an or
other 5%

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or
other 3%

Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58%

male: 70.7%

female: 45% (1995 est.)

Iraq Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq

conventional short form: Iraq

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah

local short form: Al Iraq

Government type: republic

Capital: Baghdad

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An
Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi
Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)

Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional
constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts,
civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16
July 1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April
1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991)

head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May
1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979),
Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad Husayn
al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah al-HUWAYSH
(since NA July 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - there is also a Revolutionary
Command Council or RCC (Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat
IBRAHIM al-Duri) which controls the ruling Ba'th Party, and is the
most powerful political entity in the country

elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds
majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17
October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of
vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected
vice presidents; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani
(250 seats; 30 appointed by the president to repres