*Iraq, Economy
Overview:
The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of
industrial production and foreign trade while leaving some small-scale
industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The
economy has been dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally
provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s, financial
problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and
damage to oil export facilities by Iran, led the government to implement
austerity measures and to borrow heavily and later reschedule foreign debt
payments. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually
increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged
facilities. Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages,
salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and
collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high
priority by the government, also was under financial constraints. Iraq's
seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic
embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in
January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture. Industrial and
transportation facilities suffered severe damage and have been only
partially restored. Oil exports remain at less than 10% of the previous
level. Shortages of spare parts continue. Living standards deteriorated even
further in 1992 and early 1993; consumer prices at least tripled in 1992.
The UN-sponsored economic embargo has reduced exports and imports and has
contributed to the sharp rise in prices. The government's policies of
supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating
resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. In
brief, per capita output in early 1993 is far below the 1989-90 level, but
no reliable estimate is available.
National product:
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $35 billion (1989 est.)
National product real growth rate:
10% (1989 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,940 (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
200% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
less than 5% (1989 est.)
Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$10.4 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
crude oil and refined products, fertilizer, sulfur
partners:
US, Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Netherlands, Spain (1990)
Imports:
$6.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
manufactures, food
partners:
Germany, US, Turkey, France, UK (1990)
External debt:
$45 billion (1989 est.), excluding debt of about $35 billion owed to Arab
Gulf states
Industrial production: NA%; manufacturing accounts for 10% of GNP (1989)
*Iraq, Economy
Electricity:
7,300,000 kW available out of 9,902,000 kW capacity due to Gulf war; 12,900
million kWh produced, 700 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
petroleum production and refining, chemicals, textiles, construction
materials, food processing
Agriculture:
accounts for 11% of GNP and 30% of labor force; principal products - wheat,
barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton, wool; livestock -
cattle, sheep; not self-sufficient in food output
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $3 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $647 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $3.9 billion
Currency:
1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates:
Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 3.2 (fixed official rate since 1982);
black-market rate (April 1993) US$1 = 53.5 Iraqi dinars
Fiscal year:
calendar year
*Iraq, Communications
Railroads:
2,457 km 1.435-meter standard gauge
Highways:
34,700 km total; 17,500 km paved, 5,500 km improved earth, 11,700 km
unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about
130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use; Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; Shatt
al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991
because of the Persian Gulf war
Pipelines:
crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km
Ports:
Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, Al Basrah (closed since 1980)
Merchant marine:
41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 930,780 GRT/1,674,878 DWT; includes 1
passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 15 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3
roll-on/roll-off cargo, 19 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker; note - none of the
Iraqi flag merchant fleet was trading internationally as of 1 January 1993
Airports:
total:
114
usable: 99
with permanent-surface runways:
74
with runways over 3,659 m:
9
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
52
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
12
Telecommunications:
reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after Desert
Storm, most damaged facilities have been rebuilt; the network consists of
coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links; 632,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 16 AM, 1 FM, 13 TV; satellite earth stations - 1
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Atlantic Ocean GORIZONT
in the Intersputnik system and 1 ARABSAT; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey, Kuwait line is probably
non-operational
*Iraq, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army and Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard
Force, Internal Security Forces
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 4,235,321; fit for military service 2,379,999; reach
military age (18) annually 211,776 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP
*Ireland, Geography
Location:
in the North Atlantic Ocean, across the Irish Sea from Great Britain
Map references:
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
70,280 km2
land area:
68,890 km2
comparative area:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total 360 km, UK 360 km
Coastline:
1,448 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
not specified
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute
involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a
boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Climate:
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool
summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain:
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low
mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Natural resources:
zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone,
dolomite, peat, silver
Land use:
arable land:
14%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
71%
forest and woodland:
5%
other:
10%
Irrigated land:
NA km2
Environment:
deforestation
Note:
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North American and
northern Europe