an and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still
trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes
from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation,
prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the
Shatt al Arab waterway; in April 1991 official Iraqi acceptance of UN
Security Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept the
inviolability of the boundary set forth in its 1963 agreement with
Kuwait, ending earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah islands or to all
of Kuwait; the 20 May 1993 final report of the UN Iraq/Kuwait Boundary
Demarcation Commission was welcomed by the Security Council in
Resolution 833 of 27 May 1993, which also reaffirmed that the
decisions of the commission on the boundary were final, bringing to a
completion the official demarcation of the Iraq-Kuwait boundary; Iraqi
officials still refuse to unconditionally recognize Kuwaiti
sovereignty or the inviolability of the UN demarcated border; periodic
disputes with upstream riparian Syria over Euphrates water rights;
potential dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Climate:
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers;
northernmost regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold
winters with occasionally heavy snows
Terrain:
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes in southeast; mountains along
borders with Iran and Turkey
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
9%
forest and woodland:
3%
other:
75%
Irrigated land:
25,500 sq km (1989 est)
Environment:
current issues:
government water control projects drain inhabited marsh areas, drying
up or diverting the streams and rivers that support a sizable
population of Shi'a Muslims who have inhabited these areas for
thousands of years; the destruction of the natural habitat also poses
serious threats to the wildlife populations; damage to water treatment
and sewage facilities during Gulf war; inadequate supplies of potable
water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon
agreements with upstream riparians (Syria, Turkey); air and water
pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion;
desertification
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Law