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Iraq
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FactsBackground: 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. note: while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, recent reporting indicates that the overall Christian population may have dropped by as much as 50 percent since the fall of the Saddam HUSSEIN regime in 2003, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon 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.); note: data are in 2010 US dollars 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.); note: data are in 2010 US dollars 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. PressAl-Zaman(Arab nationalist), Baghdad IraqiNews.com(Independent), Baghdad Iraq in the NewsDisplaying 5 to 8 of 197 items. ISIS and WMD: New Danger in the Middle EastAs flames in the region climb higher and ISIS claims establishment of a caliphate, discord among regional and global forces prevents any meaningful solution. Iraq: Consequence of Military TrainingDecades of Western military intervention and training have stoked the fires of sectarianism and warfare in Iraq and the broader region. Turkey's Gamble on Kurdistan OilTurkey is setting its sights on oil investments in Northern Iraq via an unconventional alliance with the Kurdistan Regional Government. Hope Is Not a Scarce Resource in IraqCivil society organizations are creating vehicles for Iraqi citizens to take ownership of their battered society, turning frustration into action and optimism. |
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