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
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Religions
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)
Languages
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
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)
guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 4,337.7 (2008 est.), 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
8.600%
1.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Area
438,317 km sq
406,752 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
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
