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-controlled Government
Religions
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages
French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Exports
crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%
External Debt
$50,260,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,176 (2008), 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
8.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Area
245,857 km sq
438,317 km sq
Coastline
320 km
58 km
Climate
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
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
