Iraq 

Facts
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 strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last 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. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate through 2009 and under a bilateral security agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to train and mentor Iraqi security forces. In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) in December 2005. After the election, Ibrahim al-JAFARI was selected as prime minister; he was replaced by Nuri al-MALIKI in May 2006. The CoR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. On 31 January 2009, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all provinces except for the three provinces comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk province. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010, and after nine months of deadlock the CoR approved the new government in December.
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Area land: 437,367 sq km
Area water: 950 sq km
Coastline: 58 km
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
Country name conventional short form: Iraq
Country name former: Republic of Iraq
Population: 30,399,572 (July 2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38% (male 5,882,682/female 5,678,741); 15-64 years: 58.9% (male 9,076,558/female 8,826,545); 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 435,908/female 499,138) (2011 est.);
Population growth rate: 2.399% (2011 est.)
Birth rate: 28.81 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female; total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.);
Infant mortality rate: total: 41.68 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 45.93 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 37.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.);
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.55 years; male: 69.15 years; female: 72.02 years (2011 est.);
Total fertility rate: 3.67 children born/woman (2011 est.);
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.);
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: fewer than 500 (2003 est.);
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% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%;
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian;
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 74.1%; male: 84.1%; female: 64.2% (2000 est.);
GDP (purchasing power parity): $117.7 billion (2010 est.); $111.5 billion (2009 est.); $106.7 billion (2008 est.);
GDP (official exchange rate): $84.14 billion (2010 est.);
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (2010 est.); 4.5% (2009 est.); 7.8% (2008 est.);
GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,600 (2010 est.); $3,600 (2009 est.); $3,500 (2008 est.);
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.7%; industry: 63%; services: 27.3% (2010 est.);
Population below poverty line: 25% (2008 est.);
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%; highest 10%: NA%;
Labor force: 8.5 million (2009 est.);
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 21.6%; industry: 18.7%; services: 59.8% (2008 est.);
Unemployment rate: 15.3% (2009 est.); 15.2% (2008 est.);
Budget: revenues: $52.8 billion; expenditures: $72.4 billion (2010 est.);
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing;
Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (2010 est.);
Electricity - production: 46.39 billion kWh (2009 est.);
Electricity - consumption: 52 billion kWh (2009 est.);
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.);
Electricity - imports: 5.6 billion kWh (2009 est.);
Statistics: CIA World Factbook.
Press
Al-Zaman
(Arab nationalist), Baghdad
http://www.azzaman.com
IraqiNews.com
(Independent), Baghdad
http://www.iraqinews.com/
Iraq in the News
Displaying 1 to 4 of 197 items.
ISIS, Turkey and Oil: Interview with Pelicourt
Robert Bensh discusses the myriad ways that ISIS and the Paris attack impact global energy security and geopolitics in the Middle East.
Viewpoints: Iraq and Syria's Ongoing Conflagration
Sectarian warfare in Iraq and a brutal regime in Syria have led to a level of violence and chaos that is extreme even by the Middle East's standards.
Overcoming ISIS: Transcending Sectarian Rivalries
The Western strategy of fighting warfare with warfare has only perpetuated sectarian divides, creating the very environment that fostered ISIS.
Viewpoints: Iraq Battles Multiple Crises
With ISIS continuing to terrorize and control broad swaths of the country, and with international intervention now underway, Iraq also faces a potential political crisis.