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Glossary of Iraq
Communication |
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| International dialing code | 964 | |
| Internet Country Suffix | .iq | |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | |
| Internet Users | 25,000.0 | |
| Owners of Personal computers | 8.3% | |
| Radio Broadcast Stations | AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998) | |
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Telephones land lines in use |
675,000 (1997) an unknown number of telephone lines have been damaged or destroyed during the continuing Iraq-US coalition war. | |
| Telephones mobile cellular | Some cellular service is available in Northern Iraq. | |
| Telephone System |
Domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey. (Kuwait line is probably non-operational) |
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| Television Broadcast Stations | 13 (1997) an unknown number of telephone lines have been damaged or destroyed during the continuing Iraq-US coalition war. | |
| Television sets | 74 per 1,000 people | |
Economy |
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| 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. Iraq suffered economic losses of at least $100 billion. 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. Implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program, beginning in December 1996, helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program have been deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure and the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant. | |
| Agriculture products | wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep | |
| Currency and Currency Code | Iraqi dinar, IQD | |
| Debt (external) | 120 billion (2002 est.) | |
| Economic AidRecipient | Previously under UN sanctions except for the Food for Oil program | |
| Exchange Rates | Varies widely | |
| Exports, Commodities and Partners | $13 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) Crude oil is sold to US 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands 6.4%, Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 4.4% (2002) | |
| Imports, Commodities and Partners | $7.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) food, medicine, manufactures Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%, Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002) | |
| Industries | Oil production | |
Geography |
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| Area | 438.3 thousand sq. km | |
| Border Countries | Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km | |
| Environmental 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 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 and inadequate supplies of potable water. Development of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system is contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey, pollution, soil degradation by salinization, erosion and desertification. | |
| Land Use |
Arable land: 11.89% Permanent crops: 0.78% Other: 87.33% (1998 est.) |
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| Natural Resources | petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur | |
| Coordinates | 33 00 N, 44 00 E | |
| Climate | Mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers. Northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders have cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq. | |
Government |
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| During Saddams reign | After Saddams reign | |
| 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 |
Coalition Provisional Authority in power until June 28th. Iraqi National Congress took power on June 28th. |
| Capital | Baghdad | Baghdad |
| Constitution |
Constitution Under Saddam: Article 37 [Supreme Institution] The Revolutionary Command Council is the supreme institution in the State, which on 17 July 1968, assumed the responsibility to realize the public will of the people, by removing the authority from the reactionary, individual, and corruptive regime, and returning it to the people. Article 19 [Equality] (a) Citizens are equal before the law, without discrimination because of sex, blood, language, social origin, or religion. (b) Equal opportunities are guaranteed to all citizens, according to the law. |
New Constitution (as of June 28th, 2004) Article 4. The system of government in shall be republican, federal, democratic, and pluralistic, and powers shall be shared between the federal government and the regional governments, governorates, municipalities, and local administrations. The federal system shall be based upon geographic and historical realities and the separation of powers, and not upon origin, race, ethnicity, nationality, or confession |
| Diplomatic Representation | No offical diplomatic representaion however, Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Mr. Akram Al Douri. | None |
| Executive Branch |
CHIEF OF STATE President Saddam Hussein Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din Maruf Vice President Hussein Taha Yasin Ramadan HEAD OF GOVERNMENT Prime Minister Saddam Hussein Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail Aziz Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin Ramadan Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-Zubaydi CABINET Council of Ministers Minister of Information: Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf Elections: President and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17 October 1995 (next scheduled was 2002) |
CHIEF OF STATE President Sheik Ghazi al-Yawwer Deputy President Dr. Ebrahim J aafari al-Eshaiker Deputy President Dr. Rowsch Shaways HEAD OF GOVERNMENT Prime Minister Dr. Ayad Allawi Deputy PM, Natl Security Affairs Dr. Barham Salih Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Sawsan Ali Magid al-Sharifi Ministry of Communication Dr. Mohammad Ali al-Hakim Ministry of Construction & Housing Dr. Omar al-Farouq Salim al-Damluji Ministry of Culture Mr. Mufid Muhammad J uwad al- J aza'iri Ministry of Defense Mr. Hazem Shaalan Ministry of Education Dr. Sami al-Mudhaffar Ministry of Electricity Dr. Aiham Alsammarae Ministry of Environment Ms. Mishkat Moumin Ministry of Displacement and Migration Ms. Pascale Isho Warda Ministry of Finance Dr. Adil Abdul Mahdi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hoshiyar Mahmud Muhammad al-Zibari Ministry of Health Dr. Ala'din Abdul Sahib Alwan Ministry of Higher Education Dr. Taher Khalaf J abur al-Bakaa Ministry of Human Rights Dr. Baktiar Amin Ministry of Industry & Minerals Dr. Hachem M. Al-Hassani Ministry of Interior Mr. Falah al-Nakib Ministry of Water Resources Dr. Latif Rashid Ministry of Justice Dr. Mailk Dohan al-Hassan Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs Ms. Leyla Abdul Latif Ministry of Oil Mr. Thamir Abbas Ghadban Ministry of Planning Dr. Mehdi al-Hafidh Ministry of Public Works Mrs. Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari Ministry of Science & Technology Rashad Omar Mindan Ministry of Trade Mr. Mohammed al- Jibouri Ministry of Transportation Mr. Louay Hatem Sultan al-Erris Ministry of Youth & Sports Ali Faiq al-Ghabban Minister of State, Provinces J udge Wael Abdulatif Minister of State, Women Ms. Narmin Othman Minister of State Dr. Kasim Daoud Minister of State Dr. Mamu Farham Othman Pirali Minister of State Mr. Adnan al- Janabi |
| Judicial Branch | Court of Cassation. Iraq's Judicial System is based on the French model introduced during Ottoman rule and has three types of lower courtscivil, religious, and special. Special courts try broadly defined national security cases. An appellate court system and the court of cassation (court of last recourse) complete the judicial structure. | None at this time. Currently handled by the Coalition Provisional Authority. |
| Legal System | Based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | None at this time. Currently handled by the Coalition Provisional Authority. |
| 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 24 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2000) |
None at this time. Currently handled by the Coalition Provisional Authority. |
| Country Name |
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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| Political Parties |
Iraqi National Congress (INC) The main umbrella organization for groups opposed to Saddam Hussein. The INC is a Pentagon favorite which enjoys support inside the White House. Iraqi National Accord (INA) Established in 1990 by former Ba'ath party members with the goal of achieving "a democratic pluralistic regime that respects human rights and lives peacefully with its citizens." It backed the removal of Saddam Hussein. Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Founded in June 1975, following the collapse of a Kurdish rebellion. Led by Jalal Talabani, a former lawyer, journalist and one of the leaders of the resistance against Saddam Hussein. He has been the group's Secretary-General since 1975. Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) Founded in 1946 under Mullah Mustalafa-al-Barzani. Barzani died in a Washington, D.C. hospital in March 1979. Currently led by his son Massoud Barzani. Its intelligence-gathering arm is known as the "Parastin," set up with the assistance of Israel 's Mossad in the late 1960s. In recent years, the KDP fought both the PUK and the Turkish Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), even allying with Saddam Hussein's military in 1996 to end the PUK's occupation of Irbil. Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) Supported by conservative elements in the Iranian government. Headed by Ayatollah Mohamad Baqir Al-Hakim, the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Muhsin Al-Hakim SCIRI says it favors a democratic parliamentary system, in which it would share power with Kurds and Sunnis. Al-Dawah Party Shiite political party, supported and encouraged by Iran. In April 1980, al-Dawah members tried to assassinate then-Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz, who is a Chaldean Christian. Pachachi group Fledgling party organized by 79-year-old Adnan Pachachi, a Sunni Arab and former foreign minister who opposes U.S. military rule. It positions itself as a counterweight and rival to Chalabi's INC. Monarchists Jordan, seat of a Hashemite monarch since British times, has sentimental notions of returning the dynasty to the throne in Baghdad . The last Iraqi king was overthrown in 1958. |
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| Flag | 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 |
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Political Pressure Groups |
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| USA | The USA has brought considerable political pressure by invading and occupying the country. | |
| UN | Previously the UN was supporting sanctions against the country due the behavior of Saddam Hussein. Now that the US invasion has happened. they are slowly becoming supportive of the new government being formed there. | |
| Al-Quaeda | Seeing the chaos in the country as a prime terrorism opportunity, the Al-Quaeda terrorists have moved into Iraq and are inflicting an unknown number of casualties on the US led coalition troops and the Iraqi people. | |
| Islamic religion | The Islamic religion has provided conflicting opinions regarding what is acceptable for an Islamic adherent to do in the search for justice. The clerics came out in protest against the burning of the bodies of the US civilian contractors, not the killings, just the burning of the bodies. | |
History |
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| 58,000 years ago to today | See Chronology of Iraq | |
Military |
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| During Saddams reign | After Saddams reign | |
| Military Branches |
Army Republican Guard Navy, Air Force Air Defense Force Border Guard Force Fedayeen Saddam |
New Iraqi Army: has 27 battalions. It will be restricted to 200,000 troops. |
| Military Manpower | Males age 15-49: 6,339,458 (2003 est.) | Unknown- up to 200,000 limit. |
People |
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| Age Structure |
0-14 years: 40.7% 15-64 years: 56.3% 65 years and over: 3% |
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| Birth Rate | 33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | |
| Death Rate | 5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | |
| Ethnic Groups | Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% | |
| Infant Mortality Rate |
female: 48.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 61.09 deaths/1,000 live births |
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| Languages | Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian | |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 62.6 yrs | |
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Literacy (Aged 15 and over who can read and write) |
total population: 40.4% male: 55.9% female: 24.4% (2003 est.) |
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| Population | 24.2 million | |
| 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: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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| Ahmed Chalabi | Iraqi who gave the Bush administration information on the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Formerly so close to the Bush administration that he sat behind Laura Bush during a State of the Union speech, now he is an outsider. His home has been searched, his computers confiscated and other negative actions have been taken against him. While it is not proven, many think that this turn around in Chalabis fate is due to the lack of evidence of real WMDs. | |
| Muqtada al-Sadr | A radical cleric who is encouraging Iraqis to kills US and coalition soldiers. The cleric is under indictment as having masterminded the slaying and burning of four US security contractors in Fallujah. | |
| Fallujah | A large town forty miles west of Baghdad. The location of some particularly strong uprisings inspired by Muqtada al-Sadr and engaged in by his militia, the Mujaheddin. | |
| Spider hole | The term used to describe the hole in the ground that Saddam Hussein was found in. This is a military phrase that has been used by English speaking military since World War II. | |
| Saddam Hussein | The former President/Dictator of Iraq who has been deposed by the invasion and occupation of Iraq by US lead coalition forces. | |
Transnational Issues |
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| International Disputes | Despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iran over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues from eight-year war persist; land and Shatt al Arab boundary demarcation put an end to claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands, but no maritime boundary exists with Kuwait in the Persian Gulf; Iraq protests Turkey's hydrological projects to regulate the Tigris and Euphrates rivers upstream. | |
| Abu Ghraib | Uproar over the interrogation techniques used by US and coalition soldiers in this Iraqi prison has caused may difficulties for the US led coalition seeking to change Iraq into a democratic society. | |
Transportation |
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| Airports, paved | 77 |
Glossary of Afghanistan >> |
| Airports, unpaved | 73 | |
| Heliports | 5 | |
| Highways | 45,550 km | |
| Railways | 1,963 km | |
Sources |
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| CIA World Fact Book | ||
| World Development Indicators Database, April 2004 | ||
| FOX News | ||
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