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{{Infobox_Country|
|native_name = الجمهورية العراقية<br>Al-Jumhuriyah Al-Iraqiyah<br>
'''كۆماری عێراق''' <br>'''Komara Iraqê'''<br>Republic of Iraq
|common_name = Iraq
|image_flag = Flag of Iraq.svg
|image_coat = Iraq-COA.png
|image_map = LocationIraq.png
|national_motto = ] (Arabic: God is great)
|national_anthem = ]<sup>1</sup>
|official_languages = ], ]<sup>3</sup>
|capital = ]<sup>2</sup>
|latd=33 |latm=20 |latNS=N |longd=44 |longm=26 |longEW=E |
|largest_city = ]
|government_type = ]
|leader_titles = ]<br>]
|leader_names = ]<br>]
|area_rank = 58th
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area= 437,072
|percent_water = 1.1%
|population_estimate = 26,074,906
|population_estimate_rank = 45th
|population_estimate_year = 2005
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density = 59
|population_density_rank = 112th
|GDP_PPP = $89,800,000,000
|GDP_PPP_rank = 58th
|GDP_PPP_year= 2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $3,500
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 122nd
|sovereignty_type = ]
|established_events = From the ]<br>From the ]<br>From the ]
|established_dates = <br>], ]<br>], ]<br>], ]
|HDI =
|HDI_rank = n/a
|HDI_year = 2003
|HDI_category = <font color=gray>unranked</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = IQD
|country_code = IRQ
|time_zone =
|utc_offset = +3
|time_zone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST = +4
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 964
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup>The Kurds use ]<br><sup>2</sup>The capital of the ] is ]<br><sup>3</sup>Official language in three Kurdish regions
}}

The '''Republic of Iraq''' (]: {{Audio|Ar-al Gumhuriyah al Iraqiya.ogg|العراق }}; ]: عيَراق) is a ]ern ] in ] encompassing most of ] as well as the northwestern end of the ] and the eastern part of the ] and it also includes southern ]. It shares borders with ] and ] to the south, ] to the west, ] to the northwest, ] to the north, and ] to the east. It has a very narrow section of coastline at ] on the ].

Iraq contains a mixture of various ],] ], ] cultures (with a small smattering of minorities including some ]), deeply influenced by ] and ] rule and societies. It also hosts three of the most important religious sites in ] — the Sacred ] of ] in ] and the mosques of ] and ] in ].

After the March 2003 ], led by ] and ] military forces, which drove ] and his ] from power, a transitional government of Iraq was elected in January 2005.

On ], ], Iraqi voters approved a new ] in a referendum. Though it received a 79% "yes" vote, it was opposed by a large majority of ] ] Iraqis. A majority of all Iraqis or any three provinces rejecting it by more than 2/3 vote would have meant a failure to pass.

On ], ], Iraqis voted for their first permanent ] under the new constitution. The turnout was described by various media sources and official estimates as being around 70%. A large number of Sunni Arabs voted in the election.

American offensives on such cities as ] and ], the continued lack of such basic services as electricity and clean water, and deep political division in the country, have continued to contribute to disenchantment and disorder in Iraq. Supporters of the ] blame the occupying forces for the disorder, but others blame the insurgency itself. In the meantime, the country is still struggling to gain stability in various aspects.

==History==
{{main|History of Iraq}}

The Republic of Iraq sits on land that is historically known as ], which means 'land between the rivers' in ]. This land was home to some of the world's first civilizations, including the ]ian, ]n, ]ian, and ]n cultures, whose influence extended into neighboring regions as early as ]. These civilizations produced some of the first ], ], ], ] and ] in the world, making the region the center of what is commonly called the "]". Ancient Mesopotamian ] dominated other civilizations of its time.
John Randal Baker suggested a big similarity of the Sumerians to the Kurds and Iranians acknowledging Sumer's unique cultural achievements.
Beginning in the ], ] spread to what is now Iraq. ], the capital of the ] ], was the leading city of the Arab and Muslim world for five centuries. In 1258, Baghdad was devastated by the ]s and was later occupied by the ]. After ], the Turks were driven from the area by the ].

At the end of World War I, the ] granted the area to the United Kingdom as a ]. It was formed out of three former ] '']s'' (regions): ], ] and ]. The British gave the mandate the name ''Al-Iraq'', a name which was previously applied only to the southern region of the Basra ''vilayet.'' Some say that the name came from a word meaning an area near a river, others that it means "the origin."

Iraq was granted independence in 1932. The British-installed ] monarchy lasted until 1958, when it was overthrown through a '']'' by the Iraqi army, known as the ]. The coup brought ] ]'s government to power (which withdrew from the ] and established friendly relations with the ]) from 1958 until 1963, when he was overthrown by ] ] with American complicity {{ref|history}}. Salam Arif died in 1966 and his brother, ], assumed the presidency. In 1968, Rahman Arif was overthrown by the Arab Socialist ] Party, with the alleged backing of the U.S. {{ref|history2}}. The Ba'ath's key figure became ] who acceded to the presidency and control of the ] (RCC), Iraq's supreme executive decision making body, in July 1979, killing off many of his opponents in the process. Saddam's absolute and particularly bloody rule lasted throughout the ] (1980&ndash;1988), in which the United States, Soviet Union, and France backed Saddam after 1982, a war that ended in stalemate; the ] of the late ], which led to the alleged gassing of thousands of ] in northern Iraq; Iraq's invasion of ] in 1990 resulting in the ]; and the ] ] imposed at the urging of the U.S. Inasmuch as the economic sanctions were designed to topple Saddam they were a failure. Between 400,000 and 800,000 Iraqi children died as a result of the sanctions <!--(Seattle-Post Intelligencer August 7, 2003, archived at: www.commondreams.org/views03/0807-01.htm; Hartford Current, October 23, 2000, archived at: www.commondreams.org/views/102300-103.htm.)--> The U.S. and the U.K. declared ] over Kurdish northern and Shiite southern Iraq allegedly to protect the Kurds and southern Shiites.

After the ], Iraq was ruled by the U.S.-led coalition authority and later by the Iraqi government that the U.S.-led coalition installed, and is slowly becoming independent from the United States of America. With ceremony to a minimum, on Monday, ] ], self-rule was officially restored by the United States to Iraqis in certain fields of government two days ahead of schedule. After handing the formal sovereignty document to Prime Minister Allawi who was chosen by the occupation authority, America’s ], ], headed for Baghdad airport and flew out of the country, but over 140,000 U.S. troops remain indefinitely in Iraq and are not under the control of the Iraqi government.

==Politics==
{{main|Politics of Iraq}}
Iraq was under ] rule from 1968 to 2003; in 1979 ] took leadership and became president until 2003, when he was unseated by a US-led ].

The ] ], the National Assembly or ''Majlis al-Watani'', had 250 seats and its members were elected for four-year terms. No non-Ba'ath candidates were allowed to run.

In November 2003, the US-managed ] announced plans to turn over sovereignty to an ] by mid-2004. The actual transfer of sovereignty occurred on ] ]. The interim president installed was ] ], and the interim prime minister was ], a man who had been a ] asset according to former U.S. intelligence officials (NY Times June 9, 2004, http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0609-02.htm).

On ], ], a majority of Iraqi voters voted in an election conducted by their transitional government which elected a 275-member Transitional National Assembly. The election was seen by some as a victory for democracy in the ], but that opinion is not shared by all. ] has reported that there was an effort by the U.S. government to shift funds and other resources to Allawi and that there may have been similar under-the-table dealings by other parties. Although he did not get the most seats in the Iraqi Congress, Allawi's delegation jumped from a projected 3-4% of the vote to 14% of the vote, giving him power in the writing of the Constitution.

The Iraqi Assembly would:
*Serve as Iraq's national legislature. It has named a Presidency Council, consisting of a President and two Vice Presidents. (By unanimous agreement, the Presidency Council will appoint a Prime Minister and, on his recommendation, cabinet ministers.)
*Draft Iraq's ]. This constitution was presented to the Iraqi people for their approval in a ] in October 2005. Under the new constitution, Iraq would elect a permanent government in December 2005.

Under the ], signed March 2004, the country's executive branch is now led by a three-person presidential council. The election system for the council effectively ensures that all three of Iraq's major ethnic groups are represented. The constitution also includes basic freedoms like ], ], and ], and is perceived by some to be more progressive than the ]. Controversially, however, it states that all laws that were in effect on the transfer date cannot be repealed. Furthermore, since the coalition forces are currently working to maintain order and create a stable society under the ], coalition troops can remain in control of the country indefinitely despite the transfer of sovereignty. Since Iraqi forces are currently considered not fully trained and equipped to police and secure their country, it is expected that coalition troops will remain until Iraqi forces no longer require their support. However, these rules will be set aside once the Transitional National Assembly is seated.

On ] ], the Iraqi National Assembly appointed ], a prominent ]ish leader, President. It also appointed ], a ] Arab, and ], the former Interim President and a Sunni Arab, as Vice Presidents. ] a Shiite, whose ] won the largest share of the vote, was appointed the new ]. Most power is vested in him. The new government was faced with two major tasks. The first is to attempt to rein in a violent insurgency, which has blighted the country in recent months, killing many Iraqi civilians and officials as well as a number of U.S. troops. (As of mid-2005, approximately 135,000 American troops remain in Iraq with 2,214 U.S. soldiers killed). The second major task was to re-engage in the writing of a ], as outlined above, to replace the ] of 2004.

In the meantime, the Iraqi government is considered by many international governments to be a legitimate government. According to the U.S. administration, the judiciary in Iraq operates under the primacy of rule of law, so ]s from the totalitarian regime of Saddam Hussein will get a fair and open trial, in which their rights will be subjected to ] and be protected by the scrutiny of a ], the requirements of modern court proceedings.



On ], ], more than 63% of eligible Iraqis came out across the country to vote on whether to accept or reject the new ]. On October 25, the vote was certified and the constitution passed with a 78% majority. The new constitution had overwhelming backing among the Shia and Kurdish communities, as well as among a sizeable minority of the Sunni Arabs of Western Iraq. Three provinces rejected it (] with 82% against, ] with 55% against, and ] with 97% against), but the final vote against the constitution was not 67%, which would have defeated the constitution. Although fraud is widely believed in the Ninawah results, the results are unlikely to be overturned.

Under the terms of the constitution, the country conducted ] to elect a new, permanent government.

The most influential ] figures are ] ], Ayatollah ], ] ] and ].

Iraqi politicians have been under significant threat by the various factions that have promoted violence as a political weapon. The ongoing violence in Iraq has been incited by an amalgam of religious extremists that believe an Islamic ] should rule, old regime Sunnis that had ruled under Saddam that want back the power they had, and Iraqi nationalists that are fighting against what they view as a foreign occupation.

==Minority situation==
{{POV-section}}

], ], ], ] (Turkomans), ], and ] have allegedly not enjoyed equal status throughout Iraq's eighty-five year history. The situation of the Kurds has changed since the Ba'ath party was removed from power. The remainder of these ethnic groups continue to struggle against ], ], and criminal elements.

Since the 1977 census, the ruling Ba'ath party forced people to answer the question of ethnicity as either Arab or Kurd. Despite Iraq being the second most multi-ethnic and multi-religious country in ] {{fact}}, the other groups were forced to deny their identities. During the ], Saddam's secret police forced over 200,000 Assyrians and 150,000 Kurds to move from the ] to Baghdad, as part of an ] campaign in Iraq.

But perhaps the worst event of minority persecution in Iraq took place in 1980's, in what now referred to as the ]. Estimates from 200,000 to 400,000 of Kurds were either massacred in a genocidal offensive or have been missing ever since, in and around mostly the oil-rich Iraqi city of ].

During the Iraq-Iran war, thousands of Assyrians were recruited to the armies of both sides. This resulted in Assyrians in Iraq killing Assyrians in Iran. When Hussein first assumed power, the Assyrian population there numbered 2 million to 2.5 million. Now their numbers are estimated to be more than 1 million. Many have fled to neighboring countries such as ] and ], or have emigrated to ] and the ] The ] reports that half a million ] have registered for temporary asylum in ].
According to local organisations, about 150,000 "Christians" or ChaldoAssyrians are believed to have left the country since the US occupation began in 2003. ]

On ], ], a set of car bombs exploded outside four Assyrian churches in Baghdad and Kirkuk killing four worshippers and injuring many more. This lead to demonstrations by Assyrians around the world demanding once again a safe haven for the Christians of Iraq.

Turkmens claim to be the third largest ethnic group in Iraq, but the latest election showed that they number far less than claimed, only taking 1 seat in the whole of Iraq.

After the toppling of the Ba'ath party, tensions started to rise between the Kurds and the Turkmens. Assignations and acquisitions between the two sides made Kirkuk the only violent non-Arab city in Iraq during the aftermath of the U.S-led war. The violence has slowly died down.

Today, there are around 650,000 ] in Iraq, Yezidis are ethnically Kurdish, almost all around the Nineveh Plains. Before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Yezidi villages suffered from repression and neglect like other non-Sunni Arab groups. Often they lacked basic services in their villages such as electricity, water, and proper schools. This resulted in almost every Yezidi village and town left in poverty.

Iraq's ] minority was looked down upon as second-class citizens under Ba'ath party rule. Gypsies had some protection from being persecuted, however. The small village safe havens of the Gypsies have vanished with Saddam's overthrow, making them an easy target for Iranian-backed religious militia groups, such as the ] or ]'s ]. Many of their villages have been taken over by such militias, and this has forced Gypsies to flee to the north. Iraq's Gypsies trace their roots to ] and ], from where they migrated during the ].

==Governorates==
{{main|Governorates of Iraq}}
]

Iraq is divided into eighteen ]s or ]s (Arabic: ''muhafadhat'', singular - ''muhafadhah'', Kurdish: پاریزگه ''Pârizgah''). Particularly in Iraqi government documents the term governorate is preferred:

#] Arab,Assyrian, Kurdish
#] Arab, Kurdish
#] Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Arab
#] Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian, Turkmen
#] Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian
#] Kurdish, Assyrian, Arab, Turkmen
#] (Kirkuk) Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen, Assyrian
#] Kurdish

==Geography==
]
]]]
]
]
]
{{main|Geography of Iraq}}

Large parts of Iraq consist of ], but the area between the two major rivers (] and ]) is fertile, with the rivers carrying about 60 million cubic meters of ] annually to the ]. The north of the country is largely mountainous, with the highest point being a 3,611 m (11,847 ]) point, unnamed on the map opposite, but known locally as ] (black tent). Iraq has a small coastline with the ]. Close to the coast and along the ] (known as ''arvandrūd'': اروندرود among Iranians) there used to be marshlands, but many of these were drained in the ].

The local ] is mostly a ] climate with mild to cool winters and dry, hot, cloudless summers. The northern mountainous regions experience cold winters with occasional heavy snows, sometimes causing extensive flooding. The capital of ] is situated in the centre of the country, on the banks of the Tigris. Other major cities include ] in the south and ] in the north. Iraq is considered to be one of the cradles of human civilization.

==Economy==
]
{{main|Economy of Iraq}}

Iraq's economy is dominated by the ] sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the ] financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the ] with ] and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from the war of at least ]100 ]. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. A combination of low oil prices, repayment of war debts (estimated at around ]3 ] a year) and the costs of reconstruction resulted in a serious financial crisis which was the main short term motivation for the ].

Iraq's seizure of ] in August 1990, subsequent international economic ], and damage from ] by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the Ba'ath Party government have hurt the economy, implementation of the ]' ] program, started in December 1996, was to have improved conditions for the average Iraqi citizen.

For the first six phases of the program (each phase lasting six months), Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. Subsequent investigation of the program has revealed significant corruption, with highly-placed U.N. officials being bribed, Ba'ath Party officials receiving lucrative kickbacks, and much of the money from oil sales being redirected into weapons research and acquisition by the Iraqi military.

In December 1999, the UN ] authorised Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. Iraq changed its oil ] from ] to ] in 2000. Oil exports were more than three-quarters of the pre-war level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program were deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in ] in 2001 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. Following the ], the economy to a great extent shut down; attempts are underway to revive it from the damages of war and rampant crime.

During his year as the chief executive of Iraq, Ambassador ] issued a series of orders designed to restructure Iraq's broadly ] economy in line with ] thinking. Order 39 laid out the framework for the privatization of everything in Iraq aside from the "primary extraction and initial processing" of the oil reserves themselves, and permitted 100% foreign ownership of Iraqi assets. Other orders established a flat tax of 15% and permitted foreign corporations to repatriate 100% of profits earned in Iraq. Opposition from senior Iraqi officials, together with the poor security situation meant that Bremer's privatization plan was not implemented during his tenure, though his orders remain in place. Privatization of the oil industry, in addition to around 200 other state-owned businesses, is currently scheduled to begin sometime in late 2005, although it is opposed by the ].

One of the key economic challenges was what to do about Iraq's immense foreign debt, estimated at $125 billion. Although some of this debt was derived from normal export contracts that Iraq had failed to pay for, some was due as a result of military and financial support during Iraq's war with Iran. The ] campaign argued that much of these debts were therefore ] (or illegitimate). However, as the concept of odious debt is not accepted, attempting to deal with the debt on those terms would simply have embroiled Iraq in legal disputes for years. Iraq decided to deal with its debt more pragmatically and opted to approach the ] of official creditors.

On ] ], the Paris Club agreed with the Iraqi government to write off 80% (or up to $100 billion) of Iraq's external debt. This reduction will be implemented over three years in line with delivery by Iraq on economic reform. By the end of 2005, some $75 billion of Iraq's debt should have been cancelled.

==Demographics==
]
] River]]
{{main|Demographics of Iraq}}

Seventy-five to eighty percent of Iraq's population (mainly Iraqi but some ]) speaks ]; the other major ethnic groups are the ] at 15-20%, ], ] and others (5%), who mostly live in the north and northeast of the country. The Assyrians, Kurds, and Turkomans differ from Arabs in many ways, including culture, history, clothing, and language. Other distinct groups are ] and ] (possible descendants of the ancient Mesopotamian culture). About 2,500 ] and 20,000–50,000 ] live in Iraq.

] and ] are official languages; ] is the most commonly spoken Western language. ] is also used by the country's Assyrian population.

There are more Arab Iraqi Muslim members of the ] sect than there are Arab Iraqi Muslims of the Sunni sect; but there is a large ] population as well, made up of mostly ] and ]. (Shiites: 60% of total population made up of mostly Arabs). Iraq's sizable ] population numbers some 750,000; most are of the ] rite, almost all of whom are Chaldeo-Assyrian people. ], ], ], and ] also exist. Most Kurds are Sunni Muslims.

Demographic information from the 2005 edition of the CIA's '']'' :
* Ethnic groups: Arab, 75–80%; ], 15-20%; Assyrian and other Christian 3-5%, Turkoman, or other, 3-5%.
* Religions: Muslim, 97% (Shi'ite, 60-65%; Sunni 32-37%); Christian or other, 3%

***The first bullet said 10-12% Assyrian, but the second bullet says only 3% Christian, and Assyrians are only a part of the total Christian population. Assyrians are approximately 1% of the total Iraqi population. I spent 19 months in Iraq and I love Assyrians, but they overrepresent themselves throughout this writeup. I changed the first bullet and the first sentence to represent accurate numbers. The CIA factbook says "Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%" -Mike Hardiman, former USG advisor to Iraqi government hardiman_cpi@yahoo.com

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Iraq}}

In the most recent millennium, what is now Iraq has been made up of five cultural areas: Kurdish in the north centered on ]; Sunni Islamic Arabs in the center around Baghdad; Shi'a Islamic Arabs in the south centered on Basra; the Assyrians, a Christian people, living in various cities in the north; and the Marsh Arabs, a nomadic people, who live on the marshlands of the central river. Markets, and debating the price of goods, are the common form of trade.

==Music==
{{main|Music of Iraq}}

Iraq is known primarily for an instrument called the '']'' (similar to a ]) and a '']'' (similar to a ]); its stars include ] and the Assyrian ]. Until the fall of Saddam Hussein, the most popular radio station was the Voice of Youth. It played a mix of western ], ] and ], all of which had to be imported via ] due to international economic sanctions. The ] and ] are especially popular. Iraq has also produced a major pan-Arab pop star-in-exile in ], whose songs include ''Ladghat E-Hayya,'' which was banned for its racy lyrical content.>

==See also==
* Economy: ], ], ]
* Events: ], ], ], ], ], ]
* Geography: ], ], ]
* Nations: ], ]s, ], ], ]
* Politics: ], ], ], ], ], M. Ismail Marcinkowski, ''Religion and Politics in Iraq. Shiite Clerics between Quietism and Resistance'', with a foreword by Professor Hamid Algar of the University of California at Berkeley. Singapore: Pustaka Nasional, 2004 (ISBN 9971775131)
* History: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
* Literature: ], ], ]
* Others: ], ], ]

==Notes==
{{note|history}} The New York Times, March 14, 2003, "" (); Hanna Batatu, "The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq", Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1978; Peter and Marion Sluglett, "Iraq Since 1958" London, I.B. Taurus, 1990; regarding the work of the CIA's "Health Alteration Committee" in Iraq, see also, U.S. Senate's Church Committee Interim Report on Assassination, page 181, Note 1.<br>
{{note|history2}} "A Tyrant 40 Years in the Making": "Again, this coup...came with C.I.A. backing".

==Further reading==
* Shadid, Anthony 2005. ''Night Draws Near''. Henry Holt and Co., ], ]. ISBN 0805076026
* Thompson, Dan 2006. '']: 14 Months in Iraq.'' A U.S. Army corporal details American-Iraqi relationships from May 2003 until July 2004.

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Iraq}}

*{{wikitravel}}

* Iraq Article Archive
* Information on US troops in Iraq
* An American Soldier's Life in Iraq
* official government site
*
*
*
*
*
* includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
* updated section on security issues
* directory category
* directory category
* news headline links
*
*
*
*
* News on Iraq, Iraqi Music, Kurdish News
* 300 Iraq related topics, each with its own current news feed
* Commentary on war in Iraq from Middle East scholar Juan Cole
* News From Inside Iraq
*
* ] monitors
*, being the adventures of an official artist in the garden of Eden, by Donald Maxwell, 1921. ''(a searchable facsimile at the University of Georgia Libraries; ] &amp; format)''
*, by Louisa Jebb (Mrs. Roland Wilkins) With illustrations and a map, 1908 (1909 ed). ''(a searchable facsimile at the University of Georgia Libraries; ] &amp; format)''
* Development Gateway's knowledge sharing community on Iraq's development needs and efforts.
* Sourcewatch on .
*
* Information Source Listings and analysis on post-invasion Iraq
* Campaign to eliminate Iraq's pre-war debt and reparations
* Entry from LexicOrient
*
*
* Now-defunct occupation authority; site is archived
*
*
*
*
*
* from Reuters AlertNet
* from the University of Pittsburgh’s Jurist project
* from HavenWorks News
* from the Financial Times

{{Southwest Asia}}
{{Middle East}}
{{Asia}}

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Revision as of 04:04, 17 February 2006