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Republic of Iraq | |
|---|---|
| Anthem: مَوْطِنِيْ Mawṭinī "My Homeland" | |
.svg) | |
| Capital and largest city | Baghdad 33°20′N 44°23′E / 33.333°N 44.383°E |
| Official languages | |
| |
| Ethnic groups (1987)[3] | |
| Religion (2020)[4] |
|
| Demonym(s) | Iraqi |
| Government | Federal parliamentary republic |
| Abdul Latif Rashid | |
| Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani | |
• Speaker | Mahmoud al-Mashhadani |
| Legislature | Council of Representatives |
| Federation Council[a] | |
| Council of Representatives | |
| Establishment | |
| 3 October 1932 | |
| 14 July 1958 | |
| 15 October 2005 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 438,317 km2 (169,235 sq mi) (58th) |
• Water (%) | 4.93 (as of 2024)[10] |
| Population | |
• 2025 census |  47,020,774[11][12] (34th) |
• Density | 82.7/km2 (214.2/sq mi) (125th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2024 estimate |
• Total |  $655.417 billion[13] (48th) |
• Per capita | $14,757[13] (110th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $264.149 billion[13] (46th) |
• Per capita | $5,947[13] (106th) |
| Gini (2012) | 29.5[14] low inequality |
| HDI (2022) | 0.673[15] medium (128th) |
| Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
| Calling code | +964 |
| ISO 3166 code | IQ |
| Internet TLD | |
Iraq,[b] officially the Republic of Iraq,[c] is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and Kuwait to the southeast, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west. The country covers an area of 438,317 square kilometres (169,235 sq mi) and has a population of over 46 million, making it the 58th largest country by area and the 31st most populous in the world. Baghdad, home to over 8 million people, is the capital city and the largest in the country.
Starting in the 6th millennium BC, the fertile plains between Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates rivers, referred to as Mesopotamia, fostered the rise of early cities, civilisations, and empires including Sumer, Akkad, and Assyria. Known as the cradle of civilisation, Mesopotamia saw the invention of writing systems, mathematics, navigation, timekeeping, a calendar, astrology, the wheel, the sailboat, and a law code. After the Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia, Baghdad became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and a global cultural and intellectual hub during the Islamic Golden Age, home to institutions such as the House of Wisdom. Following the city's destruction by the Mongols in 1258, the region faced a prolonged decline due to plagues and successive empires. Additionally, Iraq holds religious significance in Christianity, Judaism, Yazidism, and Mandaeism. It has a deep biblical history.
Since independence in 1932, Iraq has experienced spells of significant economic and military growth alongside periods of instability and conflict. It was part of the Ottoman Empire until the end of World War I. Mandatory Iraq was then established by the British in 1921. It transitioned into an independent kingdom in 1932. Following a coup in 1958, Iraq became a republic, first led by Abdul Karim Qasim, followed by Abdul Salam Arif and Abdul Rahman Arif. The Ba'ath Party took power in 1968, establishing a one-party state under Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and later Saddam Hussein, who presided over war against Iran from 1980 to 1988 and then invaded Kuwait in 1990. In 2003, a U.S.-led coalition forces invaded and occupied Iraq, overthrowing Saddam and triggering an insurgency and sectarian violence. The conflict, known as the Iraq War, ended in 2011. From 2013 to 2017, Iraq faced another war with the rise and defeat of the Islamic State. Today post-war conflict continues at a lower scale, hampering stability alongside the rising influence of Iran.
A federal parliamentary republic, Iraq is considered an emerging middle power. It is home to a diverse population, geography and wildlife. Most Iraqis are Muslim, while significant minorities include Christians, Zoroastrians, Mandaens, Yazidis, Yarsanism and Jews. Iraqis are ethnically diverse; mostly Arabs, as well as Kurds, Turkmen, Yazidis, Assyrians, Armenians, Domcs, Persians and Shabakis. Arabic and Kurdish are the official languages of Iraq, while Suret, Turkish and Mandaic are spoken regionally. Iraq, home to one of the largest oil reserves in the world, has a significant oil and gas industry. It is also popular for its agriculture and tourism. At present, Iraq is rebuilding with foreign support.
- ^ "دەستووری کۆماری عێراق" (in Kurdish). Parliament of Iraq. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Constitution of Iraqwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
ciawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "National Profiles".
- ^ "Iraqi religions". www.state.gov. Office of International Religious Freedom. 12 May 2021.
The constitution establishes Islam as the official religion and states no law may be enacted contradicting the "established provisions of Islam." It provides for freedom of religious belief and practice for all individuals, including Muslims, Christians, Yezidis, and Sabean-Mandeans, but does not explicitly mention followers of other religions or atheists.
- ^ "Iraq".
- ^ "Without a Federation Council, State-building in Iraq remains elusive | MERI". www.meri-k.org. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
The problem here does not lie in the topic, but in the fact that Iraq's shaky Parliament is enjoying a monopoly in the country's supreme legislative body and not subject to any form of checks and balances. Iraq was meant to have a Federation Council, an upper chamber, that can play a vital role in the country's democracy, state-building and rule-of-law. This Council was mandated in Articles 48 and 65 of the 2005 Constitution, and was meant to be created during the term of the first Parliament (2006-2010).
- ^ "Can the Federation Council help address Iraq's ongoing 'state' crisis? - Kalam". 13 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
Article 65 of Iraq's 2005 Constitution calls for the establishment of a second legislative chamber known as the Federation Council (FC). However, this article remains dormant, awaiting 'to be regulated by law' – just like many other suspended constitutional provisions.
- ^ Chomani, Kamal (8 November 2018). "Iraq's Missing Federation Council". The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy -. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
The Iraqi parliament's upper house, constitutionally defined as the Federation Council, has never been established. Establishing the Federation Council would be a step forward in Iraq's democratization and ability to resolve disputes.
- ^ "Surface water and surface water change". Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Iraq Population (2025) - Worldometer".
- ^ "Planning Ministry Announces Key Census Results: Population Reaches 46 Million 118 Thousand". Iraqi News Agency.
- ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition (Iraq)". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Gini Index - Iraq". World Bank. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ "Human Development Report 2023/2024" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 13 March 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
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