Iraq

Gulf Information

Gulf Info Page

Iraq

US Forces in the Gulf

Other Forces in the Gulf

Weapon Systems in the Gulf

Gulf War 1991

Iraq Information

General Information

Ruled by Saddam Hussein since 1979, Iraq has some of the world's richest oil reserves, but has been under embargo since 1990 due to its invasion of Kuwait and its refusal to comply with the terms of the Gulf War cease-fire.

GEOGRAPHY: Iraq borders Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria. It has a narrow outlet to the sea on the Gulf and a surface area of 438,317 square kilometres (169,235 square miles).

Iraq - maps

POPULATION: 22 million excluding the northern Kurdish regions. There are some 3.1 million inhabitants in this region who escape central rule, according to the World Food Programme.

CAPITAL: Baghdad (5 million inhabitants).

RELIGION: 95 percent are Moslem, the majority are Shiite. Saddam and most of his entourage are Sunni Moslems. There is a small Christian minority.

HISTORY: Iraq was part of the Ottoman Empire until it was captured by British forces during World War I before being placed under a League of Nations mandate, administered by Britain in 1920. Amir Faisal ibn Hussein became king in 1921. The British mandate expired on October 3, 1932 when Iraq gained full independence. Iraq pursued a pro-British policy until the monarchy was overthrown in a military revolution in July 1958 led by Abd al-Karim Kassem who dissolved the legislature. A series of governments followed, often overthrowing the previous one by force. Each forged closer links with surrounding Arab states. In 1979 Saddam Hussein, who had been second-in-command since a coup in 1968, became president of Iraq. Saddam consolidated his control over the country in the late 1980s and, following the sacrifices of the war against Iran (1980-88), announced political reforms and multi-party elections. In April 1989 elections were won by his own Baath party.Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, ostensibly over violations of the Iraqi border, led to the Gulf War which began on January 16, 1991. A US-led multi-national force repulsed Iraq from Kuwait and a cease-fire was signed on February 28, 1991 and sanctions were renewed. Unrest followed in Iraq and Saddam consolidated his power by placing family members in important positions. He embarked on a campaign of diplomacy in March 1994 in an attempt to lift sanctions; an oil-for-food programme was signed with the UN in May 1996. Kurds in northern Iraq, who have been fighting for autonomy for several decades, have run their own affairs since international intervention prevented Saddam crushing an uprising following the 1991 Gulf War.

POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS: Power rests with the Revolutionary Command Council and its president, Saddam Hussein. The National Assembly is dominated by Saddam's Baath party.

ECONOMY AND RESOURCES: Iraq has the world's second largest oil reserves after Saudi Arabia, with an estimated 110 billion barrels. It is a member of OPEC. An oil embargo has been in place since August 1990, but the UN allows it to export two billion dollars worth in exchange for food and medical equipment in a six month period. Iraq's estimated export capacity is 1.3-1.6 million barrels a day.

DEBT: Western experts estimate Iraq's military debts at over 100 billion dollars. Some 180 billion dollars are owed to the compensation fund set up for victims of the invasion of Kuwait and Iran claims a further 100 billion dollars for damage inflicted during the Iran-Iraq war.

DEFENCE: 387,500 troops including 350,000 in the army, 2,500 in the navy and 35,000 in the airforce.

AIR FORCE Nov 1998: The Iraqi military's ability to resist a bombing campaign is not fully known. The Iraqi air force is thought to have about 580 aircraft including 50 MiG-23 multi-role fighters, MiG-21s, MiG-25s, MiG-29s, Sukhoi Su-17s, Su-20s and Su-25s. It is also thought to have some French-made Mirage fighters. But while Iraq has a large air force, it is unclear how well-trained its pilots and ground crews are.
Iraq has some 300 combat aircraft that have been rarely used since the Gulf War because Iraq's airspace has been sliced back by US and British-enforced no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq.
Spare parts shortages have kept all but about 80 aircraft out of
service, but they are still valuable, costing 10 to 30 million
dollars to replace.
Iraq has moved aircraft into sheltered bunkers to weather the storm, Pentagon officials have said. The other high-value targets are things like expensive radar suites and air defense control sites.

AIR FORCE, Dec 1998: Air force: 360 aircraft, inclduing 130 ground attack planes (Mig-23, Mirage F1, Su-7 and Su-20) 180 fighters (F-7, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-25, Mirage F-1, MiG-29) and six bombers (H-6, Tu-22)

NAVY: Iraq has virtually no naval force to speak of and could not threaten U.S. and British naval forces but it has been able to rebuild its air defense system following the Gulf War

CNN - Showdown with Iraq - Iraq Military Jane's Defense analysis

CNN - Showdown with Iraq - Iraq Military Jane's Defense analysis: Iraq's Air Force

Iraq is a member of the the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League.

Radar sites 1991

Iraqi radar sites 1991

Kuwait Information

ArabNet -- Kuwait, Contents

Home

Iraq 2002, page 2

Gulf Information

Iraq Information

General Information

Radar sites 1991

Kuwait Information