Iraq

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia Iraq at a glance Did you know? Ancient Iraq was known as Mesopotamia (which means ‘between the rivers’) and home to the Sumerian culture, which is considered to be one of the world’s first civilisations. It lasted from about 5300 BC until about 3000 BC and is credited with the development of writing. Region Middle East Population 28,221,180 (July 2008 estimate) Land Geography: Mostly broad desert plains with marshes in the south and mountains in the north and northwest. Climate: Mild to cool winters with hot, dry summers. Cold winters in the mountainous regions. People Religion: Muslim 97% (Shi’a 60-65%; Sunni 32-37%); other 3% Language: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman, Assyrian and Armenian Economy GDP per person (PPP): $US3,700 GDP by sector: Agriculture 5%; Industry 68%; Services 27% Government Parliamentary democracy     Land Physical geography Iraq shares boundaries with Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey. The total land area is 437,072 square kilometres, roughly half the size of NSW (800,642 square kilometres). Forty percent of the country consists of low-lying desert plains that slope towards the Persian Gulf and the Tigris-Euphrates river basin. Between these rivers is a fertile alluvial plain that is Iraq’s productive agricultural land. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers merge 190 kilometres from the coast to form the navigable Shatt al-Arab waterway. The terrain to the north-east of the country rises to a mountainous ridge with peaks over 3000 metres high. Climate Being largely desert, Iraq is mostly arid with very little rainfall. The humid Tigris-Euphrates basin receives about 400 millimetres of rainfall annually. The north-eastern highlands receive 1000 millimetres with occasional heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq. The south-western desert region receives less than 100 millimetres. There is a wide annual temperature range, with hot summers and cold winters. In Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, average temperatures range from 10°C in January to 35°C in July with an average annual rainfall of 140 millimetres. Environment The natural environment of Iraq has been devastated by three wars since 1980. Poor control over water use has brought about water pollution, increased salinity and desertification. Inadequate and wrecked sewage treatment plants have meant that many urban areas have had inadequate drinking water. Draining of marshes in the southeast for defence purposes has caused serious threats to wildlife such as gazelle, ducks and geese. It has also displaced people who depended on these waters for survival. These areas have recently been successfully re-flooded in an attempt to repair the damage done. People Almost three-quarters of Iraq’s 28 million people live in urban areas. The main cities are Baghdad 5,948,800; Mosul 1,846,500; Basra 1,477,200; and Kirkuk 535,000. The ongoing instability in Iraq has displaced more than 4 million Iraqis from their homes: 2.2 million inside Iraq and 2 million living as refugees in neighbouring countries. People Culture and identity Arabs make up 75-80% of the population while Kurds account for 15-20%. Turkomans, Assyrians and others make up about 5%. Almost all Iraqis speak Iraqi Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic, which has a simplified grammar, is taught in schools. Kurdish is an official language in the northeast of the country. The cultural heritage of Iraq reflects the country’s different ethnic groups. Traditional music features flutes, stringed instruments, drums and tambourines. Painting and calligraphy are highly appreciated art forms as are dance, poetry and traditional storytelling. Iraq has a long history of producing fine handicrafts, including rugs and carpets. The flag of Iraq has the Arabic colours, red, white, black in horizontal stripes with the takbir (expression): Allahu Akbar (God is great) written in green Kufic calligraphy (read right to left). Health The years of conflict have had a huge effect upon the health and welfare of the Iraqi people. Food distribution and medical aid are necessary. Average life expectancy in Iraq is 69.62 years (68.32 for men and 71 years for women) and the infant mortality rate is 45.43 deaths for every 1000 live births. The major infectious diseases are food and waterborne, such as hepatitis and bacterial diarrhoea. Roughly four out of five people have access to safe water and sanitation. There are a very small number of HIV-positive people. Religion and beliefs The Islamic religion pervades all aspects of everyday life and strongly influences family and social life. There are duties and laws about how Muslims must live their lives, including praying fives times each day, giving charity to the poor, and what they can eat and drink. Generosity and good manners are highly valued in Iraqi culture, and it is considered rude to refuse a favour to a friend. Food and shelter Iraqi cuisine began with the first agricultural civilizations and was based on staples such as barley, wheat, chickpeas and lentils. Since then it has been influenced by the cuisines of many middle-eastern cultures and is very varied. Soups and stews, stuffed vegetables, and grilled meats such as lamb and chicken, often served with rice and yoghurt, are very popular. Traditional Iraqi houses are designed for an extended family. They were made of mud brick using decorative patterns. There were a few simple rooms, some for the men and others for the women, and they all opened out into a courtyard. A badgirs, or box-like windcatcher would direct the hot desert winds through the cellar to cool the house. In modern cities, most people live in high-rise apartments. Economy Wealth and poverty The GDP per capita is estimated to be $3,700. Education and work All children between the ages of 6 and 10 attend primary school. Girls can be withdrawn from school after the age of 10. Nearly three quarters of the population is literate (84.1% of men; 64.2% of women). There is an estimated unemployment rate of 18-30%, mostly women who are predominantly involved in agricultural or informal work. Industries and products Major agricultural products include wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep and poultry. Other industries include chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertiliser and metal fabrication/processing. Trade Iraq’s major export trading partners in 2007 included US 39.6%, Italy 13.6%, Canada 5.6%, Spain 5.6%, France 4.7% and Netherlands 4.5%. Import partners included Syria 29.9%, Turkey 19.3%, US 10.8%, Jordan 4.9% and China 4.7%. Oil is Iraq’s major export (84%), followed by food and live animals (5%). Imports include food, medical supplies and manufactured goods. Achievements and challenges In 1959, Iraq was the first Arab country to appoint a female judge – Zakiyya Hakki – but more recent governments have restricted women’s freedom. Despite ongoing conflict, Iraq is engaged in a fundamental political and economic transformation with successful elections and the transition to a market economy. With a heavy dependence on income from oil, it faces the challenge of making the most of its finite supplies. In an ongoing attempt to undo the deforestation caused by conflict, the Iraqi environment ministry has planted millions of trees. It is a continuous challenge as huge scale dust and sand storms can undo years of reclamation work in minutes. Links with Australia In 2007, Australian exports to Iraq totalled A$10 million and consisted mainly of dairy products, taps and valves. Iraq exported very little to Australia. Australia’s Iraq-born population includes Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, Turks, Turkomans and Jews. Many recent arrivals have entered Australia through the Humanitarian Program. In the 2006 census, there were 32,520 Iraq-born people living in Australia, concentrated in NSW (20,530) followed by Victoria (8610), Western Australia (1680) and South Australia (770). Australian aid to Iraq focuses on improving administration and governance and humanitarian assistance particularly in the agricultural sector and governance, with niche contributions in other areas such as financial management, human rights, trade and law and justice. Main Sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html http://www20.sbs.com.au/worldguide/index.php http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html

Conflict and low rainfall have reduced the yield of the wheat crops. Roger Hartley/AusAID

In the Shadow of the Palms: Iraq URL:  http://www.intheshadowofthepalms.com/ Iraq Foundation URL:  http://iraqfoundation.org/