| Area Total | 438,317 sq km |
| Climate | mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq |
| Natural Resources | petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur |
| Imports | $39.47 billion (2017 est.) partners: Turkey 27.8%, China 25.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Russia 4.3% (2017) – food, medicine, manufactures |
| Government | federal parliamentary republic |
| Capital | Baghdad |
| Population | 40.2 million (July 2018 est.) |
| Ethnicity | Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, other 5% |
| Language | Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect), Syriac (Neo-Aramaic), and Armenian official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a majority of the population |
| Exports | $61.4 billion (2017 est.) partners: India 21.2%, China 20.2%, US 15.8%, South Korea 9.4%, Greece 5.3%, Netherlands 4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2017) – crude oil 99%, crude materials excluding fuels, food, live animals |
News about Iraq
- Shiite Muslims in Mideast mark solemn holy day of Ashoruaby Via AP news wire on August 8, 2022
Millions of Shiite Muslims, from Iran to Afghanistan and Pakistan, are marking the festival of Ashoura
- Meet the hopeful astronauts vying to be the first WOMAN to walk on the moonon August 8, 2022
NASA is planning to land the first woman on the moon in a little over three years' time and has whittled down who it will be to just nine candidates. MailOnline looks at who they are.
- Shia factions mass in Baghdad raising fears of more unrestby Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent on August 1, 2022
Rallies in support of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr follow occupation of Iraqi parliament amid a political vacuumProtesters from rival Shia blocs have taken to the streets of several Iraqi cities in a show of force that sparked fears of a descent into violence amid a 10-month political standoff about naming a new government.The rallies followed a weekend […]
- Bill Maher says Republicans would 'secretly love' to see Trump in jail over January 6on July 31, 2022
Bill Maher, 66, is convinced that if Trump's case doesn't go to trial, 'subsequent attempts' would happen as he 'already attempted it'
- Iraqi protesters storm parliament for second time this week – video reportby Faisal Ali on July 30, 2022
Supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr broke through the heavily fortified Green Zone and stormed the Iraqi parliament for the second time this week to block the appointment of Iran-backed Mohammed al-Sudani as prime minister. Security forces shot tear gas, sound bombs and water cannon to disperse the protesters, injuring at least 60. Al-Sadr and his […]
- Protesters storm Iraq parliament again amid unrest over Iran-backed groupsby Associated Press in Baghdad on July 30, 2022
Followers of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr bring down cement barricades leading to Baghdad’s government zoneThousands of followers of an influential Shia cleric stormed into Iraq’s parliament on Saturday for the second time this week, protesting against government formation efforts led by his rivals, an alliance of Iran-backed groups.The alliance showed […]
- Iran may eventually get its way in protracted power struggle in Iraqby Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent on July 28, 2022
Analysis: Kurdish officials are considering allying with Iranian interests to finally form a government in BaghdadA parliament besieged by protesters, a country adrift nine months after an election, a feud between domestic blocs and Iranian proxies: for many Iraqis, the latest political crisis is nothing new.But to many observers this standoff appears more […]
- How one retired SEAL is helping fellow veterans make the transition back into civilian lifeon July 28, 2022
SEAL veteran and author Eric Muller, 51, helps and teaches former military members how to go through a smooth transition back into civilian life upon retiring from military duty at Magnifi U.
- Hundreds of protesters storm Iraq parliament in support of cleric Moqtada al-Sadrby Agence France-Presse on July 28, 2022
Police fired teargas in a bid to stop crowds who entered parliament waving flags, taking photographs, chanting and cheeringHundreds of supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr danced and sang in parliament after storming Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone in protest at a rival bloc’s nomination for prime minister.Police fired barrages of […]
- Briton jailed in Iraq for smuggling antiquities to be freed, says lawyerby Nadeem Badshah on July 26, 2022
Family of retired geologist Jim Fitton, 66, ‘over the moon’ after court quashes 15-year jail sentenceA retired British geologist is to be released from an Iraqi prison after his 15-year jail sentence for smuggling antiquities was quashed, according to his family and lawyer.Jim Fitton, 66, was jailed after collecting 12 stones and shards of broken […]
- President Joe Biden condemns assassination attempt on NY governor candidate Lee Zeldinon July 22, 2022
President Joe Biden condemned alleged military vet who attacked Rep. Lee Zeldin at a New York campaign rally on Thursday.
- 'Military vet' who tried to stab NY gubernatorial hopeful Lee Zeldin charged with attempted assaulton July 22, 2022
David Jakubonis, 43, of Fairport, confronted Lee Zeldin when he was in the middle of a speech about bail reform in Perinton, New York, a small town outside Rochester.
- Glebe café owner Sonny Barkho to challenge Covid fine he received despite having a safety planon July 22, 2022
Sonny Barkho, who runs a cafe at Glebe in Sydney, said his business had been open for less than a week when he was hit with a Covid fine after armed police quizzed him about his safety plan.
- Iraq accuses Turkey of deadly attack on tourists near Kurdish cityby Martin Chulov and Nechirvan Mando on July 21, 2022
Turkey blames PKK after nine people killed at water park in area where there have been frequent clashesThe bodies of nine tourists killed in a shelling attack in northern Iraq have been flown to Baghdad, as up to 23 survivors were treated in hospital and a political row intensified over who was responsible.The Iraqi government has accused Turkish forces of […]
- Penny Mordaunt failed us in our hour of need, writes Iraq army veteran MAJOR ROBERT CAMPBELLon July 16, 2022
MAJOR ROBERT CAMPBELL: Mordaunt has released a three-minute campaign video that contains 13 separate references to the Armed Forces, including one of the US Marine Corps.
- Australian government wrongly cancelled citizenship of man on death row in Iraq, family claimby Nino Bucci on July 16, 2022
Ahmad Merhi, who travelled from Sydney to Syria and is accused of joining Islamic State, says he is now stateless as he awaits hangingGet our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastThe former Coalition government wrongly cancelled the citizenship of an Australian man on death row in Iraq, leaving him stateless as he awaited hanging on […]
- Saudi crown prince MBS told Biden the US made 'mistakes' tooon July 16, 2022
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pointed to American abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan as he told Joe Biden that the U.S. made 'mistakes' too.
- Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat packs in army metaphors as Tory hopeful hits back at 'novice' claimson July 12, 2022
In a speech in Westminster this morning, the senior Conservative MP promised 'leadership with a renewed sense of mission' and insisted he 'cannot accept defeat'.
- The abandoned World War I ruins that have survived for over a centuryon July 9, 2022
More than a century has passed since the end of World War I, but physical reminders of 'the war to end all wars' remain today.
- Female Brazilian model and sniper killed by Russian missile strike while fighting alongside Ukraineon July 6, 2022
Thalito do Valle, 39, took part in humanitarian missions around the world and had previously fought against ISIS in Iraq.
