Language
Arabic is the official and predominant language, but Kurdish is also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	30.7 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	28.4 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	28.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	28.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	27.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	26.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	26.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	25.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	25.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
64.0 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Around three-fourths of the population is Arab. The Kurds are the biggest minority (20 percent); there are also smaller Syrian, Armenian and other groups.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Predominantly Islam, with 62 percent Shi'ite Muslims and 35 percent Sunnis. There is also a Christian minority.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	66.7 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	66.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	66.9 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	67.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	67.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	67.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	67.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	67.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
No data available
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2006)

Percentage of population under 15

2005	41.5 percent	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
2004	41.4 percent	UNDP 2006
2003	41.7 percent	UNDP 2005
2001	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent

Time zone
GMT +3

Climate description
Hot, dry summers and cold winters, especially in the mountains

Currency
Iraqi dinar

Telephone dialling code
(+) 964

Driving (left/right)
Right

Average life expectancy

2005	No data available years
2004	59.2 years	UNDP 2006
2003	58.9 years	UNDP 2005
2001	No data available years
2000	No data available years

Life expectancy - male

2005	55.7 years	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
2004	57.7 years	UNDP 2006
2003	No data available years
2002	No data available years
2001	No data available years
2000	No data available years

Life expectancy - female

2005	59.9 years	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
2004	60.7 years	UNDP 2006
2003	No data available years
2002	No data available years
2001	No data available years
2000	No data available years

Infant mortality

2007	36 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	37 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	102 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	102 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	No data available per 1,000 live births
2002	No data available per 1,000 live births
2001	107 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	No data available per 1,000 live births

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	44 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	46 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	125 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	125 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	125 per 1,000 live births	UNDP 2005
2002	125 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	133 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	No data available per 1,000 live births

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	72 percent	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
1996-2004	72 percent	UNDP 2006
1995-2003	72 percent	UNDP 2005
1995-2002	No data available percent
1995-2001	No data available percent
1995-2000	No data available percent

Maternal mortality

2005	No data available per 100,000 live births
2000	250 per 100,000 live births	UNDP 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
No data available (2001)

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	8 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	8 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	12 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	16 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	No data available percent
1995-2002	No data available percent
1995-2001	16 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	No data available percent

Population with access to improved water

2006	77 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	81 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	76 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	79 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	No data available percent

Literacy - average

2004	74.1 percent	UNDP 2006
2003	39.7 percent	UNDP 2005
2001	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent

Literacy - male
84.1 percent (2004)
Source: UNDP 2006

Literacy - female
64.2 percent (2004)
Source: UNDP 2006

Landlines telephones

2008	36 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	46 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	43 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	40 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	38 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	44 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	43 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	27 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	27 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	476 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	476 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	324 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	54 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	21 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	3 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	0.8 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	No data available per 1,000 people
2000	No data available per 1,000 people

Internet users

2008	10 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	10 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	7 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	1 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	1 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	0.9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	0.5 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	No data available per 1,000 people

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	178 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	178	Transparency International 2007
2006	160 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	137 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	129 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	113 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	Not ranked
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	No data available current US$
2006	No data available current US$
2005	No data available current US$
2004	No data available current US$
2003	No data available current US$
2002	No data available current US$
2001	No data available current US$
2000	current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	No data available current US$ billions
2006	No data available current US$ billions
2005	No data available current US$ billions
2004	No data available current US$ billions
2003	12.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	19.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	18.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	25.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	46.5  percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	-41.3  percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	-7.8  percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	-6.6  percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	-4.3  percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	No data available percent
2006	No data available percent
2005	No data available percent
2004	No data available percent
2003	13.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	10.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	-21.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	47.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians

2000-2004	66 per 100,000 people	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
1990-2004	66 per 100,000 people	UNDP 2006
1990-2003	No data available per 100,000 people
1990-2002	No data available per 100,000 people

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
Risk from P.vivax from May through November, principally in areas in the north below 1500m and also in Basrah province.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	56 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Number of refugees originating here

2008	1873519	UNHCR
2007	2279247	UNHCR
2006	1450905	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	262142	UNHCR
2004	311848	UNHCR
2003	368581	UNHCR
2002	422512	UNHCR
2001	530511	UNHCR
2000	526179	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	39503	UNHCR
2007	42354	UNHCR
2006	44406	UNHCR
2005	50177	UNHCR
2004	46053	UNHCR
2003	134190	UNHCR
2002	134190	UNHCR
2001	128142	UNHCR
2000	127787	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

2009	2842491	Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2009
2008	2778000	IDMC 2008
2007	2480000	Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2008
2006	1600000	IDMC 2006
2005	1300000	IDMC 2006

Landmine casualties per year

2007	216	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2006	99	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	At least 261	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	2189	Landmine Monitor Report 2005

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (2007)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	4.2 percent	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
2003-2004	No data available percent
2002	0.3 percent	UNDP 2005
2001	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent