Iraq (2001) | Cook Islands (2006) | |
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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 | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
41.64% (male 4,934,340; female 4,781,206) 15-64 years: 55.28% (male 6,528,854; female 6,368,823) 65 years and over: 3.08% (male 335,953; female 382,809) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)
15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep | copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
Airports | 110 (2000 est.) | 9 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
76 over 3,047 m: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
34 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 12 (2000 est.) |
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total:
437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km |
total: 236.7 sq km
land: 236.7 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Idaho | 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent 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 (1980-1988). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991. The victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control. 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. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions. | Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. |
Birth rate | 34.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 21 births/1,000 population (2001 census) |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $70.95 million
expenditures: $69.05 million; including capital expenditures of $5.744 million (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | Baghdad | name: Avarua
geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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 | tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March |
Coastline | 58 km | 120 km |
Constitution | 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted | 4 August 1965 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands |
Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD) | - |
Death rate | 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $139 billion (2000 est.) | $141 million (1996 est.) |
Dependency status | - | self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands |
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: [964] (1) 718-9267; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297 | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none; note - Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Akram AL DOURI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066 | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $327.5 million (1995) | $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) |
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. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. 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 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. Oil exports are now more than 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. | Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing about 70% of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Island's leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.361 billion kWh (1999) | 34.46 million kWh (2005 est.) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 29.42 billion kWh (1999) | 28 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
97.96% hydro: 2.04% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 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 Shi'a Muslims, who have 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 Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% | Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate - Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,910 (December 1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 910 (December 1996), 3,000 (December 1995); note - subject to wide fluctuations | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979), Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad Husayn al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah al-HUWAYSH (since NA July 2001) 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% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005), representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister |
Exports | $21.8 billion (2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | crude oil | copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing |
Exports - partners | Russia, France, Switzerland, China (2000) | Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $57 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
6% industry: 13% services: 81% (1993 est.) |
agriculture: 15.1%
industry: 9.6% services: 75.3% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 15% (2000 est.) | 0.1% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 33 00 N, 44 00 E | 21 14 S, 159 46 W |
Geography - note | - | the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km |
Heliports | 4 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
45,550 km paved: 38,400 km unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $13.8 billion (2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | food, medicine, manufactures | foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
Imports - partners | Egypt, Russia, France, Vietnam (2000) | New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2004) |
Independence | 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) | none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 1% (2002) |
Industries | petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing | fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 60.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 100% (2000 est.) | 2.1% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EAPC, 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 | ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 25,500 sq km (1993 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Court of Cassation | High Court |
Labor force | 4.4 million (1989) | 6,820 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture: 29%
industry: 15% services: 56% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total:
3,631 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
12% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 79% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 8.33% other: 75% (2005) |
Languages | Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian | English (official), Maori |
Legal system | based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on New Zealand law and English common law |
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 27 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA |
bicameral Parliament consisting of a lower house or Legislative Assembly with 25 seats (24 seats representing districts of the Cook Islands and one seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and an upper house or House of Ariki made up of traditional leaders
elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1 note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
66.95 years male: 65.92 years female: 68.03 years (2001 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 70.7% female: 45% (1995 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Middle East | Oceania |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
not specified territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
Merchant marine | total:
30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 453,273 GRT/779,662 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 48,422 GRT/51,900 DWT
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 5 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 3) (2006) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request |
Military branches | Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam | no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster Management (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
5,902,215 (2001 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
3,301,880 (2001 est.) |
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Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
274,035 (2001 est.) |
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National holiday | Revolution Day, 17 July (1968) | Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) |
Nationality | noun:
Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi |
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander |
Natural hazards | dust storms, sandstorms, floods | typhoons (November to March) |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
People - note | - | 2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017 |
Pipelines | crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn, central party leader] | Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE] |
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 | NA |
Population | 23,331,985 (July 2001 est.) | 21,388 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.84% (2001 est.) | -1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census) |
Ports and harbors | Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 4.85 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
2,032 km standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge note: rail link between Iraq and Syria restored in 2000 after 19 years |
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Religions | Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3% | Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census) |
Sex ratio | 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: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
107 male(s)/female (2001 census) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | general assessment:
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 |
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 675,000 (1997) | 6,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001) | 1,500 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (1997) | 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) |
Terrain | mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey | low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
Total fertility rate | 4.75 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.1 children born/woman (2001 census) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 13.1% (2005) |
Waterways | 1,015 km
note: 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 boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war |
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