Quick Data on Iraq
Short Name | Iraq |
Capital | Baghdad |
Long Name | Republic of Iraq |
Country Code | IZ |
Continent | Middle East |
Total Area | 438,317 sq km |
Population | 38,872,655 |
Language | Arabic, Kurdish |
Nationality | Iraqi(s) |
Geography of Iraq
As a country in Middle East, with coordinates at 33 00 N, 44 00 E, Iraq neighbors Iran 1599 km, Jordan 179 km, Kuwait 254 km, Saudi Arabia 811 km, Syria 599 km, Turkey 367 km. The terrain in Iraq is described as mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey, with an average elevation point of 312 m. The climate of Iraq: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq.
Surface Total | 438,317 sq km |
Land Surface | 437,367 sq km |
Water Surface | 950 sq km |
Land Boundaries | 3,809 km |
Neighbor Countries | Iran 1599 km, Jordan 179 km, Kuwait 254 km, Saudi Arabia 811 km, Syria 599 km, Turkey 367 km |
Coastline | 58 km |
Lowest Elevation Point | Persian Gulf 0 m |
Highest Elevation Point | Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for “Black Tent”) 3,611 m |
Resources of Iraq
The country enjoys many types of natural resources, with the main ones being petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur. The agricultural land occupies 18.10% of Iraq, while the land covered with forests is estimated at 1.90%.
Percent of Total Land | Surface Sq km | Data | |
Agricultural Land | 18.10% | 79,163 sq km | 2011 est. |
Irrigated Land | 35,250 sq km | 2012 | |
Forest Land | 1.90% | 8,310 sq km | 2011 est. |
Other Land | 80.00% | 349,894 sq km | 2011 est. |
Population of Iraq
The population of the country is estimated at 38,872,655 people, with the biggest urban area having 7.144 million BAGHDAD (capital), 1.630 million Mosul, 1.352 million Basra, 1.013 million Kirkuk, 874,000 Najaf, 846,000 Erbil (2020). Known as Iraqi(s), the people from Iraq come from diversified ethnic groups such as Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, other 5% (includes Turkmen, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka’i, Bedouin, Romani, Assyrian, Circassian, Sabaean-Mandaean, Persian). The official language is Arabic, Kurdish. Religions: Muslim (official) 95-98% (Shia 64-69%, Sunni 29-34%), Christian 1% (includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Church of the East), other 1-4% (2015 est.).
Population | 38,872,655 |
Nationality | Iraqi(s) |
Official Language | Arabic, Kurdish |
Other Languages | Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect), Syriac (Neo-Aramaic), and Armenian are official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a majority of the population |
Birth Rate | 25.7 births / 1000 population (2020 est.) |
Death Rate | 3.9 deaths / 1000 population (2020 est.) |
Urban Population | 70.90% of total population (2020) |
Physicians Density | 0.84 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
Hospital Beds Density | 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
Governing Type of Iraq
Iraq is a federal parliamentary republic. The legal system makes use of mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law.
Governing Type | federal parliamentary republic |
Citizenship by Birth | no |
Citizenship by Descent | at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq |
Dual Citizenship | yes |
Residency Requirement for Naturalization | 10 years |
Suffrage Vote | 18 years of age; universal |
Economy of Iraq
From a population total of 38,872,655, the labor force is 8.9 million (2010 est.). The main products in agriculture are: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry. Among the main industries considerable for the economy are: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing. Its exports cover crude oil 99%, crude materials excluding fuels, food, live animals. The main import products are: food, medicine, manufactures.
Exports | $61.4 billion (2017 est.) |
Imports | $39.47 billion (2017 est.) |
Export Partners | India 21.2%, China 20.2%, US 15.8%, South Korea 9.4%, Greece 5.3%, Netherlands 4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2017) |
Import Partners | Turkey 27.8%, China 25.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Russia 4.3% (2017) |
GDP / Capita | $16,700 (2017 est.) |
Electricity Production | 75.45 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electrification Rate | electrification – total population: 100% (2016) |
Internet Users | 8,098,401 |
Internet Penetration Rate | 21.20% (July 2016 est.) |
For latest imports and exports data we recommend checking the website for the National Bank of Iraq, statistics sectio