World Atlas 2010 (4th edition)

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

239


Iraq


ASIA


FACTFILE


OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Iraq


DATE OF FORMATION: 1932


CAPITAL: Baghdad


POPULATION: 30.7 million


TOTAL AREA: 168,753 sq. miles


(437,072 sq. km)


DENSITY: 182 people per sq. mile


LANGUAGES: Arabic*, Kurdish,


Turkic languages, Armenian, Assyrian


RELIGIONS: Shi’a Muslim 60%, Sunni


Muslim 35%, other 5%


ETHNIC MIX: Arab 80%, Kurdish 15%,


Turkmen 3%, other 2%


GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary system


CURRENCY: New Iraqi dinar = 1000 fils


Oil-rich Iraq is situated in the central Middle East. The


last 50 years have been dominated by dictatorship, war, and civil


strife. A US-led Coalition ousted Saddam Hussein in April 2003.


GEOGRAPHY


Mainly desert. The Tigris and


Euphrates rivers water fertile regions and


create the southern marshland.


Mountains along northeast border.


CLIMATE


Southern deserts have hot, dry


summers and mild winters. North has dry


summers, but winters can be harsh in the


mountains. Rainfall is low.


PEOPLE & SOCIETY


Carved out of remnants of the


Ottoman Empire, Iraq is home to Arab


Muslims (mainly Shi’a, some Sunni),


northern Kurds (who were persecuted


under Saddam’s regime), and smaller


minorities. Since Saddam’s removal,


sectarian violence has overshadowed the


new democratic state. Now that security


is improving, Coalition forces are pulling


out. After years of war and sanctions,


poverty is widespread.


THE ECONOMY


Economy and infrastructure have


been destroyed. Given stability and aid


for reconstruction, hopes of recovery


rest on massive oil reserves.


INSIGHT: As Mesopotamia, Iraq


was the site where the Sumerians


established the world’s first civilization


100 km

100 miles

0

0

3000m/9843ft
2000m/6562ft
1000m/3281ft
500m/1640ft
200m/656ft
Sea Level

KUWAIT

SYRIA

TURKEY

IRAN

SAUDI
ARABIA

Jordan


Syrian
Desert

Ti
gr
is

Euph
r
ates

Euphrate
s

T
igri
s
Buíayrat ath Tharthár

Al Ba§rah

Al Maw§il Arbíl
As Sulaymáníyah

An Najaf

Ar Ramádí

Kirkúk

Karbalá’

An Ná§iríyah

Al ‘Amárah

Ba‘qúbah
BAGHDAD
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