GENERAL
FACTS & LINKS |
|
Country
name Iraq conventional long form Republic of Iraq conventional
short form Iraq local long form Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form Al Iraq |
Area
- total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km |
Geographic
Location - Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait |
Map
references - Middle
East |
Capital - Baghdad |
Border Countries - Iran
1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait
242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km,
Syria 605 km, Turkey
331 km |
Major Cities - Baghdad |
Independence - 3 October 1932 (from League
of Nations mandate under British administration) |
National
holiday - Revolution Day, 17 July (1968) |
ISD
CODE Iraq 964 |
Languages Spoken
- Arabic (official) and Kurdish |
Weather
Forecast - • Baghdad • Mosul • Saddam Irq-Afb / Civ • Shaibah / Basrah |
Major Airports - Baghdad
|
Ports
- Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al
Basrah have limited functionality |
Population
-24,001,816 (July 2002 est.) |
Religion
- Muslim 97% (Shi'a
60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or
other 3% |
Nationality - Iraqi(s) |
Currency - Iraqi dinar |
Currency Code - IQD |
National
Bird - "Kew" (Chukar) |
Lakes
- Hammer |
Rivers
- Euphrates, Tigris |
Terrain
- Mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large
flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey |
Climate
- 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 |
Geography
- Strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian
Gulf |
Waterways
- 1,015 km note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic
for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft boats; Shatt al Basrah canal
was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf
war |
Natural hazards - Dust storms,
sandstorms, floods |
Natural
Resources - petroleum,
natural gas, phosphates, sulphur |