Saudi Arabia vs. Iraq
Government
| Saudi Arabia | Iraq | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah etymology: named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi" | conventional 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 |
| Government type | absolute monarchy | federal parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: Riyadh geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Arabic word "riyadh," meaning "gardens," and refers to various oasis towns in the area that merged to form the city | name: 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" |
| Administrative divisions | 13 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah al Munawwarah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jazan, Makkah al Mukarramah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk | 18 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; Wasit |
| Independence | 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) | 3 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 Government |
| National holiday | Saudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932) | Independence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958) |
| Constitution | history: 1 March 1992 - Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad amendments: proposed by the king directly or proposed to the king by the Consultative Assembly or by the Council of Ministers; passage by the king through royal decree; Basic Law amended many times, last in 2017 | history: 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 |
| Legal system | Islamic (sharia) legal system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; note - several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees | mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; restricted to males; universal for municipal elections | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: King and Prime Minister SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015); Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985); note - the monarch is both chief of state and head of government head of government: King and Prime Minister SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015); Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members elections/appointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes for a voice in selecting future Saudi kings | chief 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 |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms); note - in early 2013, the monarch granted women 30 seats on the Council note: composition as of 2013 - men 121, women 30, percent of women 19.9% | description: 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% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: High Court (consists of the court chief and organized into circuits with 3-judge panels, except for the criminal circuit, which has a 5-judge panel for cases involving major punishments) judge selection and term of office: High Court chief and chiefs of the High Court Circuits appointed by royal decree upon the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 10-member body of high-level judges and other judicial heads; new judges and assistant judges serve 1- and 2-year probations, respectively, before permanent assignment subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Specialized Criminal Court, first-degree courts composed of general, criminal, personal status, and commercial courts; Labor Court; a hierarchy of administrative courts | highest 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 |
| Political parties and leaders | none | 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 |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, CAEU, CP, FAO, G-20, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ABEDA, 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) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Princess REEMA bint Bandar Al Saud (since 8 July 2019) chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 295-3625 email address and website: info@saudiembassy.net https://www.saudiembassy.net/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York | chief 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 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Martina STRONG (since February 2021) embassy: Riyadh 11564 mailing address: 6300 Riyadh Place, Washington DC 20521-6300 telephone: [966] (11) 835-4000 FAX: [966] (11) 488-7360 email address and website: RiyadhACS@state.gov https://sa.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jeddah | chief 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/ |
| Flag description | green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family, which established the kingdom in 1932; the flag is manufactured with differing obverse and reverse sides so that the Shahada reads - and the sword points - correctly from right to left on both sides note: the only national flag to display an inscription as its principal design; one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Moldova and Paraguay | three 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 |
| National anthem | name: "Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King) lyrics/music: Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB note: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984 | name: "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 |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | palm tree surmounting two crossed swords; national colors: green, white | golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | 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 |
Source: CIA Factbook
