Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970
(provisional 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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: any formal political
activity must be sanctioned by the government; opposition to regime
from Kurdish groups and southern Shi'a dissidents
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, 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
======================================================================
@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
======================================================================
@Israel
------
Introduction