Iraq

Radio broadcast stations

AM 16, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

3.7 million (1998 est.)

Telephone system

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

Telephones

632,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

13 (government controlled) (1997)

Televisions

1 million (1992 est.)

Agriculture--products

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

Budget

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

Currency

1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils

Debt--external

very heavy relative to GDP but the exact amount is unknown (1998)

Economic aid--recipient

$327.5 million (1995)

Economy--overview

Iraq's economy has been 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 of at least $100 billion from the war. After the end of hostilities 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 embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity and increased prices. The Iraqi Government has been unwilling to abide by UN resolutions so that the economic embargo could be removed. The government's policies of supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. The implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve economic conditions. For the first three six-month phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods. The UN allowed Iraq to export $5.2 billion of oil beginning with the fourth phase of the program in May 1998. At an average volume of 1.9 million barrels per day during the last half of 1998, oil exports are about three-quarters their prewar level. 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.

Electricity--consumption

27.6 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--production

27.6 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: 97.83% hydro: 2.17% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates

Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1--0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate--Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1--1,810 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 3,000 (December 1995); subject to wide fluctuations

Exports

$5 billion (1998 est.)

Exports--commodities

crude oil

Exports--partners

Russia, France, China, Turkey (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity--$52.3 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector

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

GDP--per capita

purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate

10% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$3 billion (1998 est.)

Imports--commodities

food, medicine, manufactures

Imports--partners

Russia, France, Jordan, Australia, China (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

4.4 million (1989)

Labor force--by occupation

services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22% (1989)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

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

Area--comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Climate

mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

Coastline

58 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m

Environment--current issues

government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of 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

Geographic coordinates

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Irrigated land

25,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 3,631 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km

Land use

arable land: 12% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 79% (1993 est.)

Location

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

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

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

18 provinces (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

Capital

Baghdad

Constitution

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

Country name

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

Data code

IZ

Diplomatic representation from the US

none; note--the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O.

Diplomatic representation in the US

none; note--Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi AL ZUBAYDI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 2118

Executive branch

chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA May 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Revolutionary Command Council; Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17 October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002) 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

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 that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Government type

republic

Independence

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by SADDAM Husayn 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 24 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA

National holiday

Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Iraq lies in the lower part of the Tigris-Euphrates valley, the heart of one of the four great ancient civilizations. The area was overrun by Arab, Mongol, and Turkish conquerors and became a British mandate following World War I. Independence came in 1932. Iraq's pro-Western stance ended in 1958 with the overthrow of the monarchy. Its subsequent turbulent history has witnessed the dictatorship of SADDAM Husayn, civil war with the Kurds, a bloody conflict with neighboring Iran, and, in 1990, an invasion of Kuwait, swiftly turned back by a Western coalition led by the US. Noncooperation with UN Security Council resolution obligations and the UN's inspection of Iraq's nuclear, chemical, biological, and long-range missile weapons programs remain major problems.

Military branches

Army, Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Internal Security Forces

Military expenditures--dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 5,459,998 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 3,058,098 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--military age

18 years of age

Military manpower--reaching military age annually

males: 259,915 (1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 4,982,510; female 4,825,129) 15-64 years: 53% (male 6,030,417; female 5,889,543) 65 years and over: 3% (male 326,223; female 373,328) (1999 est.)

Birth rate

38.42 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

6.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

62.41 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages

Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.52 years male: 65.54 years female: 67.56 years (1999 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 70.7% female: 45% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population

22,427,150 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate

3.19% (1999 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.12 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes--international

Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; 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

Airports

109 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 77 over 3,047 m: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 32 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)

Heliports

4 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 47,400 km paved: 40,764 km unpaved: 6,636 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 456,845 GRT/780,318 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 11, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)

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

Railways

total: 2,032 km standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge

Waterways

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