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
11 July 1921 (from China)
Religions
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004)
Languages
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)
Exports
crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%
New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,176 (2008), 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)
togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - 1,170 (2007), 1,165 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
8.600%
1.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
4
Location
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Area
438,317 km sq
1,564,116 km sq
Coastline
58 km
0 km
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
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
