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
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages
Tongan, English
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Exports
squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%
External Debt
$104,600,000 $
$50,790,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)
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
0.900%
8.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Area
747 km sq
438,317 km sq
Coastline
419 km
58 km
Climate
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
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
