANI]; Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution
in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM]
note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List,
Iraqi Consensus Front, Iraqi Front for National
Dialogue, and United Iraqi Alliance were only electoral
slates consisting of the representatives from the
various Iraqi political parties
Political an insurgency against the Iraqi Transitional Government
pressure and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in
groups and Baghdad and in areas west and north of the capital; the
leaders: diverse, multigroup insurgency is led principally by
Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared
desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in
Iraq
International ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
organization ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
participation: Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI
representation chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500
FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD
representation embassy: Baghdad
from the US: mailing address: APO AE 09316
telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 5340 or 5635; note -
Consular Section
FAX: NA
Flag three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
description: black with three green five-pointed stars in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase
ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script -
Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the
left of the middle star - was added in January 1991
during the Persian Gulf crisis; 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
Economy
Economy - Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which
overview: has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign
exchange earnings. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August
1990, subsequent international economic sanctions, and
damage from military action by an international
coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced
economic activity. Although government policies
supporting large military and internal security forces
and allocating resources to key supporters of the
regime hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's
oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996,
helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi
citizen. Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of
oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some
infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN
Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the
program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian
needs. Per capita food imports increased significantly,
while medical supplies and health care services
steadily improved. Per capita output and living
standards were still well below the pre-1991 level, but
any estimates have a wide range of error. The military
victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003
resulted in the shutdown of much of the central
economic administrative structure. Although a
comparatively small amount of capital plant was damaged
during the hostilities, looting, insurgent attacks, and
sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuild the
economy. Attacks on key economic facilities -
especially oil pipelines and infrastructure - have
prevented Iraq from reaching projected export volumes,
but total government revenues have been higher than
anticipated due to high oil prices. Despite political
uncertainty, Iraq has established the institutions
needed to implement economic policy, has successfully
concluded a three-stage debt reduction agreement with
the Paris Club, and is working toward a Standby
Arrangement with the IMF. The Standby Arrangement would
clear the way for continued debt relief from the Paris
Club.
GDP $94.1 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $46.5 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real -3% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,800 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 7.3%
composition by industry: 66.6%
sector: services: 26.1% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 7.4 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: NA%
by occupation: industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment 25% to 30% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 33% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $19.3 billion
expenditures: $24 billion; including capital
expenditures of $5 billion (2005 budget)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle,
products: sheep, poultry
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction
materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal
fabrication/processing
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 31.7 billion kWh (2005)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 98.4%
production by hydro: 1.6%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 33.3 billion kWh (2005)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2005)
exports:
Electricity - 2.02 billion kWh (2005)
imports:
Oil - 2.093 million bbl/day; note - prewar production (in
production: 2002) was 2.03 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - 351,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 1.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 112.5 billion bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 1.5 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 1.5 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2004 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2004 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 3.115 trillion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $-9.447 billion (2004 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $17.78 billion f.o.b. (2004)
Exports - crude oil (83.9%), crude materials excluding fuels
commodities: (8.0%), food and live animals (5.0%)
Exports - US 49.3%, Italy 10.3%, Spain 6.2%, Canada 5.6% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $19.57 billion f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - food, medicine, manufactures
commodities:
Imports - Turkey 23.2%, Syria 23%, US 11.6%, Jordan 5.1% (2005)
partners:
Reserves of $9.161 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $92.33 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for
recipient: 2004-07 (2004)
Currency New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004
(code):
Currency code: NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004
Exchange New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,475 (2005), 1,890
rates: (second half, 2003), 0.3109 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1,034,200 (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 574,000 (2004)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
system: telecommunications throughout Iraq including
international connections; USAID is overseeing the
repair of switching capability and the construction of
mobile and satellite communication facilities
domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed
during the 2003 war continue, but sabotage remains a
problem; additional switching capacity is improving
access; cellular service is available and centered on
three regional GSM networks, improving country-wide
connectivity
international: country code - 964; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1
Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave
radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
despite a new satellite gateway, international calls
outside of Baghdad remain problematic
Radio after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are
broadcast approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq
stations: (2004)
Radios: 4.85 million (1997)
Television 21 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.75 million (1997)
Internet .iq
country code:
Internet 5 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 36,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 110 (2006)
Airports - total: 77
with paved over 3,047 m: 20
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 9 (2006)
Airports - total: 33
with unpaved over 3,047 m: 2
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Heliports: 8 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 2,228 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,506
km; refined products 1,637 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,200 km
standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,399 km
unpaved: 7,151 km (1999)
Waterways: 5,279 km
note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899
km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways
(2004)
Merchant total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,796 GRT/101,317
marine: DWT
by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)
Ports and Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr
terminals:
Military
Military Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi
branches: Special Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force),
Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi
Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005)
Military all volunteer force; the Iraqi Government is creating a
service age new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to
and 40 to defend Iraq from external threats and the current
obligation: insurgency (2006)
Manpower males age 18-49: 5,870,640
available for females age 18-49: 5,642,073 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 4,930,074
for military females age 18-49: 4,771,105 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 198,518
reaching females age 18-49: 289,879 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $1.34 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military NA
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary
international: security; 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 status of Kurds in Iraq
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 22,711 (Palestinian
internally Territories)
displaced IDPs: 1 million (ongoing US-led war and Kurds'
persons: subsequent return) (2005)