Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Indonesiaconventional short form: Indonesialocal long form: Republik Indonesialocal short form: Indonesiaformer: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Jakartageographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 48 Etime difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones
Administrative divisions:30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 specialregions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*,Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jakarta Raya**,Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat,Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, KepulauanBangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, NusaTenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat,Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, SulawesiUtara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on1 January 2001, the 440 districts or regencies have become the keyadministrative units responsible for providing most governmentservices
Independence:17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949(Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)
National holiday:Independence Day, 17 August (1945)
Constitution:August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 andProvisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series ofamemdments concluded in 2002
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenousconcepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age
Executive branch:chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmenthead of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president and vice president were elected for five-yearterms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry;last held 20 September 2004 (next to be held in 2009)election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected presidentreceiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%
Legislative branch:House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550seats; members elected to serve five-year terms); House of RegionalRepresentatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionallymandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issuesaffecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly (MajelisPermusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating andimpeaching president and in amending constitution; consists ofpopularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulatenational policyelections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does notalways follow the percentage of votes received by parties
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by thepresident from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); aseparate Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi was invested bythe president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Courtassumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lowercourt system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; LaborCourt under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning inJanuary 2006
Political parties and leaders:Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA];Democratic Party or PD [Subur BUDHISANTOSO]; Functional Groups Partyor Golkar [Yusuf KALLA]; Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle orPDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [AlwiSHIHAB]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; ProsperousJustice Party or PKS [Tifatul SEMBIRING]; United Development Partyor PPP [Hamzah HAZ]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC,NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922 consulate(s) general: Surabaya consulate(s): Medan; Denpasar (consular agency)
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to theflag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag ofPoland, which is white (top) and red
Economy Indonesia
Economy - overview:Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has struggled to overcome theAsian financial crisis, and still grapples with high unemployment, afragile banking sector, endemic corruption, inadequateinfrastructure, a poor investment climate, and unequal resourcedistribution among regions. Indonesia became a net oil importer in2004 because of declining production and lack of new explorationinvestment. In late December 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami took131,000 lives with another 37,000 missing, left some 570,000displaced persons, and caused an estimated $4.5 billion in damagesand losses. The cost of subsidizing domestic fuel placed increasingstrain on the budget in 2005, and combined with indecisive monetarypolicy, contributed to a run on the currency in August 2005,prompting the government to enact a 126% average fuel price hike inOctober. The resulting inflation and interest rate hikes dampenedgrowth prospects in 2006. However, in October 2006, Jakarta paid offits outstanding IMF debt, incurred during the 1997-98 Asianfinancial crisis, four years ahead of schedule. Keys to futuregrowth remain internal reform, building up the confidence ofinternational and domestic investors, and strong global economicgrowth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$869.7 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$270 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$3,600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.4% industry: 45.8% services: 40.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 94.2 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 46.5% industry: 11.8% services: 41.7% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:11.8% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:16.7% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:34.3 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):10.5% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $54.3 billionexpenditures: $57.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:49.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil,copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs
Industries:petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining,cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:4.8% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:120.2 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 2.6% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:105.4 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:1.061 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.084 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:431,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:345,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:4.6 billion bbl (2005 est.)
Natural gas - production:83.4 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:22.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:37.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:2.557 trillion cu m (2005)
Current account balance:$2.016 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$83.64 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber
Exports - partners:Japan 21.1%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.2%, South Korea 8.3%, China7.8%, Malaysia 4% (2005)
Imports:$62.02 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Singapore 16.4%, Japan 12%, China 10.1%, US 6.7%, Thailand 6%,South Korea 5%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Australia 4.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$34.58 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$135 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$43 billionnote: Indonesia finished its IMF program in December 2003 but stillreceives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group on Indonesia(CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans for 2004 andagain in 2005; nearly $5 billion in aid money pledged by a varietybilateral, multilateral, and non-governmental organization (NGO)donors following the 2004 tsunami; money is slated for use in reliefand rebuilding efforts in Aceh (2002)
Currency (code):Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
Currency code:IDR
Exchange rates:Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004),8,577.1 (2003), 9,311.2 (2002), 10,260.9 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, butstarting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year
Communications Indonesia
Telephones - main lines in use:12.772 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:46.91 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: domestic service fair, international servicegooddomestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;domestic satellite communications systeminternational: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)
Radios:31.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 54 local TV stations note: 11 national TV networks; each with their own group of local, often low power, transmitters (2006)
Televisions:13.75 million (1997)
Internet country code:.id
Internet hosts:170,834 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):24 (2000)
Internet users:16 million (2005)
Transportation Indonesia
Airports: 662 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 159 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 49 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 42 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 503 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 471 (2006)
Heliports:23 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 944 km; condensate/gas 135 km; gas 9,175 km; oil 7,684km; oil/gas/water 89 km; refined products 1,367 km (2006)
Railways:total: 6,458 kmnarrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km0.750-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 368,360 kmpaved: 213,649 kmunpaved: 154,711 km (2002)
Waterways:21,579 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 824 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,773,771 GRT/4,887,614 DWTby type: bulk carrier 43, cargo 451, chemical tanker 21, container50, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 41,passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker 132, refrigerated cargo 2, rollon/roll off 12, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2foreign-owned: 30 (France 1, Germany 1, Japan 3, South Korea 1,Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 17, Switzerland 3, UK 2)registered in other countries: 122 (Bahamas 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 1,Cambodia 1, Georgia 1, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Panama 50, Singapore56, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang,Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok
Military Indonesia
Military branches:Indonesia Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army(TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL, includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force(TNI-AU)note: the TNI is directly subordinate to the president but thegovernment is making efforts to incorporate it into the Departmentof Defense
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;conscript service obligation - two years (2002)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 60,543,028females age 18-49: 59,981,730 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 48,687,234females age 18-49: 50,252,911 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 2,201,047females age 18-49: 2,139,573 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.3 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3% (2004)
Transnational Issues Indonesia
Disputes - international:East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey,and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the boundaryremain unresolved; many East Timorese refugees who left in 2003still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Indonesia andEast Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral islandof Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which hinders a decision on a northernmaritime boundary; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australiasettled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issuesremain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in2002 left maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea indispute, culminating in hostile confrontations in March 2005 overconcessions to the Ambalat oil block; the ICJ decision has promptedIndonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on itssmaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 tofinalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by definingunresolved areas north of Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists,squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems forPapua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 570,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami) 500,000(government offensives against rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh,Central Kalimantan, Maluku, and Central Sulawesi Provinces); (2005)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Indonesia is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for women, children and men trafficked for the purposes ofsexual exploitation and forced labor; Indonesian victims aretrafficked to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Hong Kong,Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore; a significant number ofIndonesian women who go overseas each year to work as domesticservants or "cultural performers" are subjected to conditions ofinvoluntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; to aminimal extent, Indonesia is a destination for women from East Asia,Europe, and South America who are trafficked for sexualexploitation; there is extensive trafficking within Indonesia fromrural to urban metropolitan areas particularly for sexualexploitation and involuntary domestic servitudetier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Indonesia is placed on the Tier 2Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing effortsto combat trafficking
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer ofmethamphetamine and ecstasy
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Iran
Introduction Iran
Background:Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forcedinto exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocraticsystem of government with ultimate political authority nominallyvested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations havebeen strained since a group of Iranian students seized the USEmbassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraqthat eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashesbetween US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iranhas been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activitiesin Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to USeconomic sanctions and export controls because of its continuedinvolvement. Following the elections of a reformist president andMajlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform inresponse to popular dissatisfaction floundered as conservativepoliticians prevented reform measures from being enacted, increasedrepressive measures, and made electoral gains against reformers.Parliamentary elections in 2004 and the August 2005 inauguration ofa conservative stalwart as president, completed the reconsolidationof conservative power in Iran's government.
Geography Iran
Location:Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and theCaspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:32 00 N, 53 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 1.648 million sq kmland: 1.636 million sq kmwater: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:total: 5,440 kmborder countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
Coastline:2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in thePersian Gulfcontinental shelf: natural prolongation
Climate:mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain:rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 mhighest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,manganese, zinc, sulfur
Land use: arable land: 9.78% permanent crops: 1.29% other: 88.93% (2005)
Irrigated land:76,500 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
Environment - current issues:air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation;overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination);inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from rawsewage and industrial waste; urbanization
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of theSea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, whichare vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
People Iran
Population:68,688,433 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,204,785/female 8,731,429)15-64 years: 69% (male 24,133,919/female 23,245,255)65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,653,827/female 1,719,218) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 24.8 yearsmale: 24.6 yearsfemale: 25 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.1% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 40.3 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 40.49 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 70.26 yearsmale: 68.86 yearsfemale: 71.74 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.8 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:31,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:800 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Iranian(s)adjective: Iranian
Ethnic groups:Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Religions:Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,and Baha'i 2%
Languages:Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 79.4%male: 85.6%female: 73% (2003 est.)
Government Iran
Country name:conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iranconventional short form: Iranlocal long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iranlocal short form: Iranformer: Persia
Government type:theocratic republic
Capital:name: Tehrangeographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 26 Etime difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-eGharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-eShemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan
Independence:1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
National holiday:Republic Day, 1 April (1979)note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran includeRevolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925); and variousIslamic observances that change in accordance with the lunar-basedhejira calendar
Constitution:2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidencyand eliminate the prime ministership
Legal system:the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Suffrage:15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June1989)head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005)cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president withlegislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control overappointments to the more sensitive ministriesnote: also considered part of the Executive branch of government arethree oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts, a popularly electedbody of 86 religious scholars constitutionally charged withdetermining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing hisperformance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) ExpediencyCouncil or Council for the Discernment of Expediency is a policyadvisory and implementation board consisting of permanent andtemporary members representing all major government factions, someof whom are appointed by the Supreme Leader; the Council exertssupervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislativebranches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and theCouncil of Guardians disagree; 3) Council of Guardians or Council ofGuardians of the Constitution is a 12-member board of clerics andjurists serving six-year terms that determines whether proposedlegislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law; theCouncil also vets candidates for suitability and supervises nationalelectionselections: Supreme Leader appointed for life by the Assembly ofExperts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 17 June 2005 with atwo-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held in 2009)election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent ofvote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%
Legislative branch:unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly orMajles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats - formerly 270 seats; memberselected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004(by-elections next to be held in December 2006; general election tobe held in February 2008)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party -conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for
Judicial branch:Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionarycourt, and a special administrative court
Political parties and leaders:formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iranand most conservatives still prefer to work through politicalpressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalitioncalled the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties aswell as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achievedconsiderable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000;groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front(IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), SolidarityParty, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the IslamicRevolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society(Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majleselections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General Mehdi KARRUBIformed the National Trust Party; a new apparently conservativegroup, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in thenew Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders: political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala
International organization participation:ABEDA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073
Diplomatic representation from the US:none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; thenational emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in theshape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in thewhite band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script isrepeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11times along the top edge of the red band
Economy Iran
Economy - overview:Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector,over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that createmajor distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlledby the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale -workshops, farming, and services. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD hascontinued to follow the market reform plans of former PresidentRAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices inrecent years have enabled Iran to amass some $40 billion in foreignexchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such ashigh unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economydevoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains acontentious issue with leading Western nations.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$569.9 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$181.2 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.9% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,400 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.6% industry: 42.4% services: 46% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 23.68 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:11.2% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:40% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:43 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):13.5% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):30.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $48.82 billionexpenditures: $60.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $7.6billion (2005 est.)
Public debt:28.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairyproducts, wool; caviar
Industries:petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other constructionmaterials, food processing (particularly sugar refining andvegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:3% excluding oil (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:142.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:132.1 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:840 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:600 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production:3.979 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.425 million bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:133.3 billion bbl (2005 est.)
Natural gas - production:79 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:79 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:3.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - imports:4.92 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:26.62 trillion cu m (2005)
Current account balance:$13.27 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$55.42 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits andnuts, carpets
Exports - partners:Japan 16.6%, China 11%, Italy 5.8%, South Korea 5.7%, South Africa5.7%, Turkey 5.6%, Netherlands 4.5%, France 4.3% (2005)
Imports:$42.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, militarysupplies
Imports - partners:Germany 13.8%, UAE 8.3%, China 8.3%, Italy 7%, France 6.2%, SouthKorea 5.4%, Russia 4.8% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$45.46 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$19.06 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$408 million (2002 est.)
Currency (code):Iranian rial (IRR)
Currency code:IRR
Exchange rates:rials per US dollar - 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003),6,907 (2002), 1,753.6 (2001)note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regimesince unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Fiscal year:21 March - 20 March
Communications Iran
Telephones - main lines in use:18.986 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:7.222 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: inadequate, but currently being modernized andexpanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency andincreasing the volume of the urban service but also bringingtelephone service to several thousand villages, not presentlyconnecteddomestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone systemsince 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwaveradio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have beenbrought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systemshas approximately doubled; thousands of mobile cellular subscribersare being served; moreover, the technical level of the system hasbeen raised by the installation of thousands of digital switchesinternational: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relayto Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable toUAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijanthrough the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansionto Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and4 Inmarsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios:17 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:4.61 million (1997)
Internet country code:.ir
Internet hosts:5,242 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):100 (2002)
Internet users:7.5 million (2005)
Transportation Iran
Airports: 321 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 192 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 140 under 914 m: 43 (2006)
Heliports:15 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 17,099 km; liquidpetroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,521 km; refined products 7,808 km (2006)
Railways:total: 7,256 kmbroad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gaugestandard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 178,152 kmpaved: 118,115 km (including 751 km of expressways)unpaved: 60,037 km (2002)
Waterways:850 km (850 km on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia)(2006)
Merchant marine:total: 141 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWTby type: bulk carrier 39, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 12,liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker30, roll on/roll off 3foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)registered in other countries: 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14,Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Assaluyeh, Bushehr
Military Iran
Military branches:Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces,Navy, Air Force (Niruye Havayi Jomhuriye Islamiye Iran; includes airdefense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-eEnqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force(special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army);Law Enforcement Forces (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 18,319,545females age 18-49: 17,541,037 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 15,665,725females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 862,056females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.3 billion (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.3% (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues Iran
Disputes - international:Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries tothe Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritimeboundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth ofthe Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute TunbIslands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran standsalone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of theCaspian Sea into five equal sectors
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 952,802 (Afghanistan) 93,173 (Iraq)(2005)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for women and girls trafficked for the purposes of sexualexploitation and involuntary servitude; according to foreignobservers, women and girls are trafficked to Pakistan, Turkey, thePersian Gulf, and Europe for sexual exploitation, while boys fromBangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are trafficked through Iran enroute to Persian Gulf states where they are ultimately forced towork as camel jockeys, beggars, or laborers; Afghan women and girlsare trafficked to the country for forced marriages and sexualexploitation; women and children are also trafficked internally forthe purposes of forced marriage, sexual exploitation, andinvoluntary servitudetier rating: Tier 3 - Iran is downgraded to Tier 3 after persistent,credible reports of Iranian authorities punishing victims oftrafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution
Illicit drugs:despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a keytransshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domesticnarcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according toofficial Iranian statistics there are at least 2 million drug usersin the country; lacks anti-money-laundering laws
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Iraq
Introduction Iraq
Background:Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britainduring the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a Leagueof Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the nextdozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A"republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series ofmilitary strongmen ruled the country, the latest was SADDAM Husayn.Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costlyeight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, butwas expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War ofJanuary-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UNSecurity Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of massdestruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verificationinspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutionsover a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq inMarch 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalitionforces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructureand facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government,while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The CoalitionProvisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after theinvasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004,to the Iraqi Interim Government (IG), which governed under theTransitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL,elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) wereheld in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, theIraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA wascharged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which wasapproved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An electionunder the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives(CoR) was held in December 2005. The CoR approval in the selectionof most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked thetransition from the ITG to Iraq's full-term government.
Geography Iraq
Location:Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates:33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 437,072 sq kmland: 432,162 sq kmwater: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries:total: 3,650 kmborder countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, SaudiArabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Coastline:58 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: not specified
Climate:mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudlesssummers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkishborders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows thatmelt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding incentral and southern Iraq
Terrain:mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in southwith large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran andTurkey
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 mhighest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is not GundahZhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use: arable land: 13.12% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 86.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:35,250 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Environment - current issues:government water control projects have drained most of theinhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or divertingthe feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of MarshArabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has beendisplaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat posesserious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequatesupplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphratesrivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparianTurkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) anderosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Law of the Seasigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of thePersian Gulf
People Iraq
Population:26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,398,645/female 5,231,760)15-64 years: 57.3% (male 7,776,257/female 7,576,726)65 years and over: 3% (male 376,700/female 423,295) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 19.7 yearsmale: 19.6 yearsfemale: 19.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.66% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:31.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 42.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.01 yearsmale: 67.76 yearsfemale: 70.31 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Iraqi(s)adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups:Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Religions:Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages:Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 40.4%male: 55.9%female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
Government Iraq
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Iraqconventional short form: Iraqlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyahlocal short form: Al Iraq
Government type:transitional democracy
Capital:name: Baghdadgeographic coordinates: 33 21 N, 44 25 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October
Administrative divisions:18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, AlBasrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
Independence:3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under Britishadministration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition ProvisionalAuthority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government
National holiday:Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebratedunder the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim Government hasyet to declare a new national holiday
Constitution:ratified on 15 October 2005
Legal system:based on European civil and Islamic law under the frameworkoutlined in the Iraqi Constitution
Suffrage:formerly 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); VicePresidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise thePresidency Council)head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam al-ZUBAI (since20 May 2006)cabinet: 37 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plusPrime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI, and Deputy Prime Ministers BarhamSALIH and Salam al-ZUBAIelections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council ofRepresentatives
Legislative branch:unicameral Council of Representatives or Mejlis Watani (consistingof 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional-representationsystem)elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council ofRepresentatives that will finalize a permanent constitutionelection results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - NA; number of seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by thePresidency Council
Political parties and leaders:Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Assyrian Democratic Movement[Yunadim KANNA]; Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI];Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN];Da'wa Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA[Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid al-MUSA]; IraqiHizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democratsor IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP[Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; Iraqi National Accord orINA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI];Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayanal-Khalifawi al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM[Ahmad al-KUBAYSI, chairman]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO[Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF[Ayatollah Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party orKDP [Masud BARZANI]; Muslim Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulaymanal-DARI, secretary general]; National Iraqi Front [Salih al-MUTLAQ];National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI];Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; SupremeCouncil for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Azizal-HAKIM]note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Iraqi ConsensusFront, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and United Iraqi Alliancewere only electoral slates consisting of the representatives fromthe various Iraqi political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: an insurgency against the Iraqi Transitional Government and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq
International organization participation:ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS,NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDIchancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZADembassy: Baghdadmailing address: APO AE 09316telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - ConsularSectionFAX: NA
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black withthree green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in thewhite band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabicscript - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to theleft of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during thePersian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has twostars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and thatof Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the whiteband; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors
Economy Iraq
Economy - overview:Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which hastraditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings.Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent internationaleconomic sanctions, and damage from military action by aninternational coalition beginning in January 1991 drasticallyreduced economic activity. Although government policies supportinglarge military and internal security forces and allocating resourcesto key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation ofthe UN's oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996, helpedimprove conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowedto export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, andsome infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN SecurityCouncil authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil asrequired to meet humanitarian needs. Per capita food importsincreased significantly, while medical supplies and health careservices steadily improved. Per capita output and living standardswere still well below the pre-1991 level, but any estimates have awide range of error. The military victory of the US-led coalition inMarch-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of much of the centraleconomic administrative structure. Although a comparatively smallamount of capital plant was damaged during the hostilities, looting,insurgent attacks, and sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuildthe economy. Attacks on key economic facilities - especially oilpipelines and infrastructure - have prevented Iraq from reachingprojected export volumes, but total government revenues have beenhigher than anticipated due to high oil prices. Despite politicaluncertainty, Iraq has established the institutions needed toimplement economic policy, has successfully concluded a three-stagedebt reduction agreement with the Paris Club, and is working towarda Standby Arrangement with the IMF. The Standby Arrangement wouldclear the way for continued debt relief from the Paris Club.