Capital

Irak

name: Baghdad

geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: although the origin of the name is disputed, it likely has compound Persian roots with bagh and dad meaning "god" and "given" respectively to create the meaning of "bestowed by God"

Citizenship

Irak

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Legal system

Irak

mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law

Suffrage

Irak

18 years of age; universal

Area

Irak

total: 438,317 sq km

land: 437,367 sq km

water: 950 sq km

Land use

Irak

agricultural land: 18.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 8.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 9.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 1.9% (2018 est.)

other: 80% (2018 est.)

Location

Irak

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Age structure

Irak

0-14 years: 35.24% (male 7,428,445/female 7,113,723)

15-64 years: 61.17% (male 12,692,897/female 12,548,936)

65 years and over: 3.59% (2023 est.) (male 658,844/female 823,264)

Birth rate

Irak

24.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Irak

3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Irak

Arabic (official), Kurdish (official); Turkmen (a Turkish dialect) and Syriac (Neo-Aramaic) are recognized as official languages where native speakers of these languages are present; Iraqis have the right to be educated in their native language

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Irak

total population: 73.5 years (2023 est.)

male: 71.6 years

female: 75.4 years

Major urban areas - population

Irak

7.711 million BAGHDAD (capital), 1.792 million Mosul, 1.448 million Basra, 1.075 million Kirkuk, 958,000 Najaf, 897,000 Erbil (2023)

Median age

Irak

total: 22.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 21.7 years

female: 22.4 years

Net migration rate

Irak

-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Irak

population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited

Population growth rate

Irak

1.94% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Irak

3.17 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Irak

urban population: 71.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Irak

4.7% of GDP (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Irak

-4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Irak

-1.14% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Irak

11.184 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Irak

23% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

Irak

14.19% (2021 est.)

14.09% (2020 est.)

12.86% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Irak

27.44% of GDP (2018 est.)

35.86% of GDP (2017 est.)

29.48% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Irak

6.04% (2021 est.)

0.57% (2020 est.)

-0.2% (2019 est.)

Exports

Irak

$78.261 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$50.632 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$88.903 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Irak

China 26%, India 24%, South Korea 9%, United States 8%, Italy 6%, Greece 6% (2019)

Imports

Irak

$50.707 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$54.722 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$72.283 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Irak

United Arab Emirates 28%, Turkey 21%, China 19% (2019)

Airports

Irak

102 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Irak

total: 6,254,099 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Irak

total: 21.56 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 49% (2021 est.)

Railways

Irak

total: 2,272 km (2014)

standard gauge: 2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Irak

total: 59,623 km (2012)

paved: 59,623 km (2012) (includes Kurdistan region)

Telephones - fixed lines

Irak

total subscriptions: 3,048,736 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Irak

total subscriptions: 37,649,112 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 86 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Irak

5,279 km (2012) (the Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are the principal waterways)

Disputes - international

Irak

Iraq-Iran: Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf

Iraq-Kuwait: undemarcated maritime boundary; Kuwait has called on Iraq to resolve the domestic legal status of the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement to regulate maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah and ensure that the agreement remains in force 

Iraq-Turkey: Turkey maintains a military presence in northern Iraq to combat the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) terrorist group; it periodically conducts air strikes and has conducted large military operations involving thousands of troops in 2007, 2011, and 2018, and smaller-scale operations in 2021 and 2022