| |
| |
Iraq
today, map and information |
Printer
version |
| |
 |
| |
|
| Official
Name : |
AL-JUMHOURIYA
AL'IRAQIA (Republic of Iraq) |
| Land
Area: |
434,924
square kilometres / 167,881 square miles. |
| Population: |
26,074,000
(est 2005). Density 60.1 persons per square kilometres. |
| Languages: |
Arabic
(official), Kurdish, Turkmen, Assyrian, Farsi, Turkish. |
| Religions: |
Islam (official) Shi'ite 55%, Sunni 35%, Christian 5%. |
| Capital: |
Baghdad.
Population 5,500,000 |
| Currency: |
Iraqi
dinar, divided into 1000 fils. |
| Geography: |
Predominantly
low lying broad plains interupted in the north east by a mountainous ridge on
the Turkey-Iran border. Reedy marshes along Iranian border in the south with large
flooded areas. The Tigres and the Euphrates flow through from Turkey and Syria,
joining in the south to form the Shat al Arab before emptying into the Persian
Gulf. 12% of the land is arable, 3% forested. |
| Political: |
In March
2003, after 3 months of sustained air bombardment, the US Bush Government invades
Iraq for the second time in a decade. The Bush administration uses the flimsy
pretext of "Rooting out Weapons of Mass Destruction", but in reality,
it was a US grab for Iraqi oil and to stop Iraq switching from US dollars to euros
for all oil payments. When no WMD were found, the US changes it's war marketing
strategy, focusing on removing Saddam Hussein, who until 1990, was
a CIA asset. The war shatters the economy and the lives of its citizens, thousands
suffering radiation illness and death from the US use of 'depleted' uranium in
their warheads.
June 2004, even with major unrest still widespread, the US installs a puppet regime.
October 2005, Saddam Hussein is indited for war crimes. The US has a vexing problem.
How to rid themselves of their strongman, and make sure he does not 'spill his
guts' -like one other former US bedfellow Milosevic. The US short-circuits the
problem by trying Saddam for an obscure crime of 1982. All other 'evidence' will
be deemed 'irrelevent'. The trial is ajourned for 3 months. |
| National
Flag - Ratio 2:3 |
Climate
in Baghdad - elevation 34m/112ft |
Position
in the Middle East |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
