Iraq – An overview Tartu University Karl Salum

Contents Geography –Neighbours, provinces, ethnic composition Economy –Oil –Agriculture Politics –Foreign –Domestic Security situation –Coalition forces –Iraqi security forces –Anti-Iraqi forces

Geography (1) Area: 432,162 sq km Land boundaries: 3,650 km –Border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km Coastline: 58 km Natural resources: Oil, natural gas Land use: arable land: 13.15% Irrigated land: 35,250 sq km (1998 est.) 18 provinces

Geography (2) People: –Population: approx. 29 million –Ethnic groups: Arab 75%- 80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% –Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Geography (3) Constitutional amendment for creation of autonomous regions. Is Iraq going to break up?

Economy Main source of income: natural resources export –Oil production: 2.3M barrels per day (Spring 2007 estimate) –Oil revenues increasing gradually, July 04 – June 05: $20B. 2007: approximately $31B expected. –Oil export: trucks, tankers, pipelines Communications: –Satellite TV, cellular phones, internet, newspapers Agriculture is an untapped resource –Irrigation system –Southern marshlands –Date palm growing

Politics A federal parliamentary representative democratic republic Foreign politics –The Arab League –Relations with neighbours Domestic politics –Executive Branch President, 2 Vice Presidents, Prime Minister Cabinet: 36 ministers –Legislative Branch: Council of Representatives (275) Elected nation-wide for four years –Judicial Branch: Supreme Court

Security Situation (1) Coalition forces –Seven multi-national divisions composed of 27 countries Iraqi Security Forces –Iraqi Army, Navy, Air Force –Iraqi Police –Strategic Infrastructure Protection forces Other armed forces –Paramilitary units (militias) –Private Security Companies

Security Situation (2) Anti-Iraqi Forces: –Local Iraqis and also foreign terrorists –What they do: suicide bombings, improvised explosive device attacks, kidnapping, rudimentary sniper techniques, mortar attacks, rocket attacks, murders, intimidation... –Main goals: force Coalition out, weaken the Iraqi government, seize power, create mayhem

Summary, discussion Intervention – question of legality Future scenarios Repercussions of the Colonial Era A separate state for each ethnic group? Questions, questions, questions...