Basic Country Facts

Geography Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total area: 437,072 sq km land area: 432,162 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho Land boundaries: total: 3,631 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km Coastline: 58 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Iran 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 November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands; 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; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows which melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Gundah Zhur 3,608 m 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 have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods international agreements: party