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Iraq vs. Turkey

Introduction

IraqTurkey
Background

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during World War I and was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration in 1920. Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. It was proclaimed a "republic" in 1958 after a coup overthrew the monarchy, but in actuality, a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. After Iraq's expulsion, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions led to the Second Gulf War in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led forces.

In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates in January 2009 and April 2013 and postponed the next provincial elections, originally planned for April 2017, until 2019. Iraq has held three national legislative elections since 2005, most recently in May 2018 when 329 legislators were elected to the COR. Adil ABD AL-MAHDI assumed the premiership in October 2018 as a consensus and independent candidate - the first prime minister who is not an active member of a major political bloc. However, widespread protests that began in October 2019 demanding more employment opportunities and an end to corruption prompted ABD AL-MAHDI to announce his resignation on 20 November 2019.

Between 2014 and 2017, Iraq was engaged in a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country. Iraqi and allied forces recaptured Mosul, the country's second-largest city, in 2017 and drove ISIS out of its other urban strongholds. In December 2017, then-Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI publicly declared victory against ISIS while continuing operations against the group's residual presence in rural areas. Also in late 2017, ABADI responded to an independence referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional Government by ordering Iraqi forces to take control of disputed territories across central and northern Iraq that were previously occupied and governed by Kurdish forces.

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. An unsuccessful coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces and claimed more than 40,000 lives. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, however intense fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms, coupled with some political reforms, have contributed to a growing economy, although economic growth slowed in recent years.

From 2015 and continuing through 2016, Turkey witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence, including major attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and throughout the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup that ultimately failed following widespread popular resistance. More than 240 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. The government accused followers of the Fethullah Gulen transnational religious and social movement ("Hizmet") for allegedly instigating the failed coup and designates the movement's followers as terrorists. Since the attempted coup, Turkish Government authorities arrested, suspended, or dismissed more than 130,000 security personnel, journalists, judges, academics, and civil servants due to their alleged connection to Gulen's movement. Following the failed coup, the Turkish Government instituted a State of Emergency from July 2016 to July 2018. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum on 16 April 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The amendments went into effect fully following the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2018.

Geography

IraqTurkey
LocationMiddle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and KuwaitSoutheastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Geographic coordinates33 00 N, 44 00 E39 00 N, 35 00 E
Map referencesMiddle EastMiddle East
Areatotal: 438,317 sq km

land: 437,367 sq km

water: 950 sq km
total: 783,562 sq km

land: 769,632 sq km

water: 13,930 sq km
Area - comparativeslightly more than three times the size of New York stateslightly larger than Texas
Land boundariestotal: 3,809 km

border countries (6): Iran 1599 km, Jordan 179 km, Kuwait 254 km, Saudi Arabia 811 km, Syria 599 km, Turkey 367 km
total: 2,816 km

border countries (8): Armenia 311 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 223 km, Georgia 273 km, Greece 192 km, Iran 534 km, Iraq 367 km, Syria 899 km
Coastline58 km7,200 km
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR

12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea
Climatemostly 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 Iraqtemperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrainmostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkeyhigh central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Elevation extremeshighest point: Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for "Black Tent") 3,611 m

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation: 312 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,137 m

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 1,132 m
Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfurcoal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Land useagricultural 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.)
agricultural land: 49.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 26.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 19% (2018 est.)

forest: 14.9% (2018 est.)

other: 35.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land35,250 sq km (2012)52,150 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardsdust storms; sandstorms; floods

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding

volcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

Environment - current issuesgovernment water control projects 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 Marsh Arabs, who 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; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification; military and industrial infrastructure has released heavy metals and other hazardous substances into the air, soil, and groundwater; major sources of environmental damage are effluents from oil refineries, factory and sewage discharges into rivers, fertilizer and chemical contamination of the soil, and industrial air pollution in urban areaswater pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; land degradation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic; conservation of biodiversity
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification
Geography - notestrategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulfstrategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; Istanbul, which straddles the Bosporus, is the only metropolis in the world located on two continents; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country
Total renewable water resources89.86 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)211.6 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionpopulation 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 uninhabitedthe most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast

Demographics

IraqTurkey
Population39,650,145 (July 2021 est.)82,482,383 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 37.02% (male 7,349,868/female 7,041,405)

15-24 years: 19.83% (male 3,918,433/female 3,788,157)

25-54 years: 35.59% (male 6,919,569/female 6,914,856)

55-64 years: 4.23% (male 805,397/female 839,137)

65 years and over: 3.33% (male 576,593/female 719,240) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 23.41% (male 9,823,553/female 9,378,767)

15-24 years: 15.67% (male 6,564,263/female 6,286,615)

25-54 years: 43.31% (male 17,987,103/female 17,536,957)

55-64 years: 9.25% (male 3,764,878/female 3,822,946)

65 years and over: 8.35% (male 3,070,258/female 3,782,174) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 21.2 years

male: 20.8 years

female: 21.6 years (2020 est.)
total: 32.2 years

male: 31.7 years

female: 32.8 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate2.06% (2021 est.)0.7% (2021 est.)
Birth rate25.21 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)14.54 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 20.08 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 19.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 72.9 years

male: 71.01 years

female: 74.89 years (2021 est.)
total population: 75.96 years

male: 73.57 years

female: 78.46 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate3.32 children born/woman (2021 est.)1.94 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rateNANA
Nationalitynoun: Iraqi(s)

adjective: Iraqi
noun: Turk(s)

adjective: Turkish
Ethnic groupsArab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, other 5% (includes Turkmen, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka'i, Bedouin, Romani, Assyrian, Circassian, Sabaean-Mandaean, Persian)

note: data is a 1987 government estimate; no more recent reliable numbers are available
Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNANA
ReligionsMuslim (official) 95-98% (Shia 64-69%, Sunni 29-34%), Christian 1% (includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Church of the East), other 1-4% (2015 est.)

note: while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, the overall Christian population has decreased at least 50% and perhaps as high as 90% since the fall of the SADDAM Husayn regime in 2003, according to US Embassy estimates, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
HIV/AIDS - deathsNANA
LanguagesArabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect), Syriac (Neo-Aramaic), and Armenian are official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a majority of the population

major-language sample(s):
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The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, temel bilgi edinmek için vazgeçilmez bir kaynak. (Turkish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50.1%

male: 56.2%

female: 44% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.2%

male: 98.8%

female: 93.5% (2017)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Iraq; as of 19 July 2021, Iraq has reported a total of 1,501,595 cases of COVID-19 or 3,733.22 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 44.48 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 1.74% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
respiratory diseases: Covid-19 (2020)

note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Turkey; as of 6 June 2021, Turkey has reported a total of 5,537,386 cases of COVID-19 or 6,565.62 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 60 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 46.29% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Education expendituresNA4.3% of GDP (2015)
Urbanizationurban population: 71.1% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 76.6% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 98.8% of population

rural: 95% of population

total: 97.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population

rural: 5% of population

total: 2.1% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 98.6% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 98.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 96.7% of population

rural: 89.7% of population

total: 95.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.3% of population

rural: 10.3% of population

total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 91.6% of population

total: 97.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 8.4% of population

total: 2.7% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population7.323 million BAGHDAD (capital), 1.683 million Mosul, 1.382 million Basra, 1.031 million Kirkuk, 901,000 Najaf, 861,000 Erbil (2021)15.190 million Istanbul, 5.118 million ANKARA (capital), 2.993 million Izmir, 1.986 million Bursa, 1.771 million Adana, 1.704 million Gaziantep (2020)
Maternal mortality rate79 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)17 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight3.9% (2018)1.5% (2018/19)
Health expenditures4.1% (2018)4.1% (2018)
Physicians density0.71 physicians/1,000 population (2018)1.85 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)2.8 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate30.4% (2016)32.1% (2016)
Contraceptive prevalence rate52.8% (2018)69.8% (2018)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 69.9

youth dependency ratio: 64.1

elderly dependency ratio: 5.9

potential support ratio: 17.1 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 49.1

youth dependency ratio: 35.7

elderly dependency ratio: 13.4

potential support ratio: 7.5 (2020 est.)

Government

IraqTurkey
Country nameconventional long form: Republic of Iraq

conventional short form: Iraq

local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq

local short form: Al Iraq/Eraq

former: Mesopotamia, Mandatory Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq

etymology: the name probably derives from "Uruk" (Biblical "Erech"), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks"
Government typefederal parliamentary republicpresidential republic
Capitalname: Baghdad

geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E

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

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"
name: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Ankara has been linked with a second millennium B.C. Hittite cult center of Ankuwash, although this connection is uncertain; in classical and medieval times, the city was known as Ankyra (meaning "anchor" in Greek and reflecting the city's position as a junction for multiple trade and military routes); by about the 13th century the city began to be referred to as Angora; following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the city's name became Ankara
Administrative divisions18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)) and 1 region*; Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Kurdistan Regional Government*; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Independence3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed, succeeding the Ottoman Empire)
National holidayIndependence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958)Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
Constitutionhistory: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters collectively, or by one fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen rights and liberties requires two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president
history: several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982

amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one third of Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary TBMM session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request TBMM reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority TBMM vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017
Legal systemmixed legal system of civil and Islamic lawcivil law system based on various European legal systems, notably the Swiss civil code
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President Barham SALIH (since 2 October 2018); vice presidents (vacant)

head of government: Prime Minister Mustafa al-KADHIMI (since 7 May 2020)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Council of Representatives (COR) to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); COR election last held on 12 May 2018 (next NA)

election results:

COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; Barham SALIH elected president in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; note - the COR vote on 1 October 2018 failed due to a lack of quorum, and a new session was held on 2 October

chief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (chief of state since 28 August 2014; head of government since 9 July 2019); Vice President Fuat OKTAY (since 9 July 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (head of government since 9 July 2019; chief of state since 28 August 2014); note - a 2017 constitutional referendum eliminated the post of prime minister after the 2018 general election 

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2018 (next scheduled for June 2023)

election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%
Legislative branchdescription: unicameral Council of Representatives or Majlis an-Nuwwab al-Iraqiyy (329 seats; 320 members directly elected in 83 multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 9 seats at the national level reserved for minorities - 5 for Christians, 1 each for Sabaean-Mandaeans, Yazidis, Shabaks, Fayli Kurds; 25% of seats allocated to women; members serve 4-year terms); note - in early November 2020, the president ratified a new electoral law - approved by the Council of Representatives in late October - that eliminates the proportional representation electoral system

elections: last held on 12 May 2018 (next to be held on 10 October 2021)

election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Sa'irun Alliance 54, Al Fatah Alliance 48, Al Nasr Alliance 42, KDP 25, State of Law Coalition 25, Wataniyah 21, National Wisdom Trend 19, PUK 18, Iraqi Decision Alliance 14, Anbar Our Identity 6, Goran Movement 5, New Generation 4, other 48; composition - men 245, women 84, percent of women 25.5%
description: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats - increased from 550 seats beginning with June 2018 election; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms - increased from 4 to 5 years beginning with June 2018 election)

elections: last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held in June 2023)

election results: percent of vote by party - People's Alliance 53.7% (AKP 42.6%, MHP 11.1%), Nation Alliance 33.9% (CHP 22.6%, IYI 10%, SP 1.3%), HDP 11.7%, other 0.7%; seats by party - People's Alliance 344 (AKP 295, MHP 49), National Alliance 189 (CHP 146, IYI 43), HDP 67; composition - men 496, women 104, percent of women 17.3%; note - only parties surpassing a 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats
Judicial branchhighest courts: Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); note - court jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues and disputes between regions or governorates and the central government; Court of Cassation (consists of a court president, 5 vice presidents, and at least 24 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Federal Supreme Court and Court of Cassation judges selected by the president of the republic from nominees selected by the Higher Judicial Council (HJC), a 25-member committee of judicial officials that manages the judiciary and prosecutors; FSC members appointed for life; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the HJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement nominally at age 63

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts, including first instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony, misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile, and traffic courts
highest courts: Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of the president, 2 vice presidents, and 12 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members)

judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy court presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges serve 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges serve until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members serve renewable, 4-year terms

subordinate courts: regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts; peace courts; aggravated crime courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit; note - a constitutional amendment in 2017 abolished military courts unless established to investigate military personnel actions during war conditions
Political parties and leaders
Al Fatah Alliance [Hadi al-AMIRI]
Al Nasr Alliance [Haydar al-ABADI]
Al Sadiqun Bloc [Adnan al-DULAYMI]
Al Sa'irun Alliance [Muqtda al-SADR]
Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]
Da`wa Party [Nuri al-MALIKI]
Fadilah Party [Muhammad al-YAQUBI]
Goran Movement [Omar SAYYID ALI]
Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid Majid MUSA]
Iraq Decision Alliance [Khamis al-KHANJAR, Usama al-NUJAYFI]
Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Humam HAMMUDI]
Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masoud BARZANI]
National Wisdom Trend [Ammar al-HAKIM]
New Generation Movement [SHASWAR Abd al-Wahid Qadir]
Our Identity [Muhammad al-HALBUSI]
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [KOSRAT Rasul Ali, acting]
State of Law Coalition [Nuri al MALIKI
Wataniyah coalition [Ayad ALLAWI]
numerous smaller religious, local, tribal, and minority parties
Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]
Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Sebahat TUNCEL, Mehmet ARSLAN]
Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]
Free Cause Party or HUDAPAR [Ishak SAGLAM]
Good Party or TYIi [Meral AKSENER]
Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]
Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]
Nation Alliance (CHP, IYI, SP) (electoral alliance)
Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
People's Alliance (AKP, MHP) (electoral alliance)
Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]
Peoples' Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Sezai TEMELLI]
Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]

note:  as of December 2018, 83 political parties were legally registered
International organization participationABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador Fareed Mustafa Kamil YASSEEN (since 18 January 2017)

chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600

FAX: [1] (202) 333-1129

email address and website:
http://www.iraqiembassy.us/

consulate(s) general: Detroit, Los Angeles
chief of mission: Ambassador Hasan MURAT MERCAN (since 20 April 2021)

chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700; [1] (202) 612-6701

FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744

email address and website:
embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr

http://washington.emb.mfa.gov.tr/Mission

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador Matthew TUELLER (since 9 June 2019)

embassy: Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad; note - consulate in Al Basrah closed as of 28 September 2018

mailing address: 6060 Baghdad Place, Washington DC  20521-6060

telephone: 0760-030-3000

email address and website:
BaghdadACS@state.gov

https://iq.usembassy.gov/
chief of mission: Ambassador David M. SATTERFIELD (since 28 August 2019)

embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara

mailing address: 7000 Ankara Place, Washington  DC 20512-7000

telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555

FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019

email address and website:
Ankara-ACS@state.gov

https://tr.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Istanbul

consulate(s): Adana
Flag descriptionthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white); the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise replacement for the Ba'thist SADDAM-era flag

note: similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script; Yemen, which has a plain white band; and that of Egypt, which has a golden Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band
red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors
National anthemname: "Mawtini" (My Homeland)

lyrics/music: Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL

note: adopted 2004; following the ouster of SADDAM Husayn, Iraq adopted "Mawtini," a popular folk song throughout the Arab world; also serves as an unofficial anthem of the Palestinian people
name: "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)

lyrics/music: Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR

note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932
International law organization participationhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCthas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
National symbol(s)golden eagle; national colors: red, white, blackvertical crescent moon with adjacent five-pointed star; national colors: red, white
Citizenshipcitizenship 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
citizenship by birth: no

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

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Economy

IraqTurkey
Economy - overview

Iraq's GDP growth slowed to 1.1% in 2017, a marked decline compared to the previous two years as domestic consumption and investment fell because of civil violence and a sluggish oil market. The Iraqi Government received its third tranche of funding from its 2016 Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF in August 2017, which is intended to stabilize its finances by encouraging improved fiscal management, needed economic reform, and expenditure reduction. Additionally, in late 2017 Iraq received more than $1.4 billion in financing from international lenders, part of which was generated by issuing a $1 billion bond for reconstruction and rehabilitation in areas liberated from ISIL. Investment and key sector diversification are crucial components to Iraq's long-term economic development and require a strengthened business climate with enhanced legal and regulatory oversight to bolster private-sector engagement. The overall standard of living depends on global oil prices, the central government passage of major policy reforms, a stable security environment post-ISIS, and the resolution of civil discord with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).

Iraq's largely state-run economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides roughly 85% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings, and is a major determinant of the economy's fortunes. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil exports and revenues, but Iraq will need to make significant upgrades to its oil processing, pipeline, and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their economic potential.

In 2017, Iraqi oil exports from northern fields were disrupted following a KRG referendum that resulted in the Iraqi Government reasserting federal control over disputed oil fields and energy infrastructure in Kirkuk. The Iraqi government and the KRG dispute the role of federal and regional authorities in the development and export of natural resources. In 2007, the KRG passed an oil law to develop IKR oil and gas reserves independent of the federal government. The KRG has signed about 50 contracts with foreign energy companies to develop its reserves, some of which lie in territories taken by Baghdad in October 2017. The KRG is able to unilaterally export oil from the fields it retains control of through its own pipeline to Turkey, which Baghdad claims is illegal. In the absence of a national hydrocarbons law, the two sides have entered into five provisional oil- and revenue-sharing deals since 2009, all of which collapsed.

Iraq is making slow progress enacting laws and developing the institutions needed to implement economic policy, and political reforms are still needed to assuage investors' concerns regarding the uncertain business climate. The Government of Iraq is eager to attract additional foreign direct investment, but it faces a number of obstacles, including a tenuous political system and concerns about security and societal stability. Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, skilled labor shortages, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. Under the Iraqi constitution, some competencies relevant to the overall investment climate are either shared by the federal government and the regions or are devolved entirely to local governments. Investment in the IKR operates within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Investment Law (Law 4 of 2006) and the Kurdistan Board of Investment, which is designed to provide incentives to help economic development in areas under the authority of the KRG.

Inflation has remained under control since 2006. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard-pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into an improved standard of living for the Iraqi populace. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country despite a bloated public sector. Overregulation has made it difficult for Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Corruption and lack of economic reforms - such as restructuring banks and developing the private sector - have inhibited the growth of the private sector.

Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey's economic outlook.

Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey's sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms.

Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas.

After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth, averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis.

The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey's large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira's continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$427.736 billion (2019 est.)

$409.705 billion (2018 est.)

$412.027 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$2,371,374,000,000 (2019 est.)

$2,349,836,000,000 (2018 est.)

$2,282,304,000,000 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - real growth rate-2.1% (2017 est.)

13.1% (2016 est.)

2.5% (2015 est.)
0.98% (2019 est.)

3.04% (2018 est.)

7.54% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$10,881 (2019 est.)

$10,660 (2018 est.)

$10,972 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$28,424 (2019 est.)

$28,545 (2018 est.)

$28,141 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 3.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 51% (2017 est.)

services: 45.8% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 6.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 32.3% (2017 est.)

services: 60.7% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line23% (2014 est.)14.4% (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 25.7% (2007 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 30.3% (2008)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)-0.1% (2019 est.)

0.3% (2018 est.)

0.2% (2017 est.)
15.4% (2019 est.)

16.2% (2018 est.)

11.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force8.9 million (2010 est.)25.677 million (2020 est.)

note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 21.6%

industry: 18.7%

services: 59.8% (2008 est.)
agriculture: 18.4%

industry: 26.6%

services: 54.9% (2016)
Unemployment rate16% (2012 est.)

15% (2010 est.)
13.68% (2019 est.)

11% (2018 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index29.5 (2012 est.)41.9 (2018 est.)

43.6 (2003)
Budgetrevenues: 68.71 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 76.82 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 172.8 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 185.8 billion (2017 est.)
Industriespetroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processingtextiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Industrial production growth rate0.7% (2017 est.)9.1% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productswheat, barley, dates, tomatoes, rice, maize, grapes, potatoes, rice, watermelonsmilk, wheat, sugar beet, tomatoes, barley, maize, potatoes, grapes, watermelons, apples
Exports$61.4 billion (2017 est.)

$41.72 billion (2016 est.)
$310.671 billion (2019 est.)

$296.288 billion (2018 est.)

$271.866 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiescrude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, dates, petroleum coke (2019)cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, jewelry, clothing and apparel (2019)
Exports - partnersChina 26%, India 24%, South Korea 9%, United States 8%, Italy 6%, Greece 6% (2019)Germany 9%, United Kingdom 6%, Iraq 5%, Italy 5%, United States 5% (2019)
Imports$39.47 billion (2017 est.)

$19.57 billion (2016 est.)
$258.385 billion (2019 est.)

$272.933 billion (2018 est.)

$291.523 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiesrefined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, jewelry, cigarettes (2019)gold, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, vehicle parts, scrap iron (2019)
Imports - partnersUnited Arab Emirates 28%, Turkey 21%, China 19% (2019)Germany 11%, China 9%, Russia 9%, United States 5%, Italy 5% (2019)
Debt - external$73.02 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$64.16 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$438.677 billion (2019 est.)

$454.251 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange ratesIraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar -

1,184 (2017 est.)

1,182 (2016 est.)

1,182 (2015 est.)

1,167.63 (2014 est.)

1,213.72 (2013 est.)
Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar -

7.81925 (2020 est.)

5.8149 (2019 est.)

5.28905 (2018 est.)

2.72 (2014 est.)

2.1885 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar yearcalendar year
Public debt59.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

66% of GDP (2016 est.)
28.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$48.88 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$45.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$107.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$106.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance$4.344 billion (2017 est.)

-$13.38 billion (2016 est.)
$8.561 billion (2019 est.)

-$20.745 billion (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$231.994 billion (2019 est.)$760.028 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsFitch rating: B- (2015)

Moody's rating: Caa1 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: B- (2015)
Fitch rating: BB- (2019)

Moody's rating: B2 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2018)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 44.7 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 77.3 (2020)

Trading score: 25.3 (2020)

Enforcement score: 48 (2020)
Overall score: 76.8 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 88.8 (2020)

Trading score: 91.6 (2020)

Enforcement score: 71.4 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues35.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 25.6%

male: 22%

female: 63.3% (2017)
total: 25.2%

male: 22.4%

female: 30.3% (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 50.4% (2013 est.)

government consumption: 22.9% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services: 32.5% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services: -40.9% (2016 est.)
household consumption: 59.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 14.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 29.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 24.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -29.4% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving13.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

20.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

18.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
26% of GDP (2019 est.)

27.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

26% of GDP (2017 est.)

Energy

IraqTurkey
Electricity - production75.45 billion kWh (2016 est.)261.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption38.46 billion kWh (2016 est.)231.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports0 kWh (2016 est.)1.442 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports11.97 billion kWh (2016 est.)6.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production4.613 million bbl/day (2018 est.)55,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)521,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Oil - exports3.092 million bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Oil - proved reserves148.8 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)341.6 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves3.82 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)5.097 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production1.274 billion cu m (2017 est.)368.1 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption2.633 billion cu m (2017 est.)53.6 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports0 cu m (2017 est.)622.9 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports1.359 billion cu m (2017 est.)55.13 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity27.09 million kW (2016 est.)78.5 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels91% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)53% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production398,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)657,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption826,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)989,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports8,284 bbl/day (2015 est.)141,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports255,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)560,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 100% (2020)electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Telecommunications

IraqTurkey
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 2,859,094

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7.52 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 11,532,903

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14.13 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 37,224,759

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 97.96 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 80,790,877

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98.97 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.iq.tr
Internet userstotal: 18,364,390

percent of population: 49.36% (July 2018 est.)
total: 57,725,143

percent of population: 71.04% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment:

the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout the country; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications have slowed due to political unrest; recent efforts create stability and developments in 4G and 5G technologies; operators focus on installations of new fiber-optic cables and growth in mobile broadband subscribers; the most popular plans are pre-paid; operators focused on fixing and replacing networks (2020)

(2020)

domestic: the mobile cellular market continues to expand; 3G services offered by three major mobile operators; 4G offered by one operator in Iraqi; conflict has destroyed infrastructure in areas; 7 per 100 for fixed-line and 95 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2019)

international: country code - 964; landing points for FALCON, and GBICS/MENA submarine cables providing connections to the Middle East, Africa and India; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave radio relay connects border regions to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

general assessment:

following earthquake damage to infrastructure in 2020, telecom sector undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially in mobile-cellular services; mobile broadband becoming increasingly popular; near saturation of 4G LTE coverage for the population; strides made with 5G through investment by Huawei and Ericcson; fixed and mobile infrastructure will help to underpin Smart City initiatives; tight government control on social media platforms; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2021)

(2020)

domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; fixed-line 14 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 97 telephones per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 90; landing points for the SeaMeWe-3 & -5, MedNautilus Submarine System, Turcyos-1 & -2 submarine cables providing connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia ; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 4,559,053

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2019 est.)
total: 14,231,978

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.44 (2019 est.)
Broadcast mediathe number of private radio and TV stations has increased rapidly since 2003; government-owned TV and radio stations are operated by the publicly funded Iraqi Media Network; private broadcast media are mostly linked to political, ethnic, or religious groups; satellite TV is available to an estimated 70% of viewers and many of the broadcasters are based abroad; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are accessible (2019)

Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national television stations and 567 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions available; 1,007 private radio broadcast stations

(2019)

Transportation

IraqTurkey
Railwaystotal: 2,272 km (2014)

standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
total: 12,710 km (2018)

standard gauge: 11,497 km 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train) (2018)
Roadwaystotal: 59,623 km (2012)

paved: 59,623 km (includes Kurdistan region) (2012)
total: 67,333 km (2018)

paved: 24,082 km (includes 2,159 km of expressways) (2018)

unpaved: 43,251 km (2018)
Waterways5,279 km (the Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are the principal waterways) (2012)1,200 km (2010)
Pipelines2455 km gas, 913 km liquid petroleum gas, 5432 km oil, 1637 km refined products (2013)14,666 km gas, 3,293 km oil (2017)
Ports and terminalsriver port(s): Al Basrah (Shatt al Arab); Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr (Khawr az Zubayr waterway)major seaport(s): Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca

container port(s) (TEUs): Ambarli (3,104,882), Mersin (Icel) (1,854,312), Izmet (1,715,193) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi
Merchant marinetotal: 68

by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 6, other 61 (2020)
total: 1,216

by type: bulk carrier 50, container ship 42, general cargo 338, oil tanker 121, other 665 (2020)
Airportstotal: 102 (2013)total: 98 (2013)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 72 (2017)

over 3,047 m: 20 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2017)

under 914 m: 7 (2017)
total: 91 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 16 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 16 (2013)

under 914 m: 4 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 30 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 3 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 13 (2013)

under 914 m: 6 (2013)
total: 7 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)

under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Heliports16 (2013)20 (2013)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 34

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,075,065 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.2 million mt-km (2018)
number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 618

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 115,595,495 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5,949,210,000 mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixYITC

Military

IraqTurkey
Military branchesMinistry of Defense: Iraqi Army, Army Aviation Command, Iraqi Navy, Iraqi Air Force, Iraqi Air Defense Command, Special Forces Command

National-Level Security Forces: Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (CTS; a Special Forces Division aka the "Golden Division"), Prime Minister's Special Forces Division, Presidential Brigades

Ministry of Interior: Federal Police Forces Command, Border Guard Forces Command, Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency, Emergency Response Division, Facilities Protection Directorate, and Energy Police Directorate

Popular Mobilization Commission and Affiliated Forces (PMF); Ministry of Pershmerga (Kurdistan Regional Government) (2020)

note: the PMF is a collection of approximately 50 paramilitary militias of different sizes and with varying political interests
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri); Ministry of Interior: Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic, Turkish Coast Guard Command (2021)

note: in wartime, the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard would be placed under the operational control of the Land Forces and Naval Forces, respectively
Military service age and obligation18-40 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)President Erdogan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men's mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP4% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.9% of GDP (2019)

2.9% of GDP (2018)

3.9% of GDP (2017)

3.5% of GDP (2016)
1.86% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.85% of GDP (2019)

1.82% of GDP (2018)

1.51% of GDP (2017)

1.45% of GDP (2016)
Military - note

as of early 2021, Iraqi military and security forces continued to conduct counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group, particularly in northern and western Iraq

Shia militia and paramilitary units from the Popular Mobilization Committee and Affiliated Forces (PMF) have fought alongside the Iraqi military against ISIS since 2014, but the majority of these forces continue to largely ignore the 2016 Law of the Popular Mobilization Authority, which mandated that armed militias must be regulated in a fashion similar to Iraq's other security forces and act under the Iraqi government's direct control; the Iraqi prime minister legally commands the PMF, but most of the militia brigades take orders from associated political parties and/or other government officials, including some with ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps

the Kurdish Peshmerga are formally recognized as a legitimate Iraqi military force under the country's constitution and have operated jointly with the Iraqi military against ISIS militants, but they also operate outside of Iraqi military command structure; the Peshmerga report to the Kurdistan Regional Government or Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan parties instead of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense

at the request of the Iraqi government, NATO agreed to establish an advisory, training and capacity-building mission in Iraq in October 2018 to help Iraqi forces in their fight against ISIS; NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) currently has about 500 troops, but in February 2021 NATO announced it would increase the presence to about 4,000, although no timeframe was given

the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; in a controversial move, it purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system for an estimated $2.5 billion in July 2019; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally (joined 1952) and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense
Military and security service personnel strengthsinformation varies; approximately 200,000 personnel under the Ministry of Defense (190,000 Army/Aviation Command/Special Forces; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air/Air Defense Forces); approximately 25,000 National-Level Security Forces (10,000 Iraqi Counterterrorism Service; 10,000 Presidential Brigades; 5,000 Prime Minister's Special Forces Division); est. 100-160,000 Popular Mobilization Forces; est. 150,000-200,000 Peshmerga Forces (2020-21)information varies; approximately 425,000 active duty personnel (325,000 Army; 50,000 Navy; 50,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 Gendarmerie (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe Iraqi military inventory is comprised of Russian and Soviet-era equipment combined with newer European- and US-sourced platforms; since 2010, Russia and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware to Iraq (2020)the Turkish Armed Forces inventory is mostly comprised of a mix of domestically-produced and Western weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkey has also acquired some Chinese, Russian, and South Korean equipment; since 2010, the US is the leading provider of armaments to Turkey, followed by Italy, South Korea, and Spain; Turkey has a robust defense industry capable of producing a range of weapons systems for both export and internal use, including armored vehicles, naval vessels, and unmanned aerial platforms, although it is heavily dependent on Western technology; Turkey's defense industry also partners with other countries for defense production (2020)

Transnational Issues

IraqTurkey
Disputes - international

Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; in 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has faltered; Turkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley

Refugees and internally displaced personsrefugees (country of origin): 15,167 (Turkey), 7,858 (West Bank and Gaza Strip), 5,041 (Iran) (2018); 247,044 (Syria) (2021)

IDPs: 1,198,940 (displacement in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2021)

stateless persons: 47,253 (2020); note - in the 1970s and 1980s under SADDAM Husayn's regime, thousands of Iraq's Faili Kurds, followers of Shia Islam, were stripped of their Iraqi citizenship, had their property seized by the government, and many were deported; some Faili Kurds had their citizenship reinstated under the 2,006 Iraqi Nationality Law, but others lack the documentation to prove their Iraqi origins; some Palestinian refugees persecuted by the SADDAM regime remain stateless

note: estimate revised to reflect the reduction of statelessness in line with Law 26 of 2006, which allows stateless persons to apply for nationality in certain circumstances; more accurate studies of statelessness in Iraq are pending (2015)
refugees (country of origin): 3,705,188 (Syria) (2021); 173,250 (Iraq) (asylum seekers), 116,400 (Afghanistan) (asylum seekers), 27,000 (Iran) (asylum seekers) (2020)

IDPs: 1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2020)

stateless persons: 117 (2018)

Terrorism

IraqTurkey
Terrorist Group(s)Ansar al-Islam; Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi; Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Kurdistan Workers' Party; al-Qa'ida; Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Environment

IraqTurkey
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 57.73 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 190.06 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 17.44 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 41.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 372.72 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 57.53 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 1.23 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 2.05 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 35.27 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 6.016 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 2.898 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 50.05 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 13.14 million tons (2015 est.)municipal solid waste generated annually: 31.283 million tons (2015 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook