Chapter 59
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi AL ZUBAYDI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 2118
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note--the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O.
Flag description: 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
Economy
Economy--overview: Iraq's economy has been dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally 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, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses of at least $100 billion from the war. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity and increased prices. The Iraqi Government has been unwilling to abide by UN resolutions so that the economic embargo could be removed. The government's policies of supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. The implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve economic conditions. For the first three six-month phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods. The UN allowed Iraq to export $5.2 billion of oil beginning with the fourth phase of the program in May 1998. At an average volume of 1.9 million barrels per day during the last half of 1998, oil exports are about three-quarters their prewar level. Per capita food imports have increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services are steadily improving. Per capita output and living standards are still well below the prewar level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$52.3 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 10% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 4.4 million (1989)
Labor force--by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22% (1989)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 27.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 97.83% hydro: 2.17% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 27.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
Exports: $5 billion (1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: crude oil
Exports--partners: Russia, France, China, Turkey (1998)
Imports: $3 billion (1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: food, medicine, manufactures
Imports--partners: Russia, France, Jordan, Australia, China (1998)
Debt--external: very heavy relative to GDP but the exact amount is unknown (1998)
Economic aid--recipient: $327.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1--0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate--Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1--1,810 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 3,000 (December 1995); subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 632,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.7 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (government controlled) (1997)
Televisions: 1 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2,032 km standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge
Highways: total: 47,400 km paved: 40,764 km unpaved: 6,636 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use; 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 and harbors: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Merchant marine: total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 456,845 GRT/780,318 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 11, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 109 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 77 over 3,047 m: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Internal Security Forces
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 5,459,998 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,058,098 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 259,915 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: 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 November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands although the government continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
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@Ireland -------
Introduction
Background: Growing Irish nationalism resulted in independence from the United Kingdom in 1921, with six largely Protestant northern counties remaining within the UK. After World War II bloody strife between Catholics and Protestants over the status of Northern Ireland cost thousands of lives. In 1998, substantial steps toward peace were agreed to by the British and Irish governments and the Roman Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland.
Geography
Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m
Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 68% forests and woodland: 5% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94
Geography--note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin
People
Population: 3,632,944 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 399,379; female 377,366) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,232,072; female 1,213,364) 65 years and over: 12% (male 174,519; female 236,244) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.38% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 13.58 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.94 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.39 years male: 73.64 years female: 79.32 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups: Celtic, English
Religions: Roman Catholic 92%, Anglican 3%, Islamic 0.11%, Jehovah's Witness 0.1%, Jewish 0.04%, other 4.75% (1991)
Languages: English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland
Data code: EI
Government 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)
National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote--Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats--49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate--last held NA August 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); House of Representatives--last held 6 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA; House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Fianna Fail 76, Fine Gael 53, Labor Party 19, Progressive Democrats 4, Democratic Left 4, Greens 2, Sinn Fein 1, independents 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Labor note: Prime Minister AHERN heads a two-party coalition consisting of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats; Democratic Left merged into the Labor Party on 1 February 1999
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael SULLIVAN embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, 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
Economy
Economy--overview: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 9.5% in 1995-98. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 39% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, and promote foreign investment. Although the unemployment rate has been halved, it remains high, and job creation is a primary concern of government policy. Recent efforts have concentrated on improving workers qualifications and the education system. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$67.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 9.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$18,600 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 39% services: 54% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 27.4% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1998)
Labor force: 1.52 million (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: services 62.1%, manufacturing and construction 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, utilities 0.9% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $23.5 billion expenditures: $20.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)
Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal
Industrial production growth rate: 15.8% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 17.843 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 95.83% hydro: 3.99% nuclear: 0% other: 0.18% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 17.743 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 200 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 100 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Exports: $60.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products (1997)
Exports--partners: EU 67% (UK 24%, Germany 12%, France 8%), US 11% (1997)
Imports: $43.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing (1997)
Imports--partners: EU 55% (UK 34%, Germany 6%, France 6%), US 15% (1997)
Debt--external: $11 billion (1998)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $153 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Irish pound (LIr) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Irish pounds (LIr) per US$1--0.6815 (January 1999), 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 0.78764 Irish pounds per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 900,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0
Radios: 2.2 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (in addition, there are 36 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.025 million (1990 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1996)
Highways: total: 92,500 km paved: 87,042 km (including 80 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,458 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: limited for commercial traffic
Pipelines: natural gas 225 km
Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Merchant marine: total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,284 GRT/117,652 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 28, container 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 44 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)
Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 974,226 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 790,155 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 33,810 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $771 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Northern Ireland issue with the UK (historic peace agreement signed 10 April 1998); Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe
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@Israel ------
Introduction
Background: The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement between them. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace.
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water: 440 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 1,006 km border countries: Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Coastline: 273 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
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: 4% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 6% other: 66% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer
Environment--current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides