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National Map
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Iraq |
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National Flag
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Iraq |
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Flag Description:
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; 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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
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Iraq |
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National Anthem
Of |
Iraq |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Iraq |
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Background:
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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 resulted in 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 transferred sovereignty
to the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) in June 2004.
Iraqis voted on 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member
Transitional National Assembly that will draft a
permanent constitution and pave the way for new national
elections at the end of 2005. |
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Location:
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Middle
East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and
Kuwait |
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Geographic coordinates:
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33 00 N,
44 00 E |
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Map references:
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Middle
East |
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Area:
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total:
437,072 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
more than twice the size of Idaho |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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58 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: not specified |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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mostly
broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders
with Iran and Turkey |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Persian Gulf 0 m
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 |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 13.15%
permanent crops: 0.78%
other: 86.07% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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35,250 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust
storms, sandstorms, floods |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Environmental
Modification |
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
the Persian Gulf |
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Population:
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26,074,906 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 40% (male 5,293,709/female 5,130,826)
15-64 years: 57% (male 7,530,619/female
7,338,109)
65 years and over: 3% (male 367,832/female
413,811) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
19.43 years
male: 19.35 years
female: 19.51 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.7%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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32.5
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.49
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
50.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 68.7 years
male: 67.49 years
female: 69.97 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.28
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than
0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than
500 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi |
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab
75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
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Religions:
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Muslim
97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other
3% |
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Languages:
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Arabic,
Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
Armenian |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.4%
male: 55.9%
female: 24.4% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq |
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Government type:
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none;
note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed
on 1 June 2004 |
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Capital:
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Baghdad
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Administrative divisions:
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18
governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al 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 |
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Independence:
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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 |
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National holiday:
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Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was
celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi
Interim Government has yet to declare a new national
holiday |
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Constitution:
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interim
constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the
Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8
March 2004 to govern the country until an elected Iraqi
Government can draft and ratify a new constitution in
2005 |
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Legal system:
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based on
civil and Islamic law under the Iraqi Interim Government
(IG) and Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) |
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Suffrage:
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formerly
18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG)
President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Deputy
Presidents Adil Abd AL-MAHDI and Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR
(since 6 April 2005); note - the President and Deputy
Presidents comprise the Presidency Council)
head of government: Iraqi Transitional Government
(ITG) Prime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI (since April
2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Rowsch SHAWAYS, Ahmad
CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaq al-JABBURI (since May 2005)
cabinet: 32 ministers appointed by the Presidency
Council, plus Prime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI, Deputy
Prime Ministers Rowsch SHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid
al-Mutlaq al-JABBURI
elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a
275-member Transitional National Assembly that will
draft a permanent constitution and pave the way for new
national elections at the end of 2005 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis Watani
(consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list,
proportional-representation system for the period
between the National Assembly election and the formation
of a permanent Iraqi government pursuant to the
establishment of a permanent constitution)
elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a
275-member Transitional National Assembly that will
draft a permanent constitution and pave the way for new
national elections at the end of 2005
election results: National Assembly - percent of
vote by party - United Iraqi Alliance 48.2%, Democratic
Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan 25.7%, Iraqi List 13.8%,
others 12.3%; number of seats by party - United Iraqi
Alliance 140, Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan
75, Iraqi List 40, others 20 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the
Presidency Council |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Al-Sadr
Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; 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 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 Unity
Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI, chairman]; 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]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK
[Jalal TALABANI]
note: the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of
Kurdistan, the Iraqi List, and the United Iraqi Alliance
were only electoral slates consisting of the
representatives from the various Iraqi political parties
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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an
insurgency against the Iraqi Interim Government and
Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad
and in areas west and north of the capital; the 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 |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA,
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer), WToO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Rend Rahim FRANCKE
chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500
FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
James F. JEFFREY
embassy: Baghdad
mailing address: APO AE 09316
telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 4354; note -
Consular Section
FAX: NA |
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Flag description:
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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; 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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Iraq's
economy is dominated by the oil sector, which 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
beginning 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. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was largely the result
of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices.
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. Despite continuing
political uncertainty, the Iraqi Interim Government (IG)
has founded the institutions needed to implement
economic policy, and has successfully concluded a debt
reduction agreement with the Paris Club. The high
percentage gain estimated for GDP in 2004 is the result
of starting from a low base. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$54.4
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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52.3%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 13.6%
industry: 58.6%
services: 27.8% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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6.7
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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25% to
30% (2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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25.4%
(2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $17.1 billion
expenditures: $28.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $5.6 billion (2004 budget) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat,
barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,
poultry |
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Industries:
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petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials,
food processing, fertilizer, metal
fabrication/processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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32.6
billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 98.4%
hydro: 1.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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33.7
billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2004) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.1
billion kWh (2004) |
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Oil - production:
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2.25
million bbl/day (2004 est.); note - prewar production
(in 2002) was 2.03 million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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383,000
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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1.49
million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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112.5
billion bbl (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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2.35
billion cu m (2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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2.35
billion cu m (2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2004 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2004 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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3.149
trillion cu m (2004) |
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Current account balance:
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$-560
million (2003 est.) |
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Exports:
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$10.1
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil
(83.9%), crude materials excluding fuels (8.0%), food
and live animals (5.0%) |
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Exports - partners:
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US 51.9%,
Spain 7.3%, Japan 6.6%, Italy 5.7%, Canada 5.2% (2004)
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Imports:
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$9.9
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food,
medicine, manufactures |
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Imports - partners:
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Syria
22.9%, Turkey 19.5%, US 9.2%, Jordan 6.7%, Germany 4.9%
(2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$125
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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more than
$33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)
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Currency (code):
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New Iraqi
dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004 |
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Currency code:
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NID, IQD
prior to 22 January 2004 |
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Exchange rates:
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New Iraqi
dinars per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109
(2002), 0.3109 (2001), 0.3109 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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675,000;
note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged
or destroyed during the March-April 2003 war (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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20,000
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
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
in the recent fighting continue, but sabotage remains a
problem; cellular service is expected to be in place
within two years
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; Kuwait
line is probably nonoperational |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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after 17
months of unregulated media growth, there are
approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq
(2004) |
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Radios:
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4.85
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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21 (2004)
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Televisions:
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1.75
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.iq |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000)
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Internet users:
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25,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
2,200 km
standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
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Highways:
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total:
45,550 km
paved: 38,399 km
unpaved: 7,151 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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5,275 km
(not all navigable)
note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River
(1,895 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal
waterways (2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 1,739
km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Al
Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWT
by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 3 (2005) |
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Airports:
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111; note
- unknown number were damaged during the March-April
2003 war (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
79
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
32
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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6 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Iraqi
Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular 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) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age; the Iraqi Interim Government is creating a new
professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40
to defend Iraq from external threats and the current
insurgency (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 5,870,640 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 4,930,074 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
298,518 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$1.3
billion (FY00) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA |
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Disputes - international:
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coalition
forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary 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 |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 150,000 (Palestinian
Territories)
IDPs: 1,340,280 (ongoing US-led war and Kurds'
subsequent return) (2004) |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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