Background:Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions during the past 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure and facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government.
Location:Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E
Area: 437,072 sq km
Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers
Coastline:58 km
Population: 25,374,691(July 2004 est.)
Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Economy:Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. The military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure and the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant.
Independence:3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Legal system:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Religions:97% are Muslims, of which more than50% are Shi'is, the rest are Sunnis.3% Christians
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
