0-14 years: 47% (male 5,353,088; female 5,181,960)
15-64 years: 50% (male 5,565,926; female 5,442,949)
65 years and over: 3% (male 314,705; female 360,661) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 42.52 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population : 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 57.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.38 years
male: 66.31 years
female: 68.5 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.26 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi
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
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 70.7%
female : 45% (1995 est.)
@Iraq:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq
Data code: IZ
Government type: republic
National capital: Baghdad
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf,
Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, 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)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)
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 NA May 1994);
Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979); Deputy Prime
Minister Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since NA); Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad
Hamza al-ZUBAYDI (since NA)
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)
election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of
Revolutionary Command Council vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and
Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of Revolutionary
Command Council 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 O. T. AL ZUBAIDI;
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
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. Industrial and transportation facilities, which
suffered severe damage, have been partially restored. Oil exports are
at 25% of the prewar level following the implementation of UN Security
Council Resolution 986 in December 1996. Shortages of spare parts
continue. 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. In accord with a UN resolution Iraq agreed to an
oil-for-food deal in 1996, under which it would 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 should arrive in March 1997. Per capita output for 1995-96
and living standards are well below the 1989-90 level, but any
estimates have a wide range of error.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $42 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1996 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 -
1,200 (May 1997), 3,000 (December 1995); subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Iraq: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: 46,500 km
paved: 39,990 km
unpaved: 6,510 km (1995 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 (1996 est.)
Airports: 101 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 85
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 16 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total : 16
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m : 8 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1996 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: 5,039,332 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 2,825,888 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 246,404 (1997 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; 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, petroleum, 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, 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, Desertification,
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: 3,606,952 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 415,747; female 393,181)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,203,792; female 1,185,935)
65 years and over: 11% (male 173,566; female 234,731) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.33% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 13.43 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 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 (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.98 years
male: 73.24 years
female: 78.89 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1997 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 Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December
1994)
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 9 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1997);
prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed
by the president
election results: Mary Bourke ROBINSON elected president; percent of
vote - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%
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 February 1992 (next to be held NA
February 1997); House of Representatives - last held 25 November 1992
(next to be held NA November 1997)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats
2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor
Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn
Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats by party -
Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats
10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5
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 [Richard SPRING]; 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 [Bronwen MAHER]
note: Prime Minister BRUTON heads a three-party coalition consisting
of the Fine Gael, the Labor Party, and the Democratic Left
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, UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER (will return to
Dublin in July)
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
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 26% 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 (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 38.6%
services: 52.5% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.474 million (1996 est.)
by occupation: services 62.3%, manufacturing and construction 26.0%,
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10.6%, utilities 1.1% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.9% (April 1996)
Budget:
revenues : $22.6 billion
expenditures: $23.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.3
billion (1995)
Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
crystal
Industrial production growth rate: 8.9% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 3.62 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 17.9 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,343 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat;
meat and dairy products
Exports:
total value: $43.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial
machinery, live animals, animal products
partners: EU 70% (UK 26%, Germany 14%, France 9%), US 6%
Imports:
total value: $32.7 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities : food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum
and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing
partners: EU 58% (UK 37%, Germany 7%, France 4%), US 17%
Debt - external: $17.5 billion (1995)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $81 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Irish pound (£Ir) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Irish pounds (£Ir) per US$1 - 0.6123 (January 1997),
0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Ireland: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 (37 km electrified; 485 km double
track) (1996)
Highways:
total: 92,430 km
paved : 86,884 km (including 70 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,546 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: limited for commercial traffic
Pipelines: natural gas 225 km
Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway,
Limerick, New Ross, Waterford