ARCHIVE // IQ // 2017

Iraq

2017 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
the number of private radio and TV stations has increased rapidly since 2003; government-owned TV and radio stations are operated by the publicly funded Iraqi Media Network; private broadcast media are mostly linked to political, ethnic, or religious groups; satellite TV is available to an estimated 70% of viewers and many of the broadcasters are based abroad; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are accessible (2015)
Internet country code [time series]
.iq
Internet users [time series]
total: 8,098,401 | percent of population: 21.2% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications have slowed due to the ongoing conflict with ISIS/ISIL | domestic: the mobile cellular market continues to expand (cell phones were banned prior to 2003 under the SADDAM regime); 3G services offered by three major mobile operators in 2015; ongoing conflict has destroyed infrastructure in areas | international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave radio relay connects border regions to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; international terrestrial fiber-optic connections have been established with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Jordan, and Iran; links to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the Gulf Bridge International (GBI) submarine fiber-optic cables have been established (2017)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 2.031 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 30,203,100 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry
Budget [time series]
revenues: $52.13 billion | expenditures: $77.69 billion (2016 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-15.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211
Central bank discount rate [time series]
6% (2016) | 6% (2015) | country comparison to the world: 70
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
4% (31 December 2016 est.) | 6% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158
Current account balance [time series]
$-14.9 billion (2016 est.) | $4.121 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28
Debt - external [time series]
$64.16 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $59.95 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Iraq's GDP grew by more than 10% in 2016, the best performance in the past decade, because of rising oil prices, a significant driver of Iraqi GDP. During 2016, security and financial stability throughout Iraq began to improve as Iraqi Security Forces made gains against the ongoing insurgency and oil prices slowly rose. The Iraqi Government entered into a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF in July 2016, which helped stabilize its finances by encouraging improved fiscal management, needed economic reform, and expenditure reduction. Iraq passed its first SBA review in December 2016, and additional progress on the program is critical to its long-term fiscal health. Diversification efforts – a key component to Iraq’s long-term economic development – require a strengthened investment climate to bolster private-sector engagement. Sustained improvements in the overall standard of living depend heavily on global oil prices, the central government passage of major policy reforms, and progress in the conflict with ISIL. | Iraq's largely state-run economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides more than 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings. Oil exports in 2016 averaged 3.3 million barrels per day from southern Iraq, up from 2015. Moreover, the slow recovery of global oil prices improved export revenues throughout 2016, although monthly revenue remained below 2015 levels. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil exports and revenues, but Iraq will need to make significant upgrades to its oil processing, pipeline, and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their economic potential. | Iraqi oil exports from northern fields are hampered by fundamental disagreements between the Iraqi Government and autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq’s Kurdistan region (IKR) on the roles of federal and regional authorities in the development and export of natural resources. In 2007, the KRG passed an oil law to develop IKR oil and gas reserves independent of the federal government. The KRG has signed about 50 contracts with foreign energy companies to develop its reserves, some of which lie in territories whose status is in dispute between Baghdad and Erbil. Some of the companies have left or returned blocks, citing lack of commercial prospects. In 2014, the KRG began exporting its oil unilaterally through its own pipeline to Turkey, which Baghdad claims is illegal. In the absence of a national hydrocarbons law, the two sides have entered into four provisional oil- and revenue-sharing deals since 2009, all of which collapsed. In September 2016, the two sides began implementing a fifth ad hoc agreement to split oil exports from Baghdad-controlled fields in Kirkuk. | Iraq is making slow progress enacting laws and developing the institutions needed to implement economic policy, and political reforms are still needed to assuage investors' concerns regarding the uncertain business climate. The Government of Iraq is eager to attract additional foreign direct investment, but it faces a number of obstacles, including a tenuous political system and concerns about security and societal stability. Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, skilled labor shortages, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. Under the Iraqi constitution, some competencies relevant to the overall investment climate are either shared by the federal government and the regions or are devolved entirely to local governments. Investment in the IKR operates within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Investment Law (Law 4 of 2006) and the Kurdistan Board of Investment, which is designed to provide incentives to help economic development in areas under the authority of the KRG. | Inflation has remained under control since 2006. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard-pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into an improved standard of living for the Iraqi populace. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country despite a bloated public sector. Encouraging private enterprise through deregulation would make it easier for Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Rooting out corruption and implementing reforms - such as restructuring banks and developing the private sector - would be important steps in this direction.
Exchange rates [time series]
Iraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar - | 1,182 (2016 est.) | 1,182 (2015 est.) | 1,167.63 (2014 est.) | 1,213.72 (2013 est.) | 1,166.17 (2012 est.)
Exports [time series]
$28.36 billion (2016 est.) | $43.44 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60
Exports - commodities [time series]
crude oil 99%, crude materials excluding fuels, food, live animals
Exports - partners [time series]
China 21.9%, India 20.6%, US 12.3%, South Korea 10.3%, Italy 6.8%, Greece 5.4% (2016)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$171.7 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$652.3 billion (2016 est.) | $580.3 billion (2015 est.) | $547.5 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 34
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 50.4% | government consumption: 18.8% | investment in fixed capital: 23.5% | investment in inventories: -4.5% | exports of goods and services: 39.7% | imports of goods and services: -27.9% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 5.1% | industry: 37.3% | services: 57.7% (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$17,200 (2016 est.) | $15,900 (2015 est.) | $15,600 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 94
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
11% (2016 est.) | 4.8% (2015 est.) | 0.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3
Gross national saving [time series]
11.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 18% of GDP (2015 est.) | 28.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 3.6% | highest 10%: 25.7% (2007 est.)
Imports [time series]
$19.57 billion (2016 est.) | $33.19 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72
Imports - commodities [time series]
food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners [time series]
China 26.9%, Turkey 26.6%, South Korea 5%, US 4.4% (2016)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
8.7% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13
Industries [time series]
petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
0.4% (2016 est.) | -2.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65
Labor force [time series]
8.9 million (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 21.6% | industry: 18.7% | services: 59.8% (2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$4 billion (9 December 2011) | $2.6 billion (31 July 2010) | $2 billion (31 July 2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93
Population below poverty line [time series]
23% (2014 est.)
Public debt [time series]
63.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | 55% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$45.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $54.06 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41
Stock of broad money [time series]
$74.52 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $69.88 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$2.109 billion (2015 est.) | $1.956 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$26.63 billion (2015 est.) | $23.16 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$3.191 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.773 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$59.84 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $55.36 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
31.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74
Unemployment rate [time series]
16% (2012 est.) | 15% (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
137 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35
Crude oil - exports [time series]
2.792 million bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143
Crude oil - production [time series]
4.452 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
142.5 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 5
Electricity - consumption [time series]
66 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
87.3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
6.2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188
Electricity - imports [time series]
12 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
28 million kW (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35
Electricity - production [time series]
84 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38
Electricity access [time series]
population without electricity: 600,000 | electrification - total population: 98% | electrification - urban areas: 99.6% | electrification - rural areas: 95.4% (2013)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
1.27 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - production [time series]
1.002 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
3.158 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 12
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
850,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
7,080 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
295,300 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
484,800 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 438,317 sq km | land: 437,367 sq km | water: 950 sq km | country comparison to the world: 60
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly more than three times the size of New York state
Climate [time series]
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 [time series]
58 km
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: 312 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m | highest point: Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for "Black Tent") 3,611 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
government water control projects 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; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection | signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geographic coordinates [time series]
33 00 N, 44 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
Irrigated land [time series]
35,250 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 3,809 km | border countries (6): Iran 1,599 km, Jordan 179 km, Kuwait 254 km, Saudi Arabia 811 km, Syria 599 km, Turkey 367 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 18.1% | arable land 8.4%; permanent crops 0.5%; permanent pasture 9.2% | forest: 1.9% | other: 80% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Map references [time series]
Middle East
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm | continental shelf: not specified
Natural hazards [time series]
dust storms; sandstorms; floods
Natural resources [time series]
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]
population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited
Terrain [time series]
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)) and 1 region*; Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Kurdistan Regional Government*; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit
Capital [time series]
name: Baghdad | geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Constitution [time series]
history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005 | amendments: proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters collectively, or by one-fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen rights and liberties requires a two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president (2016)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq | conventional short form: Iraq | local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq | local short form: Al Iraq/Eraq | etymology: the name probably derives from "Uruk" (Biblical "Erech"), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas A. SILLIMAN (since 1 September 2016) | embassy: Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad | mailing address: APO AE 09316 | telephone: 0760-030-3000 | FAX: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Farid YASIN (since 18 January 2017) | chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007 | telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600 | FAX: [1] (202) 333-1129 | consulate(s) general: Detroit, Los Angeles
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Fuad MASUM (since 24 July 2014); Vice Presidents Ayad ALLAWI (since 9 September 2014), Nuri al-MALIKI (since 8 September 2014), Usama al-NUJAYFI (since 9 September 2014) | head of government: Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI (since 8 September 2014) | cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Council of Representatives (COR) to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 April 2014 (next to be held in April 2018); prime minister nominated by the majority COR bloc and submission of COR minister nominees for full COR approval; disapproval requires designation of a new prime minister candidate | election results: Fuad MASUM elected president; Council of Representatives vote - Fuad MASUM (PUK) 211, Barham SALIH (PUK) 17
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white); the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise temporary replacement for the Ba'thist SADDAM-era flag | note: similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script; Yemen, which has a plain white band; and that of Egypt, which has a golden Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band
Government type [time series]
federal parliamentary republic
Independence [time series]
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation [time series]
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); note - court jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues and disputes between regions or governorates and the central government; Court of Cassation (consists of a court president, 5 vice-presidents, and at least 24 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Federal Supreme Court and Court of Cassation judges selected by the president of the republic from nominees selected by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a 25-member committee of judicial officials that manage the judiciary and prosecutors; FSC members appointed for life; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the SJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement nominally at age 63 | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts including first instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony, misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile, and traffic; religious courts
Legal system [time series]
mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral Council of Representatives or Majlis an-Nuwwab al-Iraqiyy (328 seats; 320 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 8 seats reserved for minorities; members serve 4-year terms); note - Iraq's constitution calls for the establishment of an upper house, the Federation Council, but it has not been instituted | elections: last held on 30 April 2014 (next to be held in 2018) | election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition – State of Law Coalition 95, Ahrar Bloc/Sadrist Trend 34, ISCI/Muwatin 31, United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun 28, KDP 25, PUK 21, Nationalism Coalition/Wataniyah 21, other Sunni coalitions/parties 19, Al-Arabiyah Coalition 10, Goran 9, other Shia parties/coalitions 8, Fadilah 6, National Reform Trend 6, Diyala is Our Identity 5, Iraq Coalition 5, KIU 4, other 5
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Mawtini" (My Homeland) | lyrics/music: Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL | note: adopted 2004; following the ouster of SADDAM Husayn, Iraq adopted "Mawtini," a popular folk song throughout the Arab world; also serves as an unofficial anthem of the Palestinian people
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958)
National symbol(s) [time series]
golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Al-Arabiyah Coalition [Salih al-MUTLAQ] | Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI] | Da`wa Party [Haider al-ABADI] | Da`wa Tanzim [Hashim al-MUSAWI] | Diyala is Our Identity [Salim al-JABOURI] | Fadilah Party [Muhammad al-YAQUBI] | Goran Party [Nawshirwan MUSTAFA] | Iraq Coalition [Fadhil al-DABBITS] (electoral coalition) | Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI/Muwatin Coalition [Ammar al-HAKIM] | Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI] | Kurdistan Islamic Union or KIU [Salahaddin Muhammad Bahaaeddin SADIQ] | Nationalism Coalition/Wataniyah [Ayad ALLAWI] | National Reform Trend [Ibrahim al-JAFARI] | Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI] | Sadrist Trend or Ahrar Bloc [Muqtada al-SADR] | State of Law Coalition [Nuri al MALIKI] | United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun Lil Islah [Usama al-NUJAYFI] | note: numerous smaller local, tribal, and minority parties
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Sunni militias; Shia militias, some associated with political parties
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom 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 from 1979 to 2003. 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. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. Nearly nine years after the start of the Second Gulf War in Iraq, US military operations there ended in mid-December 2011. In January 2009 and April 2013, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates except for the three comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk Governorate. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010 - choosing 325 legislators in an expanded COR - and, after nine months of deadlock, the COR approved the new government in December 2010. In April 2014, Iraq held a national legislative election and expanded the COR to 328 legislators. Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI dropped his bid for a third term in office, enabling new Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI, a Shia Muslim from Baghdad, to win legislative approval of his new cabinet in September 2014. Since 2014, Iraq has been engaged in a military campaign against ISIS to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country.
Military and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Ministry of Defense: Iraqi Army (includes Army Aviation Directorate), Iraqi Navy, Iraqi Air Force; Counterterrorism Service (2015)
Military expenditures [time series]
3.63% of GDP (2016) | 5.35% of GDP (2015) | 2.95% of GDP (2014) | 3.32% of GDP (2013) | 1.9% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 2
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18-40 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2013)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 39.46% (male 7,895,522/female 7,569,205) | 15-24 years: 19.25% (male 3,841,375/female 3,702,187) | 25-54 years: 33.84% (male 6,704,201/female 6,558,108) | 55-64 years: 3.99% (male 752,598/female 812,683) | 65 years and over: 3.46% (male 601,937/female 754,295) (2017 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
30.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
8.5% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 74
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
52.5% (2011)
Death rate [time series]
3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 77.7 | youth dependency ratio: 72.3 | elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 | potential support ratio: 18.3 (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 93.8% of population | rural: 70.1% of population | total: 86.6% of population | urban: 6.1% of population | rural: 31.5% of population | total: 14.6% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkmen, Assyrian, Shabak, Yazidi, other 5%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
5.5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 124
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 37.5 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 34.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48
Languages [time series]
Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect), Syriac (Neo-Aramaic), and Armenian are official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a majority of the population)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 74.9 years | male: 72.6 years | female: 77.2 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 79.7% | male: 85.7% | female: 73.7% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: intermediate | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
BAGHDAD (capital) 6.643 million; Mosul 1.694 million; Erbil 1.166 million; Basra 1.019 million; As Sulaymaniyah 1.004 million; Najaf 889,000 (2015)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
50 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Median age [time series]
total: 20 years | male: 19.8 years | female: 20.3 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191
Nationality [time series]
noun: Iraqi(s) | adjective: Iraqi
Net migration rate [time series]
-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
30.4% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 23
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Population [time series]
39,192,111 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35
Population distribution [time series]
population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited
Population growth rate [time series]
2.55% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15
Religions [time series]
Muslim (official) 99% (Shia 55-60%, Sunni 40%), Christian <.1%, Yazidi <.1%, Sabean Mandaean <.1%, Baha'i <.1%, Zoroastrian <.1%, Hindu <0.1%, Buddhist <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, folk religion <0.1, unafilliated 0.1%, other <0.1% | 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 Husayn regime in 2003, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 86.4% of population | rural: 83.8% of population | total: 85.6% of population | urban: 13.6% of population | rural: 16.2% of population | total: 14.4% of population (2015 est.)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female | total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
4 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 69.7% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 15,692 (Turkey); 7,703 (West Bank and Gaza Strip); 7,545 (Iran) (2016); 246,592 (Syria) (2017) | IDPs: 4,127,216 (includes displacement between 2006 and 2008 due to ethno-sectarian violence and displacement in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2017) | stateless persons: 48,200 (2016); note - in the 1970s and 1980s under SADDAM Husayn's regime, thousands of Iraq's Faili Kurds, followers of Shia Islam, were stripped of their Iraqi citizenship, had their property seized by the government, and many were deported; some Faili Kurds had their citizenship reinstated under the 2006 Iraqi Nationality Law, but others lack the documentation to prove their Iraqi origins; some Palestinian refugees persecuted by the SADDAM regime remain stateless | note: estimate revised to reflect the reduction of statelessness in line with Law 26 of 2006, which allows stateless persons to apply for nationality in certain circumstances; more accurate studies of statelessness in Iraq are pending (2015)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
102 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 55
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 72 | over 3,047 m: 20 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 | 914 to 1,523 m: 7 | under 914 m: 7 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 30 | over 3,047 m: 3 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 13 | under 914 m: 6 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
YI (2016)
Heliports [time series]
16 (2013)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 2 | by type: petroleum tanker 2 | registered in other countries: 2 (Marshall Islands 2) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 143
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 4 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 484,803 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 10,758,230 mt-km (2015)
Pipelines [time series]
gas 2,455 km; liquid petroleum gas 913 km; oil 5,432 km; refined products 1,637 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
river port(s): Al Basrah (Shatt al-'Arab); Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr (Khawr az Zubayr waterway)
Railways [time series]
total: 2,272 km | standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 67
Roadways [time series]
total: 59,623 km | paved: 59,623 km (includes Kurdistan Region) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 71
Waterways [time series]
5,279 km (the Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are the principal waterways) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 22