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Location
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf,
between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates
33 00 N, 44 00 E
Area
Total: 437,072 sq km
Comparative: slightly more than
twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries
Total: 3,650 km
Border countries: Iran 1,458 km,
Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km,
Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km,
Turkey 352 km
Coastline
58 km
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
Terrain
Mostly broad plains; reedy marshes
along Iranian border in south with
large flooded areas; mountains along
borders with Iran and Turkey
Elevation extremes
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m
Natural resources
Petroleum, natural gas,
phosphates, sulfur
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Population
24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
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, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Government type
Republic
Capital
Baghdad
Military branches
Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam
Military manpower
Availability: males age 15-49: 6,135,847 (2002 est.)
Fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,430,819
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.3 billion (FY00)
Percent of GDP: NA%
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Iraq
