Republic of Iraq
Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
Area:
167,400 square miles / 433,400 square kilometers (~size of
California)
Arable land: 12%
Topography: Mostly an alluvial plain, including the Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers, descending from mountains in the north to desert in
the southwest. The Persian Gulf region in southern Iraq is
marshland.
Population: 23,331,985 (2002)
Population Density: 139/square mile
Age Distribution: Below 15: 41.6%. 65 or older: 3.1%
Urban Population: 76%
Republic
(currently administered by the interim Iraqi Governing Council and
the Coalition Provisional Authority)
Capital: Baghdad
Arab 75-80%, Kurd 15-20%
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60-65%, Sunni 32-37%)
Source: The World Almanac and Book of Facts:
1998, 2002.
Map created on National Geographic Society's Map Machine
To take full advantage of the interactive maps on Map Machine, and to
make your own customized maps of Iraq, go to Map
Machine. Under "Find a Place," type
Iraq.
The Ecoregions of
Iraq
Iraq
is far from being completely a desert. It is surprisingly diverse
ecologically, with habitats as varied as dry montane forest in the
northeastern Kurdish area and the alluvial Mesopotamian marshes of
southern Iraq. Even the desert areas, which cover about 60% of Iraq,
vary considerably between different parts of the country in
vegetation, rainfall, and elevation.
The Ecoregions of Iraq
Links connect to National Geographic Society's Wild
World
PA0446:
Zagros Mountains forest steppe
PA1207:
Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous broadleaf forests
PA0812:
Middle East steppe
PA1320:
Mesopotamian shrub desert
PA1303:
Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands
PA1328:
South Iran Nubo-Sindian desert and semi-desert
PA0906:
Tigris-Euphrates alluvial salt marsh
PA1325:
Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert
PA1323:
Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert
Map created on National Geographic Society's
Wild World: Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World
To take full advantage of the interactive features of Wild World, go
to Wild
World and select "Terrestrial
Ecoregions of the World." Under "Find an Ecoregion," type Iraq.
Conflict
and the Environment in Iraq
Maps and other information from the U.N. Environment Programme.
Conflict
and the Environment in Iraq:
Biodiversity
Information on Iraq's biodiversity.
UNOSAT:
Iraq Maps
Downloadable maps showing annual mean temperature, precipitation, and
many other physical and cultural aspects of Iraq.
Saddam Hussein's Destruction of the Mesopotamian Marshes
Public Statements about the Mesopotamian Marshes
This page was created on October 13, 2002, and most recently
updated on October 23, 2003.