Iraq

• 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

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

• Euphrates river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 3,596 km;
• Tigris river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 1,950 km;
• the Tigris and Euphrates join to form the Shatt al Arab

note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

• 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

• dust storms;
• sandstorms;
• floods

noun:

Iraqi(s)

adjective:

Iraqi

• 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

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 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.65 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

total:

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

18.5% (2020 est.)

male:

35.1% (2020 est.)

female:

1.8% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15:

7.2%

women married by age 18:

27.9% (2018 est.)

• 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;
• soil degradation (salination) and erosion;
• desertification;
• military and industrial infrastructure has released heavy metals and other hazardous substances into the air, soil, and groundwater;
• major sources of environmental damage are effluents from oil refineries, factory and sewage discharges into rivers, fertilizer and chemical contamination of the soil, and industrial air pollution in urban areas

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification

particulate matter emissions:

57.73 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

190.06 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

17.44 megatons (2020 est.)

• 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

urban population:

71.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

severe localized food insecurity:

• due to civil conflict and economic slowdown - the 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview identified 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, of which 960,000 have acute humanitarian needs;
• while the number of people in need remained similar to the previous year, the severity of those needs increased, largely due to the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on top of an existing humanitarian crisis, leading to a 35% increase in the number of people in acute need;
• more than half of these are concentrated in the governorates of Nineveh and Anbar;
• the number of severely food insecure people is estimated at about 435,000, while 731,000 are vulnerable to food insecurity (2022)

• Euphrates river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 3,596 km;
• Tigris river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 1,950 km;
• the Tigris and Euphrates join to form the Shatt al Arab

note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

municipal:

1.23 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial:

2.05 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural:

35.27 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

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

former:

Mesopotamia, Mandatory Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq

etymology:

the name probably derives from "Uruk" (Biblical "Erech"), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River

name:

Baghdad

geographic coordinates:

33 20 N, 44 24 E

time difference:

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

although the origin of the name is disputed, it likely has compound Persian roots with bagh and dad meaning "god" and "given" respectively to create the meaning of "bestowed by God"

• 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish));
• '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;
• Maysan;
• Ninawa;
• Salah ad Din;
• Wasit

note: Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government administers Arbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah (as Hewler, Dihok, and Slemani respectively)

• 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

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 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 two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president

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

chief of state:

President Abdul Latif RASHID (since 13 October 2022; vice presidents (vacant)

head of government:

Prime Minister-Designate Mohammed Shia al-SUDANI (since 13 October 2022)

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);
• COR parliamentary election for president last held on 13 October 2022 (next to be held in 2026)

election results:

• 2022: COR vote in first round - Abdul Latif RASHID (PUK) 157, Barham SALIH (PUK) 99;
• Abdul Latif RASHID elected president in second round - Abdul latif RASHID 167, Barham SALIH 99

;

• 2018: COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90;
• Barham SALIH elected president in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22;
• note - the COR vote on 1 October 2018 failed due to a lack of quorum, and a new session was held on 2 October 2018

;

• 2014: Fuad MASUM elected president in first round;
• COR vote - Fuad MASUM (PUK) 211, Barham SALIH (PUK) 17;
• Haydar al-ABADI (Da'wa Party) approved as prime minister

description:

• unicameral Council of Representatives of Iraq (COR) or Majlis an-Nuwwab al-Iraqiyy (329 seats; 320 members directly elected in 83 multi-seat constituencies by single nontransferable vote, 9 seats reserved for minorities - 5 for Christians, 1 each for Sabaean-Mandaeans, Yazidis, Shabaks, Fayli Kurds, and 25% of seats allocated to women; members serve 4-year terms);
• note - in late 2020, the COR approved an electoral law, replacing the proportional representation voting system with the single non-transferable system

elections:

last held on 10 October 2021 (next to be held in October 2025)

election results:

• percent of vote by party/coalition - NA;
• seats by party/coalition - Sadrist Bloc 73, National Progress Alliance 37, State of Law Coalition 33, Kurdish Democratic Party 31, Al Fatah Alliance 17, Kurdistan Alliance 17, Al Iraq Alliance 14, New Generation Movement 14, Ishraqet Konoon 6, Tasmin Alliance 5, Babylon Movement 4, National Contract Alliance 4, National State Forces Alliance 4, other 22, independent 43;
• composition - men 234, women 95, percent of women 28.9%

highest court(s):

• Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges);
• note - court jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues, application of federal laws, ratification of election results for the COR, judicial competency disputes, 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 judges nominated by the HJC President, the FSC Chief Justice, the Public Prosecutor's Office chief, and the head of the Judicial Oversight Commission;
• FSC members required to retire at age 72;
• Court of Cassation judges appointed by the HJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement nominally at age 63, but can be extended to age 66 by the HJC

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 courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mohammed Husham Malik AL FITYAN (since 22 March 2022)

chancery:

3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 742-1600

FAX:

[1] (202) 333-1129

email address and website:

http://www.iraqiembassy.us/

consulate(s) general:

Detroit, Los Angeles

chief of mission:

Ambassador Alina L. ROMANOWSKI (since 2 June 2022)

embassy:

Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad; note - consulate in Al Basrah closed as of 28 September 2018

mailing address:

6060 Baghdad Place, Washington DC 20521-6060

telephone:

0760-030-3000

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://iq.usembassy.gov/

• 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 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

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

total World Heritage Sites:

6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (c);
• Babylon (c);
• Erbil Citadel (c);
• Hatra (c);
• Samarra Archaeological City (c);
• The Ahwar (Marshland) of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (m)

Fitch rating:

B- (2015)

Moody's rating:

Caa1 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: B- (2015)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

agriculture:

21.6%

industry:

18.7%

services:

59.8% (2008 est.)

total:

25.6%

male:

22%

female:

63.3% (2017)

lowest 10%:

3.6%

highest 10%:

25.7% (2007 est.)

production:

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption:

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports:

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports:

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves:

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

total petroleum production:

4,161,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

863,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports:

3,975,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports:

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

145.019 billion barrels (2021 est.)

production:

10,710,773,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption:

18,014,129,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports:

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports:

7,303,356,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves:

3,728,926,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)

• 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 (2019)

number of registered air carriers:

4 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 34

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

2,075,065 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

16.2 million (2018) mt-km

total:

2,272 km (2014)

standard gauge:

2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total:

59,623 km (2012)

paved:

59,623 km (2012) (includes Kurdistan region)

total:

68

by type:

general cargo 1, oil tanker 6, other 61 (2021)