Iraq Overview (as of April 2004)
text
and images courtesy of the cia
world factbook
Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied
by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared
a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over
the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in
1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series
of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest
being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive
and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait,
but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War
of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security
Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction
and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued
Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years
resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster
of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq, helping
to restore degraded infrastructure and facilitating the establishment
of a freely elected government.
Climate: 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
Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
Turkey Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah Zhur 3,607 m or
Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m
Environment - current issues: government water control projects have
drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying
up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population
of Marsh Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has
been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat
poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air
and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification
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
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional
short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short
form: Al Iraq
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