ial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn,
central party leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders: any formal political
activity must be sanctioned by the government; opposition to regime
from Kurdish groups and southern Shi'a dissidents

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--Iraq has an
Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Dr. Khairi AL
ZUBAYDI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 2118

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note--the US has an
Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O.

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal
line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is
Great) in green Arabic script--Allahu to the right of the middle star
and Akbar to the left of the middle star--was added in January 1991
during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria that
has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain
white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic
eagle centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: Iraq's economy has been dominated by the oil
sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign
exchange earnings. In the 1980s, financial problems caused by
massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran 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 of at least $100
billion from the war. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil
exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines
and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in
August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and
military action by an international coalition beginning in January
1991 drastically reduced economic activity and increased prices. The
Iraqi Government has been unwilling to abide by U