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Compare Jordan (2005) - Iraq (2003)

Compare Jordan (2005) z Iraq (2003)

 Jordan (2005)Iraq (2003)
 JordanIraq
Administrative divisions 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba 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: 34.5% (male 1,015,084/female 973,220)


15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,897,643/female 1,656,570)


65 years and over: 3.8% (male 106,168/female 111,047) (2005 est.)
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, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
Airports 17 (2004 est.) 150 (2002); note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003 war
Airports - with paved runways total: 15


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
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: 92,300 sq km


land: 91,971 sq km


water: 329 sq km
total: 437,072 sq km


land: 432,162 sq km


water: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Indiana slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Background For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in April 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government's achievements to respect political and human rights and improve living standards. 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.
Birth rate 21.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $3.483 billion


expenditures: $3.616 billion, including capital expenditures of $782 million (2004 est.)
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital 'Amman Baghdad
Climate mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) 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 26 km 58 km
Constitution 1 January 1952; amended 1974, 1976, 1984 in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Country name conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


conventional short form: Jordan


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah


local short form: Al Urdun


former: Transjordan
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq


conventional short form: Iraq


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah


local short form: Al Iraq
Currency - Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Death rate 2.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $7.32 billion (2004 est.) $120 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David M. HALE


embassy: Abdoun, Amman


mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200


telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101


FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102
in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR


chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664


FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Disputes - international 2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation 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
Economic aid - recipient ODA, $500 million (2004 est.) $327.5 million (1995)
Economy - overview Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free trade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most of its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations forcing the Jordanian government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote job creation. 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.
Electricity - consumption 7.094 billion kWh (2002) 33.49 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 2 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 7.307 billion kWh (2002) 36.01 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 98.4%


hydro: 1.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
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 limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Exchange rates Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000) 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: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to inherit the throne


head of government: Prime Minister Adnan BADRAN (since 7 April 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Marwan al-MUASHER and Hisham al-TEL (since 3 July 2005)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
chief of state: in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables, manufactures, pharmaceuticals crude oil
Exports - partners US 28.9%, Iraq 17.6%, India 7.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.6% (2004) 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 calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I 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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $58 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.4%


industry: 26%


services: 71.5% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 6%


industry: 13%


services: 81% (1993 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.1% (2004 est.) -3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 31 00 N, 36 00 E 33 00 N, 44 00 E
Geography - note strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) 5 (2002)
Highways total: 7,301 km


paved: 7,301 km


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
total: 45,550 km


paved: 38,399 km


unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.3%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports 100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 19.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 6.8%, US 6.8% (2004) 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 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 5% (2004 est.) NA%
Industries phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: 17.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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) 3.2% (2004 est.) 70% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO 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 750 sq km (1998 est.) 35,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Labor force 1.41 million (2004 est.) 6.5 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.) agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,635 km


border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 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: 2.67%


permanent crops: 1.83%


other: 95.5% (2001)
arable land: 11.89%


permanent crops: 0.78%


other: 87.33% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Legal system based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front (IAF) 10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF candidate


note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001 elections until 2003
in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.24 years


male: 75.75 years


female: 80.88 years (2005 est.)
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: 91.3%


male: 95.9%


female: 86.3% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 40.4%


male: 55.9%


female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Map references Middle East Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: not specified


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, container 2, passenger/cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4


foreign-owned: 12 (Greece 3, UAE 9)


registered in other countries: 14 (2005)
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 branches Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command (SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations 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 $1.46 billion (2004) $1.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 14.6% (2004) 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 Independence Day, 25 May (1946) Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)
Nationality noun: Jordanian(s)


adjective: Jordanian
noun: Iraqi(s)


adjective: Iraqi
Natural hazards droughts; periodic earthquakes dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Natural resources phosphates, potash, shale oil petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Net migration rate 6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004) gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional National Party [Ahmad al-SHUNNAQ, secretary general; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; Islamic al-Walsat Party [Marwan al-FAURI], secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [leader NA]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Tariq al-KAYYALI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary general] in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Political pressure groups and leaders Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general] in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Population 5,759,732 (July 2005 est.) 24,683,313 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 30% (2001 est.) NA
Population growth rate 2.56% (2005 est.) 2.78% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Al 'Aqabah Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways total: 505 km


narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)
total: 1,963 km


standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.) 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: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female


total population: 1.1 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: 0.88 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 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: service has improved recently with increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public


domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available


international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
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
Telephones - main lines in use 622,600 (2003) 675,000 (1997); note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April war
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,325,300 (2003) NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)
Television broadcast stations 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995) 13 (1997); note - unknown number were destroyed during the March-April 2003 war
Terrain mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Total fertility rate 2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004 est.) 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
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