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 or RCC (Chairman
SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri) which controls the
ruling Ba'th Party, and is the most powerful political entity in the
country
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 the president 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 March 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 Mr. Akram AL DOURI; address:
Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 2118 Kalorama Road NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone: (202) 265-2800; FAX: (202)
667-2174
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an
Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O. Box
2051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone: (1) 718-9267; FAX: (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 which has two stars
but no script and the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also
similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in
the white band
@Iraq:Economy
Economy - overview: Iraq's economy is 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 sanctions, and damage from military action by
an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically
reduced economic activity. 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 six six-month
phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of
oil in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods. In
December 1999, the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under
the oil-for-food program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian
needs. Oil exports are now 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 - $59.9 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 13% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,700 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 13%
services: 81% (1993 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 135% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4.4 million (1989)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%
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: 28.4 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 97.89%
hydro: 2.11%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 26.412 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates,
cotton; cattle, sheep
Exports: $12.7 billion (1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil
Exports - partners: Russia, France, China (1999)
Imports: $8.9 billion (1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners: Russia, France, Egypt, Vietnam (1999)
Debt - external: $130 billion (1999 est.)
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 -
1,900 (December 1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997),
3,000 (December 1995); subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Iraq:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
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 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4
(1998)
Radios: 4.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (1997)
Televisions: 1.75 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Iraq:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,032 km
standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge
Highways:
total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,400 km
unpaved: 7,150 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 m 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 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: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 606,227 GRT/1,067,770 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)
Airports: 113 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 80
over 3,047 m: 20
2,438 to 3,047 m: 39
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 33
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 12 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 5 (1999 est.)
@Iraq:Military
Military branches: Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air
Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,674,990 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,176,826 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 266,736 (2000 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 although the government continues periodic
rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey
for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
______________________________________________________________________
IRELAND
@Ireland:Introduction
Background: A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several
years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from
the UK for the 26 southern counties; the six northern counties
(Ulster) remained part of Great Britain. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from
the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973.
Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and
have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace
settlement for Northern Ireland, approved in 1998, has not yet been
implemented.
@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: Carrauntoohil 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
@Ireland:People
Population: 3,797,257 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.85% (male 425,795; female 403,777)
15-64 years: 66.83% (male 1,271,367; female 1,266,150)
65 years and over: 11.33% (male 185,913; female 244,255) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.16% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 14.51 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8.14 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.81 years
male: 74.06 years
female: 79.74 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups: Celtic, English
Religions: Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9%
(1998)
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%
@Ireland: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 by treaty)
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%
note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats
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 - Fianna Fail 29,
Fine Gael 16, Labor Party 4, Progressive Democrats 4, others 7; 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, Green Alliance 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: Communist Party of Ireland [Michael
O'RIORDAN]; Democratic Left ; Fianna Fail [Bertie
AHERN]; Fine Gael ; Green Alliance ;
Labor Party ; Progressive Democrats ; Sinn
Fein ; The Workers' Party
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, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM,
UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, 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: (202) 462-3939
FAX: (202) 232-5993
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 4
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (1) 668-7122
FAX: (1) 668-9946
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: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent
economy with growth averaging a robust 9% in 1995-99. Agriculture,
once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which
accounts for 39% of GDP and 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. The
unemployment rate has been halved; job creation remains 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. The construction and other sectors are
beginning to press against capacity, and growth is expected to drop in
2000, perhaps by 1 percentage point.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $73.7 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.4% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 39%
services: 56% (1998)
Population below poverty line: 10% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1999)
Labor force: 1.77 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 63%, industry 28%, agriculture
9% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1999)
Budget:
revenues: $25.3 billion
expenditures: $20.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $2
billion (1999)
Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
crystal; software
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 19.715 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 94.12%
hydro: 4.63%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.25% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 18.415 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 100 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 180 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat;
beef, dairy products
Exports: $66 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products
Exports - partners: EU 68% (UK 22%, Germany 15%, France 8%), US 15%
(1998)
Imports: $44 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and
equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles,
clothing
Imports - partners: EU 54% (UK 31%, Germany 6%, France 5%), US 16%,
Japan 7%, Singapore 4% (1998)
Debt - external: $11 billion (1998)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $240 million (1999)
Currency: 1 Irish pound = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Irish pounds per US$1 - 0.9865 (January 2000), 0.9374
(1999), 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency the euro, which is now being used at a fixed rate of 0.787564
Irish pounds per euro; the euro has replaced the pound in many
financial and business transactions; it will replace the local
currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Ireland:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,642,541 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 941,775 (1999)
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 106, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 2.55 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.47 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (1999)
@Ireland:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,947 km
broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double
track) (1998)
Highways:
total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 700 km (limited for commercial traffic) (1998)
Pipelines: natural gas 225 km (1998)
Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway,
Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Merchant marine:
total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 100,639 GRT/115,793 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 27, container 2, short-sea passenger 1
(1999 est.)
Airports: 44 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 25 (1999 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: 994,040 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 801,975 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 33,303 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $732 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY98)
@Ireland: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)