hea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups:

Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5%

Religions:

Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages:

Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish
dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.1%
male: 84.1%
female: 64.2% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 8 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government
Iraq

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al-Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Baghdad
geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 23 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October

Administrative divisions:

18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al
Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As
Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala,
Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad
Din, Wasit

Independence:

3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional
Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated
under the SADDAM Husayn regime; the Government of Iraq has yet to
declare a new national holiday

Constitution:

ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional
Review Committee and a possible public referendum )

Legal system:

based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined
in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005);