Iraq

Republic of Iraq

National name: Jumhouriyat Al Iraq

President: Saddam Hussein (1979)

Area: 167,920 sq. mi. (437,072 sq. km)

Population (1999 est.): 22,427,150 (average annual rate of natural increase: 3.19%); birth rate: 38.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 62.4/1000; density per sq. mi.: 134

Capital: Baghdad

Largest cities (est. 1987): Baghdad, 3,841,136; Mosul, 664,221; Irbil, 485,968; Karkuk (Kirkuk), 418,624; Basra, 406,296

Monetary unit: Iraqi dinar

Languages: Arabic (official) and Kurdish

Ethnicity/race: Arab 75%–80%, Kurdish 15%–20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'ite 60%–65%, Sunni 32%–37%), Christian or other 3%

Literacy rate: 60%

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (1998 est.): $52.3 billion, $2,400 per capita. Real growth rate: 10%. Inflation: n.a.

Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 12%.

Agriculture: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep.

Labor force: 4.4 million (1989); services, 48%; agriculture, 30%; industry, 22%.

Industry: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing.

Exports: $5 billion (1998 est.); crude oil.

Imports: $3 billion (1998 est.); food, medicine, manufactures.

Major trading partners: Russia, France, China, Turkey, Jordan, Australia.