Iraq - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Iraq, it was the name probably derives from "Uruk" (Biblical "Erech"), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River. The Government system in this country is the federal parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)); 'Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit
National symbols
Golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black.
The flag
The National flag of Iraq has three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white); the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise replacement for the Ba'thist SADDAM-era flag.
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note: similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script; Yemen, which has a plain white band; and that of Egypt, which has a golden Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band
The National Anthem
| Title | "Mawtini" (My Homeland) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL |
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note: adopted 2004; following the ouster of SADDAM Husayn, Iraq adopted "Mawtini," a popular folk song throughout the Arab world; also serves as an unofficial anthem of the Palestinian people
More about the government of Iraq
| Date of Independence | 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Constitution | |
| History | Several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005 |
| Amendments | Proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters collectively, or by one fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen rights and liberties requires two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 10 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Latif RASHID (since 13 October 2022) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-SUDANI (since 27 October 2022) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives (COR) |
| Elections/appointments | president indirectly elected by COR to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); COR parliamentary election for president last held on 13 October 2022 (next to be held NA) |
| Election results | 2022: Latif RASHID elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Latif RASHID (PUK) 157, Barham SALIH (PUK) 99; COR vote in second round - Latif RASHID 167, Barham SALIH 99; Mohammed Shia' al-SUDANI approved as prime minister 2018: Barham SALIH elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; COR vote in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; Adil ABD AL-MAHDI approved as prime minister |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Unicameral Council of Representatives of Iraq (COR) or Majlis an-Nuwwab al-Iraqiyy (329 seats; 320 members directly elected in 83 multi-seat constituencies by single nontransferable vote, 9 seats elected by religious minorities - 5 by Christians, 1 each by Sabaean-Mandaeans, Yazidis, Shabaks andFayli Kurds, and 25% of seats allocated to women; members serve 4-year terms) |
| Elections | Last held on 10 October 2021 (next to be held in 2025) |
| Election results | Percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Taqadum 47, State of Law Coalition 43, Al Fatah Alliance 37, Kurdistan Democratic Party 31, Kurdistan Coalition 18, Azm Alliance 16, Imtidad 16, State Forces Alliance 11, Ishraqat Kanun 10, New Generation Movement 9, National Contract Party 8, Tasmim Alliance 7, Babiliyun Movement 3, other 73; composition - men 234, women 95, percentage women 29.2%; note - seat counts reflect updated numbers following the 12 June 2022 Sadrist Trend withdrawal from government formation, and its 73 seats were reallocated to other parties |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); note - court jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues, application of federal laws, ratification of election results for the COR, judicial competency disputes, and disputes between regions or governorates and the central government; Court of Cassation (consists of a court president, 5 vice presidents, and at least 24 judges) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Federal Supreme Court (FSC) judges nominated by the High Judicial Council (HJC) president, the FSC chief justice, the public prosecutor's office chief, and the head of the Judicial Oversight Commission; FSC members required to retire at age 72; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the HJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement, nominally at age 63, but can be extended to age 66 by the HJC |
| Subordinate courts | Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts, including first instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony, misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile, and traffic courts |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Nazar Issa Abdulhadi AL-KHIRULLAH (since 30 June 2023) |
| Chancery | 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 483-7500 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 462-8815 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://www.iraqiembassy.us/ |
| Consulate(s) general | Detroit, Los Angeles |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Alina L. ROMANOWSKI (since 2 June 2022) |
| Embassy | Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad; note - consulate in Al Basrah closed as of 28 September 2018 |
| Mailing address | 6060 Baghdad Place, Washington DC 20521-6060 |
| Telephone | 0760-030-3000 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://iq.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (c); Babylon (c); Erbil Citadel (c); Hatra (c); Samarra Archaeological City (c); The Ahwar (Marshland) of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (m) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Iraq
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Iraq
Want to know more about Iraq? Check all different factbooks for Iraq below.
