Part 41

Chapter 41 3,457 words Public domain Markdown

Total area: 436,245 km2 Land area: 435,292 km2 (est.) Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho Land boundaries: 3,576 km; Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 134 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 808 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km Coastline: 58 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: not specific Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt-al-Arab waterway; in April 1991 official Iraqi acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept the inviolability of the boundary set forth in its 1963 agreement with Kuwait, ending earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah Islands or to all of Kuwait; a United Nations Boundary Demarcation Commission is demarcating the Iraq-Kuwait boundary persuant to Resolution 687, and, on 17 June 1992, the UN Security Council reaffirmed the finality of the Boundary Demarcation Commission's decisions; periodic disputes with upstream riparian Syria over Euphrates water rights; potential dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northernmost regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes in southeast; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur Land use: arable land 12%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and woodland 3%; other 75%; includes irrigated 4% Environment: development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparians (Syria, Turkey); air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification

:Iraq People

Population: 18,445,847 (July 1992), growth rate 3.7% (1992) Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 84 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 64 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Iraqi(s); adjective - Iraqi Ethnic divisions: Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% Religions: Muslim 97%, (Shi`a 60-65%, Sunni 32-37%), Christian or other 3% Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian Literacy: 60% (male 70%, female 49%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 4,400,000 (1989); services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22%, severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force about 1,600,000 (July 1990) Organized labor: less than 10% of the labor force

:Iraq Government

Long-form name: Republic of Iraq Type: republic Capital: Baghdad Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'im, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (interim Constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968) Executive branch: president, vice president, chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, vice chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, prime minister, first deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani) Judicial branch: Court of Cassation Leaders: Chief of State: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MA'RUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since 13 September 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq `AZIZ (since NA 1979) Suffrage: universal adult at age 18 Elections: National Assembly: last held on 1 April 1989 (next to be held NA); results - Sunni Arabs 53%, Shi`a Arabs 30%, Kurds 15%, Christians 2% est.; seats - (250 total) number of seats by party NA Other political or pressure groups: political parties and activity severely restricted; possibly some opposition to regime from disaffected members of the regime, Army officers, and Shi`a religious and Kurdish ethnic dissidents Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy in Washington, DC; Chancery at 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone (202) 483-7500

:Iraq Government

US: no US representative in Baghdad since mid-January 1991; Embassy in Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club), Baghdad (mailing address is P. O. Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdad); telephone [964] (1) 719-6138 or 719-6139, 718-1840, 719-3791 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase Allahu Akbar (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

:Iraq Economy

Overview: The Ba`thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of industrial production and foreign trade while leaving some small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The economy has been dominated by the oil sector, which has provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems, caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran, led the government to implement austerity measures and to borrow heavily and later reschedule foreign debt payments. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high priority by the government, also was under financial constraints. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military actions by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture. Oil exports were cut to near zero, and industrial and transportation facilities were severely damaged. Throughout 1991, the UN's economic embargo worked to reduce exports and imports and to increase prices for most goods. The government's policy to allocate goods to key supporters of the regime exacerbated shortages. GNP: $35 billion, per capita $1,940; real growth rate 10% (1989 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 45% (1989) Unemployment rate: less than 5% (1989 est.) Budget: revenues $NA billion; expenditures $NA billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1989) Exports: $10.4 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: crude oil and refined products, fertilizer, sulfur partners: US, Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Netherlands, Spain (1990) Imports: $6.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: manufactures, food partners: FRG, US, Turkey, France, UK (1990) External debt: $45 billion (1989 est.), excluding debt of about $35 billion owed to Arab Gulf states Industrial production: NA%; manufacturing accounts for 10% of GNP (1989) Electricity: 3,800,000 kW available out of 9,902,000 kw capacity due to Gulf war; 7,700 million kWh produced, 430 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: petroleum production and refining, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GNP but 30% of labor force; principal products - wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton, wool; livestock - cattle, sheep; not self-sufficient in food output

:Iraq Economy

Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $3 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $647 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $3.9 billion Currency: Iraqi dinar (plural - dinars); 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 3.1 (fixed official rate since 1982); black-market rate (December 1991) US$1 = 12 Iraqi dinars Fiscal year: calendar year

:Iraq Communications

Railroads: 2,457 km 1.435-meter standard gauge Highways: 34,700 km total; 17,500 km paved, 5,500 km improved earth, 11,700 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt-al-Arab usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km, but closed since September 1980 because of Iran-Iraq war; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; Shatt-al-Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Persian Gulf war Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km Ports: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, Al Basrah (closed since 1980) Merchant marine: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 936,665 GRT/1,683,212 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 16 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 19 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker; note - since the 2 August 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces, Iraq has sought to register at least part of its merchant fleet under convenience flags; none of the Iraqi flag merchant fleet was trading internationally as of 1 January 1992 Civil air: 34 major transport aircraft (including 7 grounded in Iran; excluding 12 IL-76s and 7 Kuwait Airlines) Airports: 113 total, 98 usable; 73 with permanent-surface runways; 8 with runways over 3,659 m; 52 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication infrastructure began after Desert Storm; the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave links; 632,000 telephones; the network is operational; broadcast stations - 16 AM, 1 FM, 13 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 GORIZONT Atlantic Ocean in the Intersputnik system and 1 ARABSAT; coaxial cable and microwave to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey

:Iraq Defense Forces

Branches: Army and Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard Force, Internal Security Forces Manpower availability: males 15-49, 4,042,374; 2,272,578 fit for military service; 213,788 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP

:Ireland Geography

Total area: 70,280 km2 Land area: 68,890 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: 360 km; UK 360 km Coastline: 1,448 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: no precise definition Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, crude oil, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver Land use: arable land 14%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 71%; forest and woodland 5%; other 10% Environment: deforestation

:Ireland People

Population: 3,521,207 (July 1992), growth rate 0.2% (1992) Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -4 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Irishman(men), Irish (collective pl.); adjective - Irish Ethnic divisions: Celtic, with English minority Religions: Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981) Languages: Irish (Gaelic) and English; English is the language generally used, with Gaelic spoken in a few areas, mostly along the western seaboard Literacy: 98% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981) Labor force: 1,333,000; services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 26.1%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 15.0%, energy and mining 1.9% (1991) Organized labor: 58% of labor force (1991)

:Ireland Government

Long-form name: none Type: republic Capital: Dublin Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK) Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1937 Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas) consists of an upper house or Senate (Seanad Eireann) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dail Eireann) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990) Head of Government: Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS (since 11 February 1992) Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail, Albert REYNOLDS; Labor Party, Richard SPRING; Fine Gael, John BRUTON; Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN; Workers' Party (vacant); Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS; Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY; note - Prime Minister REYNOLDS heads a coalition consisting of the Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997); results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2% Senate: last held on 17 February 1987 (next to be held February 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 16, Labor 3, independents 11 House of Representatives: last held on 12 July 1989 (next to be held June 1994); results - Fianna Fail 44.0%, Fine Gael 29.4%, Labor Party 9.3%, Progressive Democrats 5.4%, Workers' Party 4.9%, Sinn Fein 1.1%, independents 5.9%; seats - (166 total) Fianna Fail 77, Fine Gael 55, Labor Party 15, Workers' Party 7, Progressive Democrats 6, independents 6 Communists: under 500

:Ireland Government

Member of: AG, BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NEA, NSG, OECD, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dermot GALLAGHER; Chancery at 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3939; there are Irish Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco US: Ambassador Richard A. MOORE; Embassy at 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin; telephone [353] (1) 688777; FAX [353] (1) 689-946 Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of the Ivory Coast, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

:Ireland Economy

Overview: The economy is small, open, and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37% of GDP and about 80% of exports and employs 26% of the labor force. The government has successfully reduced the rate of inflation from double-digit figures in the late 1970s to 3.8% in 1991. In 1987, after years of deficits, the balance of payments was brought into the black. Unemployment, however, remains a serious problem. A 1991 unemployment rate of 20.4% placed Ireland along with Spain as the countries with the worst jobless records in Western Europe. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $39.2 billion, per capita $11,200; real growth rate 1.3% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (1991) Unemployment rate: 20.4% (1991) Budget: revenues $11.4 billion; expenditures $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (1992 est.) Exports: $27.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EC 74% (UK 34%, Germany 11%, France 10%), US 8% Imports: $24.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: food, animal feed, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 9%, France 4%), US 14% External debt: $14.8 billion (1990) Industrial production: growth rate 3.0% (1991); accounts for 37% of GDP Electricity: 4,957,000 kW capacity; 14,480 million kWh produced, 4,080 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GDP and 15% of the labor force; principal crops - turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; livestock - meat and dairy products; 85% self-sufficient in food; food shortages include bread grain, fruits, vegetables Economic aid: donor - ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million Currency: Irish pound (plural - pounds); 1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6227 (March 1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989), 0.6553 (1988), 0.6720 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year

:Ireland Communications

Railroads: Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge, government owned; 485 km double track; 38 km electrified Highways: 92,294 km total; 87,422 km paved, 4,872 km gravel or crushed stone Inland waterways: limited for commercial traffic Pipelines: natural gas 225 km Ports: Cork, Dublin, Shannon Estuary, Waterford Merchant marine: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 146,081 GRT/177,058 DWT; includes 4 short-sea passenger, 32 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 3 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 3 specialized tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 6 bulk Civil air: 23 major transport aircraft Airports: 36 total, 35 usable; 17 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: small, modern system using cable and digital microwave circuits; 900,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 45 FM, 86 TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Ireland Defense Forces

Branches: Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (GARDA) Manpower availability: males 15-49, 894,421; 724,262 fit for military service; 34,182 reach military age (17) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $566 million, 1-2% of GDP (1992 est.)

:Israel Header

Note: The Arab territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Bush's post-Gulf crisis peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined (see West Bank and Gaza Strip entries). On 25 April 1982 Israel relinquished control of the Sinai to Egypt. Statistics for the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights are included in the Syria entry.

:Israel Geography

Total area: 20,770 km2 Land area: 20,330 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey Land boundaries: 1,006 km; Egypt 255 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307, Gaza Strip 51 km Coastline: 273 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Territorial sea: 6 nm Disputes: separated from Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank by the 1949 Armistice Line; differences with Jordan over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line that separates the two countries; West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with status to be determined; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; water-sharing issues with Jordan Climate: temperate; hot and dry in desert areas Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil Land use: arable land 17%; permanent crops 5%; meadows and pastures 40%; forest and woodland 6%; other 32%; includes irrigated 11% Environment: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; limited arable land and natural water resources pose serious constraints; deforestation Note: there are 175 Jewish settlements in the West Bank, 38 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 18 in the Gaza Strip, and 14 Israeli-built Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem

:Israel People