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Compare Bulgaria (2005) - Iraq (2006)

Compare Bulgaria (2005) z Iraq (2006)

 Bulgaria (2005)Iraq (2006)
 BulgariaIraq
Administrative divisions 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol 18 governorates (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
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 539,005/female 512,762)


15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,516,368/female 2,599,524)


65 years and over: 17.2% (male 531,008/female 751,682) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,398,645/female 5,231,760)


15-64 years: 57.3% (male 7,776,257/female 7,576,726)


65 years and over: 3% (male 376,700/female 423,295) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry
Airports 213 (2004 est.) 110 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 128


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 19


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 92 (2004 est.)
total: 77


over 3,047 m: 20


2,438 to 3,047 m: 37


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 6


under 914 m: 9 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 85


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)
total: 33


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 13


under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Area total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
total: 437,072 sq km


land: 432,162 sq km


water: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Tennessee slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Background The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004. 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 ruled the country, the latest was 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 led to 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, while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004, to the Iraqi Interim Government (IG), which governed under the Transitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL, elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was charged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which was approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An election under the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) was held in December 2005. The CoR approval in the selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the transition from the ITG to Iraq's full-term government.
Birth rate 9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 31.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $9.67 billion


expenditures: $9.619 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $19.3 billion


expenditures: $24 billion; including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2005 budget)
Capital Sofia name: Baghdad


geographic coordinates: 33 21 N, 44 25 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October
Climate temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers 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
Coastline 354 km 58 km
Constitution adopted 12 July 1991 ratified on 15 October 2005
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq


conventional short form: Iraq


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah


local short form: Al Iraq
Death rate 14.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $16.1 billion (November 2004 est.) $92.33 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW


embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407


mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740


telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100


FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230
chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD


embassy: Baghdad


mailing address: APO AE 09316


telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular Section


FAX: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA


chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174


FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973


consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York


consulate(s): Los Angeles
chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI


chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500


FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
Disputes - international none coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq
Economic aid - recipient $300 million (2000 est.) more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)
Economy - overview Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc play an important role in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German D-mark and the negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 4% growth since 2000 and has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria. Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. 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. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996, helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per capita output and living standards were still well below the pre-1991 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure. Although a comparatively small amount of capital plant was damaged during the hostilities, looting, insurgent attacks, and sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuild the economy. Attacks on key economic facilities - especially oil pipelines and infrastructure - have prevented Iraq from reaching projected export volumes, but total government revenues have been higher than anticipated due to high oil prices. Despite political uncertainty, Iraq has established the institutions needed to implement economic policy, has successfully concluded a three-stage debt reduction agreement with the Paris Club, and is working toward a Standby Arrangement with the IMF. The Standby Arrangement would clear the way for continued debt relief from the Paris Club.
Electricity - consumption 32.71 billion kWh (2002) 33.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 8.3 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 960 million kWh (2002) 2.02 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 43.07 billion kWh (2002) 31.7 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: unnamed 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 air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes 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
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
party to: Law of the Sea


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census) Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Exchange rates leva per US dollar - 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000)


note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev
New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ivaylo KALFIN (since 16 August 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly


election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67
chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the Presidency Council)


head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI (since 20 May 2006)


cabinet: 37 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI, and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI


elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives
Exports NA 1.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels crude oil (83.9%), crude materials excluding fuels (8.0%), food and live animals (5.0%)
Exports - partners Italy 13.1%, Germany 11.6%, Turkey 9.3%, Belgium 6.1%, Greece 5.6%, US 5.3%, France 4.9% (2004) US 49.3%, Italy 10.3%, Spain 6.2%, Canada 5.6% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed 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, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.5%


industry: 30.1%


services: 58.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 7.3%


industry: 66.6%


services: 26.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5.3% (2004 est.) -3% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 43 00 N, 25 00 E 33 00 N, 44 00 E
Geography - note strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) 8 (2006)
Highways total: 37,077 km


paved: 34,111 km (including 328 km of expressways)


unpaved: 2,966 km (2002)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4.5%


highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions -
Imports NA NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners Germany 15.1%, Italy 10.2%, Russia 7.9%, Greece 7.5%, Turkey 6.9%, France 4.4% (2004) Turkey 23.2%, Syria 23%, US 11.6%, Jordan 5.1% (2005)
Independence 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire) 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government
Industrial production growth rate 5.2% (2004 est.) NA%
Industries electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing
Infant mortality rate total: 20.55 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 42.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2004 est.) 33% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 8,000 sq km (1998 est.) 35,250 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary) Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the Presidency Council
Labor force 3.398 million (2004 est.) 7.4 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd quarter 2004 est.) agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,808 km


border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km
total: 3,650 km


border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Land use arable land: 40.02%


permanent crops: 1.92%


other: 58.06% (2001)
arable land: 13.12%


permanent crops: 0.61%


other: 86.27% (2005)
Languages Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census) Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Legal system civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, ATAKA 21, UDF 20, DSB 17, BPU 13
unicameral Council of Representatives or Mejlis Watani (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional-representation system)


elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives that will finalize a permanent constitution


election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.03 years


male: 68.41 years


female: 75.87 years (2005 est.)
total population: 69.01 years


male: 67.76 years


female: 70.31 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99.1%


female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 40.4%


male: 55.9%


female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Map references Europe Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: not specified
Merchant marine total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 13, chemical tanker 4, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3


registered in other countries: 45 (2005)
total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,796 GRT/101,317 DWT


by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)
Military branches Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $356 million (FY02) $1.34 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2003) NA
National holiday Liberation Day, 3 March (1878) Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim Government has yet to declare a new national holiday
Nationality noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
noun: Iraqi(s)


adjective: Iraqi
Natural hazards earthquakes, landslides dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Natural resources bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Net migration rate -4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004) gas 2,228 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,506 km; refined products 1,637 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Attack National Union [Volen Siderov]; ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF) Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid al-MUSA]; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI, chairman]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Muslim Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman al-DARI, secretary general]; National Iraqi Front [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM]


note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Iraqi Consensus Front, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and United Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas an insurgency against the Iraqi Transitional Government and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq
Population 7,450,349 (July 2005 est.) 26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 13.4% (2002 est.) NA%
Population growth rate -0.89% (2005 est.) 2.66% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Burgas, Varna -
Radio broadcast stations AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001) after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)
Railways total: 4,294 km


standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)
total: 2,200 km


standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Religions Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census) Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal formerly 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: extensive but antiquated


domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay


international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability and the construction of mobile and satellite communication facilities


domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during the 2003 war continue, but sabotage remains a problem; additional switching capacity is improving access; cellular service is available and centered on three regional GSM networks, improving country-wide connectivity


international: country code - 964; 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; despite a new satellite gateway, international calls outside of Baghdad remain problematic
Telephones - main lines in use 2,868,200 (2002) 1,034,200 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,597,500 (2002) 574,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001) 21 (2004)
Terrain mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Total fertility rate 1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 12.7% (2004 est.) 25% to 30% (2005 est.)
Waterways 470 km (2004) 5,279 km


note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)
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