unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions
and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered
significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these
Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among
Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs: despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran
remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to
Europe; domestic consumption of narcotics remains a persistent
problem and Iranian press reports estimate that there are at least
1.2 million drug users in the country

======================================================================

@Iraq

Iraq Introduction

Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an
independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958,
but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the
country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial
disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war
(1980-1988). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by
US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991. The
victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to
stay in control. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security
Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete
Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

Iraq Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 437,072 sq km

land: 432,162 sq km

water: 4,910 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 3,631 km

border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km,
Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km

Coastline: 58 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: mostly 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 Iraq

Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Irania