Executive branch:
chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice
President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice
President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994);
Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime
Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister
Muhammad Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA May 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Revolutionary Command Council; Chairman SADDAM
Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri
elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds
majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17
October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of
vote-99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice
presidents; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani
(250 seats; 30 appointed by SADDAM Husayn to represent the three
northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected
by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party, SADDAM Husayn, central
party leader
Political pressure groups and leaders: political parties and activity
severely restricted; opposition to regime from disaffected members of
the Ba'th Party, Army officers, tribes, and Shi'a religious and ethnic
Kurdish dissidents; the Green Party (government-controlled)
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
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, 1801 P Street NW,
Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202)
462-5066
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note-the US has an
Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad, which is in the
Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club); address: P. O.
Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 719-6138, 719-6139,
718-1840, 719-3791; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297
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
@Iraq:Economy
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 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
and to 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. 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 action by an
international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically changed
the economic picture. The UN-sponsored economic embargo has reduced
exports and imports and has contributed to the sharp rise in 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. Industrial and transportation facilities, which suffered
severe damage, have been partially restored. At current prices, oil
exports are about one-third of their prewar level because of the
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 986-the UN's
oil-for-goods program-in December 1996. Shortages of spare parts
continue. In accord with the oil-for-goods deal, Iraq is allowed to
export $2 billion worth of oil in exchange for badly needed food and
medicine. The first oil was pumped in December 1996, and the first
supplies of food and medicine arrived in April 1997. Per capita output
for 1995-97 and living standards are well below the 1989-90 level, but
any estimates have a wide range of error.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$42.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 4.4 million (1989)
by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22%
note: severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about
1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially
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-capacity: 6.83 million kW (1996)
Electricity-production: 31.8 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,362 kWh (1996 est.)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other
fruit, cotton; cattle, sheep
Exports: $NA
commodities: crude oil
partners: Jordan, Turkey (1996)
Imports: $NA
commodities: manufactures, food
partners: France, Turkey, Jordan, Vietnam, Australia (1996)
Debt-external: very heavy relative to GDP but amount unknown (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
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$1-1,530
(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: 4.02 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13
Televisions: 1 million (1992 est.)
@Iraq: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: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 791,485 GRT/1,428,307 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, passenger-cargo
1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 111 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 76
over 3,047 m: 22
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1997 est.)
@Iraq: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: 5,247,809 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 2,941,014 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 253,504 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Iraq: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; dispute over water development plans by
Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
______________________________________________________________________
IRELAND
@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, 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-Sulphur 94, 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 60 miles of Dublin
@Ireland:People
Population: 3,619,480 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 406,741; female 384,459)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,218,514; female 1,200,214)
65 years and over: 11% (male 173,978; female 235,574) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.36% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 13.49 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 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 (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.19 years
male: 73.44 years
female: 79.11 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups: Celtic, English
Religions: Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other
1% (1981)
Languages: Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the
western seaboard, English is the language generally used
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Ireland:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland
Data code: EI
Government type: republic
National 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 2001);
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 direct popular vote and 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 77, Fine Gael 54, Labor Party 17, 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: Democratic Left [Proinsias DE ROSSA];
Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Labor Party [Ruairi QUINN]; Fine Gael
[John BRUTON]; Communist Party of Ireland [Michael O'RIORDAN]; Sinn
Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; The Workers'
Party [Marion DONNELLY]; Green Alliance [Patricia HOWARD]
note: Prime Minister AHERN heads a two-party coalition consisting of
Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC,
CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, 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, 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
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 6688777
FAX: [353] (1) 6689946
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
@Ireland:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is small and trade dependent.
Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by
industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and
employs 27% 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. Since the 1980s, inflation has fallen sharply and
chronic trade deficits have been transformed into annual surpluses.
Unemployment remains a serious problem, however, and job creation is
the main focus of government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin
aggressively courts foreign investors and recently created a new
industrial development agency to aid small indigenous firms.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$59.9 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$18,600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 38.3%
services: 53.2% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.6% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 1.52 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: services 62.1%, manufacturing and construction 27.0%,
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10.0%, utilities 0.9% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.8% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $20.6 billion
expenditures: $20.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.2
billion (1997)
Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
crystal
Industrial production growth rate: 10.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 3.62 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 16.586 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,672 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat;
meat and dairy products
Exports:
total value: $54.8 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial
machinery, live animals, animal products
partners: EU 66% (UK 22%, Germany 13%, France 8%), US 6%
Imports:
total value: $44.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
commodities: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum
and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing
partners: EU 52% (UK 29%, Germany 10.2%, France 4%), US 12%
Debt-external: $14 billion (1996)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $81 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Irish pound (£Ir) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Irish pounds (£Ir) per US$1-0.7233 (January 1997),
0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816
(1993)
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: 86 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 1.025 million (1990 est.)
@Ireland: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: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 116,059 GRT/149,149 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 30, chemical tanker 1, container 3, oil
tanker 2, short-sea passenger 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 44 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 29
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 25 (1997 est.)
@Ireland: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: 967,621 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 784,766 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 35,338 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $618 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.3% (1994)
@Ireland:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: Northern Ireland question with the UK
(historic peace agreement approved 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
______________________________________________________________________
ISRAEL
(also see separate
Introduction
Current issues: 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.
@Israel: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