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Quick Facts
Capital	Baghdad
Government	republic
Currency	Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Area	total: 437,072 sq km water: 4,910 sq km land: 432,162 sq km
Population	24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)
Language	Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Religion	Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

This article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and edit the Iraq article.

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest being 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 January-February 1991. The victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control. 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. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

[edit] Geography

Map of Iraq

Location 

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

Geographic coordinates 

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references 

Middle East

Area 

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

Area - comparative 

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

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

Coastline 

58 km

Maritime claims 

continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 NM

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 extremes 

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m

Natural resources 

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use 

arable land: 11.89%
permanent crops: 0.78%
other: 87.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

dust storms, sandstorms, floods

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 Shi'a Muslims, who have 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 Tigris-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: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note 

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

[edit] People

Population 

24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 41.1% (male 5,003,755; female 4,849,238)
15-64 years: 55.9% (male 6,794,265; female 6,624,662)
65 years and over: 3% (male 341,520; female 388,376) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

2.82% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

34.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

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: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

57.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 67.38 years
female: 68.5 years (2002 est.)
male: 66.31 years

Total fertility rate 

4.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

NA

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: 58%
male: 70.7%
female: 45% (1995 est.)

[edit] Government

Country name 

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

Government type 

republic

Capital 

Baghdad

Administrative divisions 

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

Independence 

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

National holiday 

Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)

Constitution 

22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Legal system 

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

Suffrage 

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch 

chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991)
elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; regular election last held 17 October 1995 (next scheduled for 2002); note - in place of the 2002 election, a presidential referendum was held on 15 October 2002 in which the presidency of SADDAM Husayn was extended for a fifth consecutive seven-year term
election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of vote - NA%; note - in a presidential referendum held 15 October 2002, SADDAM Husayn's term was extended for another seven years
cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - there is also a Revolutionary Command Council or RCC with eight members as of 2001 (Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri) which controls the ruling Ba'th Party; the RCC is the highest executive and legislative body and the most powerful political entity in the country; new RCC members must come from the Regional Command Leadership of the Ba'th Party
head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979), Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad Husayn al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah al-HUWAYSH (since NA July 2001)

Legislative branch 

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by the president to represent the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch 

Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders 

Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn, central party leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

any formal political activity must be sanctioned by the government; opposition to regime from Kurdish groups and southern Shi'a dissidents

International organization participation 

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

none; note - Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Akram AL DOURI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Diplomatic representation from the US 

none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O. Box 2051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 718-9267; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297

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 and the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. 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 have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. For the first six, six-month phases of the program, 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. Oil exports are now more than three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program are deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports have increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services are steadily improving. Per capita output and living standards are still well below the prewar level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $59 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

-5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 6%
industry: 13%
services: 81% (1993 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

60% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

4.4 million (1989) (1989)

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate 

NA%

Budget 

revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries 

petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

27.3 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 98%
hydro: 2%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

25.389 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

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

Exports 

$15.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities 

crude oil

Exports - partners 

US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000)

Imports 

$11 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities 

food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners 

France 22.5%, Australia 22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000)

Debt - external 

$62.2 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$327.5 million (1995) (1995)

Currency 

Iraqi dinar (IQD)

Currency code 

IQD

Exchange rates 

Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate - Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 2,000 (December 2001), 1,910 (December 1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 910 (December 1996); note - subject to wide fluctuations

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

675,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)

Telephone system 

general assessment: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt
domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links
international: 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

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios 

4.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

13 (1997)

Televisions 

1.75 million (1997)

Internet country code 

.iq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

1 (2000)

Internet users 

12,500 (2001)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

total: 2,339 km
standard gauge: 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)

Highways 

total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,400 km
unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.)

Waterways 

1,015 km
note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war

Pipelines 

crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km

Ports and harbors 

Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality

Merchant marine 

total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 186,709 GRT/278,575 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports 

108 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 77
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 73
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

Heliports 

5 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam

Military manpower - military age 

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 6,135,847 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 3,430,819 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 274,035 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$1.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

NA%

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, lacks maritime boundary with Iran and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands although the government continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers