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Republic of Iraq

News

May 15, 2008: According to the CIA's World Factbook, Iraq has 6,019,795 men fit for military service (ages 16-49).

Geography

Between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 58 kilometers of coastline on the northwestern end of the Persian Gulf. Mostly desert, and extremely hot in the summer. Capital: Baghdad.

Pronunciation

ear-rack, not eye-rack.

Government

An interim government was appointed on June 1, 2004.

Economy

Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.

Estimated per capita GDP:
2007 $3,600 (Ranks 154)

GDP annual growth rate estimated for 2007: 5.0 percent. (Ranks 112th)

Oil production estimated for 2005: 2.093 million barrels per day.

GDP growth estimated for 2005: 2.4 percent (although per capita GDP declined - many more births than deaths).

Unemployment for 2005: 25 to 30 percent - numbers close to that of the Great Depression in the United States.

Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP: 8.6 (2006).

CIA Factbook: "Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings."

Deaths and Births estimated per 1,000 persons

2008 deaths 5.14, births 30.77
2007 deaths 5.26, births 31.44
2005 deaths 5.49, births 32.50
2004 deaths 5.66, births 33.09
2003 deaths 5.84, births 33.66

Population

The July 2008 estimate: 28.22 million, up from 26.07 million in 2005. Growth rate: 2.562 percent per year.

According to Factbook figures for 2004, on an average day in Iraq 394 people died and 2,296 were born, an increase of 1,902 people per day.  

Health

Infant mortality estimated for July 2008: 45.43, down from 50.25 in 2005 (deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births).

Average life expectancy estimated for 2008: 69.62, up from 67.49 in 2005.

Internet Users

For 2002 these were estimated at 25,000.

SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.