Compare Iraq (2003) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2004)

Compare Iraq (2003) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2004)

	Iraq (2003)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2004)

Administrative divisions	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: 40.7% (male 5,103,669; female 4,946,443) 15-64 years: 56.3% (male 7,033,268; female 6,855,644) 65 years and over: 3% (male 348,790; female 395,499) (2003 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep	-
Airports	150 (2002); note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003 war	1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 77 over 3,047 m: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 73 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 11 (2002)	-
Area	total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative	slightly more than twice the size of Idaho	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA	-
Capital	Baghdad	-
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 marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	58 km	698 km
Constitution	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	-
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: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	Iraqi dinar (IQD)	-
Death rate	5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Debt - external	$120 billion (2002 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iran over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues from eight-year war persist; land and Shatt al Arab boundary demarcation put an end to claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands, but no maritime boundary exists with Kuwait in the Persian Gulf; Iraq protests Turkey's hydrological projects to regulate the Tigris and Euphrates rivers upstream	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricted access to the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	$327.5 million (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 from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities ended 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 beginning 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. Oil exports have recently been more than three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program have been deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. 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 prewar 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 and the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption	33.49 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	36.01 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
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	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 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	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification	-
Ethnic groups	Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%	-
Exchange rates	Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.31 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31 (2000), 0.31 (1999), 0.31 (1998), note: fixed official rate since 1982; market rate subject to wide fluctuations	-
Executive branch	chief of state: in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Charles A. HAMILTON (since 2002); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	crude oil	-
Exports - partners	US 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands 6.4%, Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 4.4% (2002)	-
Fiscal year	calendar year	-
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	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $58 billion (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 6% industry: 13% services: 81% (1993 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-3% (2002 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	33 00 N, 44 00 E	6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note	strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Heliports	5 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 45,550 km paved: 38,399 km unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)	total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	food, medicine, manufactures	-
Imports - partners	Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%, Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002)	-
Independence	3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-
Industries	petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 61.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	70% (2002 est.)	-
International organization participation	ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	35,250 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	-
Labor force	6.5 million (2002 est.)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	-
Land boundaries	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	0 km
Land use	arable land: 11.89% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 87.33% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Languages	Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian	-
Legal system	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 67.81 years male: 66.7 years female: 68.99 years (2003 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.4% male: 55.9% female: 24.4% (2003 est.)	-
Location	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Middle East	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 119,433 GRT/170,221 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam; note - with the defeat of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, the data listed in the following entries for Iraq is invalid, but is retained here for historical purposes and until replaced by valid information related to the future Iraqi Government (April 2003)	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$1.3 billion (FY00)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA%	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 6,339,458 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 292,930 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)	-
Nationality	noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi	-
Natural hazards	dust storms, sandstorms, floods	NA
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Pipelines	gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2003)	-
Political parties and leaders	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	-
Population	24,683,313 (July 2003 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	-
Population growth rate	2.78% (2003 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality	Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations	AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 1,963 km standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)	-
Religions	Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%	-
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 (2003 est.)	-
Suffrage	formerly 18 years of age; universal; note - in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition	-
Telephone system	general assessment: an unknown number of telecommunication facilities were damaged during the March-April 2003 war 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: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	675,000 (1997); note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April war	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)	-
Television broadcast stations	13 (1997); note - unknown number were destroyed during the March-April 2003 war	1 (1997)
Terrain	mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	NA%	-
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	-

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.