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Iraq

Admin SAE September 1, 2026

               

Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector. Oil exports provide over 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings. Prior to the outbreak of the war with Iran in September 1980, Iraq's economic prospects were bright. Oil production had reached a level of 3.5 million barrels per day, and oil revenues were $21 billion in 1979 and $27 billion in 1980. At the outbreak of the war, Iraq had amassed an estimated $35 billion in foreign exchange reserves.

Despite a difficult security and political environment, Iraq managed to maintain macroeconomic stability over the past  years.  An improving security environment and foreign investment are helping to spur economic activity, particularly in the energy, construction, and retail sectors. Broader economic development, long-term fiscal health, and sustained improvements in the overall standard of living still depend on the central government passing major policy reforms.

Iraq will need to address serious medium-term challenges in order to be able to create the conditions for high and sustainable growth that is necessary to improve the living standards of its people. The economy continues to suffer from severe structural weaknesses such as a small nonoil sector, high unemployment, public sector dominance, and a weak business environment.
While oil-growth is projected to remain high over the coming years, boosting non-oil private sector growth will need a long-term government strategy centered on improving the business environment and opening up opportunities for the private sector.

Essential Information    

Area: 438,317 sq km
Population: 31,858,481 (2013 est.)
Capital: Baghdad
Principal Towns: Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk.
Languages: Arabic is the official language, while some 15% of the population speak Kurdish. English and French are widely used in business.
Gross Domestic Product: $130.6 billion (2012 est.)
GDP per capita: $4,099 (2012 est.)
GDP per capita (PPP): $4,600 (2012 est.)
International Reserves: $67.7 billion (2012 est.)
Climate: The summer is very hot; the July average for Baghdad is 35°C, but this can exceed 40°C. The north is cooler. Winters are cold with Baghdad frequently seeing frost. In the north one can expect snow while the south is much warmer.
Currency: $1 = 1,161.00 IQD Iraqi Dinar
 
DEMOGRAPHY
Age Distribution (2013 est.)
0-14 years: 37.6%
15-24 years: 19.7%
25-54 years: 35.4%
55-64 years: 4.2%
65 years and over: 3.1%
 
Population Growth 2.345% (2012 est.)   


Education
Of total population, 78.2% age 15 and over can read and write  (2010)
 
NATURAL RESOURCES
Fossil Fuel
Petroleum, natural gas
Minerals
Phosphates, sulfur
Hydro-electric
In 2006, hydroelectrique power production of Iraq was estimated at 480 million kwh.

Visa Requirements:

All visitors, except Jordanian and some other Arab nationals, require visas. Visitors must be sponsored and visas must be obtained in advance. Anyone remaining for more than 15 days must register with the residence department and may subsequently require an exit visa to depart.
Within five days of arrival visitors must attend a hospital or health centre to make an appointment for an AIDS test. A certificate or proof of a forthcoming appointment is required.

 National Day, 3 October

Current local time Weather

 

Diplomatic representation of Iraq in Switzerland

 

Basic Economic indicators

Iraq: Economic and International trade indicators

{arimodule id="639" comment="Iraq Economic Indicators"}{/arimodule}

 Source: IMF 

{mprestriction ids="1,2,3"}

Economic growth {arimodule id="640" comment="Iraq: Real GDP growth (oil and non-oil growth) "}{/arimodule}

Source: IMF

 

Size of the economy: GDP ($ Billion) {arimodule id="641" comment="Iraq Nominal GDP "}{/arimodule}

Source: IMF

 

Gross Domestic Product by economic activity 2010 {arimodule id="642" comment="Iraq GDP by kind of economic activity"}{/arimodule}

Source: IMF

 

Ease of Doing Business Rank 2015

{arimodule id="590" comment="Ease of Doing Business Rank 2015"}{/arimodule}

Source: World Bank

 

Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment

Iraq total exports and imports ($ billion) {arimodule id="643" comment="Iraq Exports and Imports "}{/arimodule} Source: IMF

 

Iraq: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) {arimodule id="644" comment="Iraq Foreign direct investment"}{/arimodule} Source: UNCTAD

 

Energy Sector

Oil Reserves by country 2015 (Trillion Cubic Feet)

{arimodule id="603" comment="Oil Reserves 2015"}{/arimodule}

Source: EIA

 

Gas Reserves by country 2015 (Billion Barrels)

{arimodule id="602" comment="Gas Reserves 2015"}{/arimodule}

Source: EIA

 

Oil Price

Crude Oil Export Price (US$/bbl)

US$/bbl)

{arimodule id="599" comment="Crude Oil Export Price 2012-2019 "}{/arimodule} Source: IMF

 

Iraq: Oil supply and Exports  (Thousand Barrels Per Day) {arimodule id="645" comment="Iraq Total Oil Supply and oil exports"}{/arimodule} Source: IMF

 

Iraq: Dry Natural Gas Production (Billion Cubic Feet) {arimodule id="646" comment="Iraq Dry Natural Gas Production "}{/arimodule}  Source: IMF

 

Iraq: Oil Exports by Destination 2013 {arimodule id="647" comment="Iraq crude oil exports, by destination "}{/arimodule} Source: EIA

 

Trade between Switzerland and Iraq

Swiss total Exports to the Arab World by Country 2014: Swiss Francs

{arimodule id="301" comment="Swiss total exports to the Arab world 2014, by country: Swiss Francs"}{/arimodule}

Source of data: Swiss customs

Swiss total Exports to the Arab World 2014: (Portion of total exports)

{arimodule id="300" comment="Swiss total exports to the Arab world 2014: Swiss Francs"}{/arimodule}

Source of data: Swiss customs

 

Swiss Total Imports from the Arab world by country 2014: Swiss francs

{arimodule id="292" comment="Swiss Imports from the Arab world 2014"}{/arimodule}

Source: Swiss customs

Swiss Total Imports from the Arab world 2014 (Portion of the total imports)

{arimodule id="302" comment="Swiss Total Imports from the Arab world 2014 (Portion)"}{/arimodule}

Source: Swiss customs

 

Swiss exports/imports with the Arab world (Million CHF)

{arimodule id="516" comment="Swiss main exports, imports with the Arab world 2014 (Million CHF)"}{/arimodule}

Source: Swiss customs

 

Swiss exports/imports with Iraq 1985-2014 (Million CHF)

{arimodule id="524" comment="Swiss main exports/imports with Iraq 2007-2014"}{/arimodule}

 

Swiss main exports to the Arab world 2014 (CHF)

{arimodule id="544" comment="Swiss main exports to the Arab world 2014 (CHF)"}{/arimodule}

 

Swiss main Imports from the Arab world 2014

{arimodule id="545" comment="Swiss main imports from the Arab world 2014 (CHF)"}{/arimodule}

 

Swiss main exports to Iraq 2014 (Million CHF)

{arimodule id="556" comment="Swiss main exports to Iraq 2014 (CHF)"}{/arimodule}

 

Swiss main imports from Iraq 2014 (Million CHF)

{arimodule id="557" comment="Swiss main imports from Iraq 2014 (CHF)"}{/arimodule}

{/mprestriction}

 

Swiss Exports to the Arab world by commodity comparaisons between the Arab countries

Swiss Imports from the Arab world by commodity comparaisons between the Arab countries

 

 

 

 

 

 

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