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
12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
Religions
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)
Languages
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Exports
crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits
External Debt
$50,790,000,000 $
$72,270,000,000 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)
Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 44.439 (2008 est.), 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
8.600%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Area
438,317 km sq
300,000 km sq
Coastline
58 km
36,289 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
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
