caused by war expenditures and damage to oil export facilities by
Iran, have led the government to implement austerity measures and to reschedule
foreign debt payments. Oil exports have gradually increased with the
construction of new pipelines. Agricultural development remains hampered by
labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform
and collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high
priority by the government, is under financial constraints. New investment funds
are generally allocated only to projects that result in import substitution or
foreign exchange earnings.
GNP: $35 billion, per capita $1,940; real growth rate 5%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30-40% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: less than 5% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $NA billion; expenditures $35 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1989)
Exports: $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--crude oil and refined products, machinery, chemicals, dates;
partners--US, Brazil, USSR, Italy, Turkey, France, Japan, Yugoslavia
(1988)
Imports: $10.2 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--manufactures, food;
partners--Turkey, US, FRG, UK, France, Japan, Romania, Yugoslavia,
Brazil (1988)
External debt: $40 billion (1988 est.), excluding debt to Persian
Gulf Arab states
Industrial production: NA%
Electricity: 9,902,000 kW capacity; 20,000 million kWh produced,
1,110 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
processing
Agriculture: accounts for less than 10% of GNP but 33% of labor force;
principal products--wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit,
cotton, wool; livestock--cattle, sheep; not self-sufficient in food output
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $3 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $607
million; OPEC bilateral aid (1980-89), $37.2 billion; Communist countries
(1970-88), $3.9 billion
Currency: Iraqi dinar (plural--dinars); 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1--0.3109 (fixed rate since 1982)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 2,962 km total; 2,457 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 505 km
1.000-meter gauge
Highways: 25,479 km total; 8,290 km paved, 5,534 km improved earth,
11,655 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab usually navigable
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