up json

middle-east/iz.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "Introduction": {
     "Background": {
-      "text": "Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A \"republic\" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. 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. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate through 2009 and under a bilateral security agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to train and mentor Iraqi security forces. ++ In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. Nearly nine years after the start of the Second Gulf War in Iraq, US military operations there ended in mid-December 2011. In January 2009 and April 2013, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates except for the three comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk Governorate. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010 - choosing 325 legislators in an expanded COR - and, after nine months of deadlock the COR approved the new government in December 2010. In April 2014, Iraq held a national legislative election and expanded the COR to 328 legislators. Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI dropped his bid for a third term in office, enabling new Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI, a Shia from Baghdad, to win parliamentary approval of his new cabinet in September 2014. Sincer early 2015, Iraq has been engaged in a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country."
+      "text": "Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A \"republic\" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. 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. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate through 2009 and under a bilateral security agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to train and mentor Iraqi security forces. ++ In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. Nearly nine years after the start of the Second Gulf War in Iraq, US military operations there ended in mid-December 2011. In January 2009 and April 2013, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates except for the three comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk Governorate. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010 - choosing 325 legislators in an expanded COR - and, after nine months of deadlock the COR approved the new government in December 2010. In April 2014, Iraq held a national legislative election and expanded the COR to 328 legislators. Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI dropped his bid for a third term in office, enabling new Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI, a Shia from Baghdad, to win parliamentary approval of his new cabinet in September 2014. Since early 2015, Iraq has been engaged in a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country."
     }
   },
   "Geography": {
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
       "total": {
         "text": "3,809 km"
       },
-      "border countries (6)": {
+      "border countries": {
         "text": "Iran 1,599 km, Jordan 179 km, Kuwait 254 km, Saudi Arabia 811 km, Syria 599 km, Turkey 367 km"
       }
     },
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
       "text": "Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect) and Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic) are official in areas where they constitute a majority of the population), Armenian"
     },
     "Religions": {
-      "text": "Muslim (official) 99% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian 0.8%, Hindu \nnote: while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, recent reporting indicates that the overall Christian population may have dropped by as much as 50 percent since the fall of the Saddam HUSSEIN regime in 2003, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (2010 est.)\n\n"
+      "text": "Muslim (official) 99% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian 0.8%, Hindu \nnote: while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, recent reporting indicates that the overall Christian population may have dropped by as much as 50 percent since the fall of the Saddam HUSSEIN regime in 2003, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (2010 est.)\nreligious affiliation:\n\n          \n\n"
     },
     "Population": {
       "text": "37,056,169 (July 2015 est.)"
@@ -374,6 +374,17 @@
     "International law organization participation": {
       "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt"
     },
+    "Citizenship": {
+      "birthright citizenship": {
+        "text": ""
+      },
+      "dual citizenship recognized": {
+        "text": "yes"
+      },
+      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
+        "text": ""
+      }
+    },
     "Suffrage": {
       "text": "18 years of age; universal"
     },
@@ -402,7 +413,7 @@
         "text": "last held on 30 April 2014 (next to be held in 2018)"
       },
       "election results": {
-        "text": "Council of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition - NA; seats by coalition/party – State of Law Coalition 95, Sadrist Movement 34, ISCI 30, KDP 25, United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun 23, PUK) 21, Nationalism Coalition/Al-Wataniyah 19, other Sunni coalitions/parties 15, Al-Arabiyah Coalition 10, Goran 9, other Shia coalitions/parties 9, Fadilah 6, National Reform Trend 6, Iraq Coalition 5,Kurdistan Islamic Union 4, other 17"
+        "text": "Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by coalition/party – State of Law Coalition 95, Sadrist Movement 34, ISCI 30, KDP 25, United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun 23, PUK 21, Nationalism Coalition/Al-Wataniyah 19, other Sunni coalitions/parties 15, Al-Arabiyah Coalition 10, Goran 9, other Shia parties/coalitions 9, Fadilah 6, National Reform Trend 6, Iraq Coalition 5,Kurdistan Islamic Union 4, other parties 17"
       }
     },
     "Judicial branch": {
@@ -417,10 +428,7 @@
       }
     },
     "Political parties and leaders": {
-      "text": " ++ Anbar Loyalty Party [Qasim al-FAHADAWI] ++ Awakening Conference [Ahmad al-RISHAWI] ++ Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI] ++ Civil Democratic Alliance ++ Da'wa Party (Islamic) [Vice President Nuri al-MALIKI] ++ Da'wa Tanzim [Hashim al-MUSAWI branch] ++ Fadilah Party [Ammar TUAMA] ++ Goran (Change) List (also known as the Movement for Change) [Nushirwan MUSTAFA] ++ Iraq Coalition [Abd al-Salam al-HAMMUDI] ++ Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Deputy Prime Minister Salih al-MUTLAQ] ++ Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Ayad al-SAMARRA’I] ++ Iraqi Justice and Reform Movement [Shaykh Abdallah al-YAWR] ++ Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI] ++ Iraqi Turkoman Front [Arshad al-SALIHI] ++ Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Ammar al-HAKIM] ++ Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Kurdistan Regional Government President Masud BARZANI] ++ Kurdistan Islamic Group (also called Islamic Group of Kurdistan) [Ali BAPIR] ++ Kurdish Islamic Union [ Mohammed FARAI] ++ Nationalism Coalition/Al Wataniyah [Vice President Ayad ALLAWI] ++ National Future Gathering [Dhafir al-ANI] ++ National Movement for Reform and Development [Muhammad al-KARBULI] ++ National Reform Trend [Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI] ++ Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [former President Jalal TALABANI] ++ Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] ++ Shia Independents [Higher Education Minister Husayn al-SHAHRISTANI] ++ United for Iraq/Muttahidun Party [Vice President Usama al-NUJAYFI]",
-      "Coalitions and Leaders": {
-        "text": "Al Ahrar Coalition/Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] ++ Al-Arabiyah Coalition [Deputy Prime Minister Salih al-MUTLAQ] ++ Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) Coalition/Muwatin [Ammar al-HAKIM] ++ Kurdistan Alliance [Muhsin al-SADUN] ++ Nationalism Coalition/Al Wataniyah [Vice President Ayad ALLAWI] ++ State of Law Coalition [Vice President Nouri al MALIKI] ++ United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun Party [Vice President Usama al-NUJAYFI]"
-      },
+      "text": "Al-Arabiyah Coalition [Deputy Prime Minister Salih al-MUTLAQ] ++ Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI] ++ Fadilah Party [Ammar TUAMA] ++ Goran (Change) List (also known as the Movement for Change) [Nushirwan MUSTAFA] ++ Iraq Coalition [Abd al-Salam al-HAMMUDI] ++ Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Deputy Prime Minister Salih al-MUTLAQ] ++ Iraqi Justice and Reform Movement [Shaykh Abdallah al-YAWR] ++ Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI] ++ Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Ammar al-HAKIM] ++ Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Kurdistan Regional Government President Masud BARZANI] ++ Kurdish Islamic Union [ Mohammed FARAI] ++ Nationalism Coalition/Al Wataniyah [Vice President Ayad ALLAWI] ++ National Movement for Reform and Development [Muhammad al-KARBULI] ++ National Reform Trend [Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI] ++ Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [former President Jalal TALABANI] ++ Sadrist Movement [Muqtada al-SADR] ++ State of Law Coalition [Vice President Nouri al MALIKI] ++ United for Iraq/Muttahidun Party [Vice President Usama al-NUJAYFI] ++ United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun Party [Vice President Usama al-NUJAYFI]",
       "note": {
         "text": "numerous smaller local, tribal, and minority parties"
       }
@@ -488,7 +496,7 @@
   },
   "Economy": {
     "Economy - overview": {
-      "text": "During 2014, worsening security and financial stability throughout Iraq—driven by an ongoing insurgency, decreasing oil prices, and political upheaval—decreased the prospects for improving the country's economic environment and securing much-needed foreign investment. Long-term fiscal health, a strengthened investment climate, and sustained improvements in the overall standard of living still depend on the central government passing major policy reforms. Iraq's largely state-run economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides more than 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings. Oil exports in 2014 remained relatively flat at 2.4 million barrels per day on average, despite new production coming online at the West Qurna 2 and Badrah oilfields, because repeated attacks on the Iraq-Turkey pipeline reduced export capacity. During the second half of 2014, government revenues decreased as global oil prices fell by more than 30%. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil exports and revenues, but Iraq will need to make significant upgrades to its oil processing, pipeline, and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their economic potential. The Iraqi Kurdistan Region's (IKR) autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) passed its own oil law in 2007, and has directly signed about 50 contracts to develop IKR energy reserves. The federal government has disputed the legal authority of the KRG to conclude most of these contracts, some of which are also in areas with unresolved administrative boundaries in dispute between the federal and regional government. In December, the federal government and the KRG agreed to sell oil exports from Kurdish-controlled oil fields under the federal oil ministry, in exchange for the central government paying $1 billion to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and resuming budget transfers to the KRG that amount to 17% of Iraq's national budget. Iraq is making slow progress enacting laws and developing the institutions needed to implement economic policy, and political reforms are still needed to assuage investors' concerns regarding the uncertain business climate.. The government of Iraq is eager to attract additional foreign direct investment, but it faces a number of obstacles, including a tenuous political system and concerns about security and societal stability. Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, skilled labor shortages, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. Under the Iraqi Constitution, some competencies relevant to the overall investment climate are either shared by the federal government and the regions or are devolved entirely to local governments. Investment in the IKR operates within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Investment Law (Law 4 of 2006) and the Kurdistan Board of Investment, which is designed to provide incentives to help economic development in areas under the authority of the KRG. Inflation has remained under control since 2006. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into an improved standard of living for the Iraqi populace. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country despite a bloated public sector. Encouraging private enterprise through deregulation would make it easier for Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Rooting out corruption and implementing reforms - such as restructuring banks and developing the private sector - would be important steps in this direction."
+      "text": "During 2014, worsening security and financial stability throughout Iraq - driven by an ongoing insurgency, decreasing oil prices, and political upheaval - decreased the prospects for improving the country's economic environment and securing much-needed foreign investment. Long-term fiscal health, a strengthened investment climate, and sustained improvements in the overall standard of living still depend on the central government passing major policy reforms. Iraq's largely state-run economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides more than 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings. Oil exports in 2014 remained relatively flat at 2.4 million barrels per day on average, despite new production coming online at the West Qurna 2 and Badrah oilfields, because repeated attacks on the Iraq-Turkey pipeline reduced export capacity. During the second half of 2014, government revenues decreased as global oil prices fell by more than 30%. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil exports and revenues, but Iraq will need to make significant upgrades to its oil processing, pipeline, and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their economic potential. The Iraqi Kurdistan Region's (IKR) autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) passed its own oil law in 2007, and has directly signed about 50 contracts to develop IKR energy reserves. The federal government has disputed the legal authority of the KRG to conclude most of these contracts, some of which are also in areas with unresolved administrative boundaries in dispute between the federal and regional government. In December, the federal government and the KRG agreed to sell oil exports from Kurdish-controlled oil fields under the federal oil ministry, in exchange for the central government paying $1 billion to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and resuming budget transfers to the KRG that amount to 17% of Iraq's national budget. Iraq is making slow progress enacting laws and developing the institutions needed to implement economic policy, and political reforms are still needed to assuage investors' concerns regarding the uncertain business climate.. The government of Iraq is eager to attract additional foreign direct investment, but it faces a number of obstacles, including a tenuous political system and concerns about security and societal stability. Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, skilled labor shortages, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. Under the Iraqi Constitution, some competencies relevant to the overall investment climate are either shared by the federal government and the regions or are devolved entirely to local governments. Investment in the IKR operates within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Investment Law (Law 4 of 2006) and the Kurdistan Board of Investment, which is designed to provide incentives to help economic development in areas under the authority of the KRG. Inflation has remained under control since 2006. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into an improved standard of living for the Iraqi populace. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country despite a bloated public sector. Encouraging private enterprise through deregulation would make it easier for Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Rooting out corruption and implementing reforms - such as restructuring banks and developing the private sector - would be important steps in this direction."
     },
     "GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
       "text": "$522.7 billion (2014 est.) ++ $535.5 billion (2013 est.) ++ $502.5 billion (2012 est.)",
@@ -657,7 +665,7 @@
       "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Crude oil - production": {
-      "text": "3.066 million bbl/day (2013 est.)"
+      "text": "3.368 million bbl/day (2014 est.)"
     },
     "Crude oil - exports": {
       "text": "2.39 million bbl/day (2013 est.)"
@@ -666,31 +674,31 @@
       "text": "0 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Crude oil - proved reserves": {
-      "text": "140.3 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.)"
+      "text": "144.2 billion bbl (1 January 2015 est.)"
     },
     "Refined petroleum products - production": {
-      "text": "492,800 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
+      "text": "590,400 bbl/day (2012 est.)"
     },
     "Refined petroleum products - consumption": {
-      "text": "769,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
+      "text": "750,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
-      "text": "3,832 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
+      "text": "2,153 bbl/day (2012 est.)"
     },
     "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
-      "text": "172,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
+      "text": "242,700 bbl/day (2012 est.)"
     },
     "Natural gas - production": {
-      "text": "646 million cu m (2012 est.)"
+      "text": "1.18 billion cu m (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Natural gas - consumption": {
-      "text": "646 million cu m (2012 est.)"
+      "text": "1.179 billion cu m (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Natural gas - exports": {
-      "text": "0 cu m (2012 est.)"
+      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Natural gas - imports": {
-      "text": "0 cu m (2012 est.)"
+      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
     },
     "Natural gas - proved reserves": {
       "text": "3.158 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)"
@@ -875,10 +883,10 @@
     },
     "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
       "refugees (country of origin)": {
-        "text": "16,637 (Turkey); 11,053 (Iran); 9,246 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2014); 248,503 (Syria) (2015)"
+        "text": "16,637 (Turkey); 11,053 (Iran); 9,246 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2014); 245,134 (Syria) (2015)"
       },
       "IDPs": {
-        "text": "4,136,864 (since 2006 from ethno-sectarian violence; includes 3,182,736 displaced in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2015)"
+        "text": "4,160,864 (since 2006 from ethno-sectarian violence; includes 3,206,736 displaced in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2015)"
       },
       "stateless persons": {
         "text": "120,000 (2014); note - in the 1970s and 1980s under SADDAM Husayn's administration, thousands of Iraq's Faili Kurds, followers of Shia Islam, were stripped of their Iraqi citizenship, had their property seized by the government, and many were deported; some Faili Kurds had their citizenship reinstated under the 2006 Iraqi Nationality Law, but others lack the documentation to prove their Iraqi origins; some Palestinian refugees, who were also persecuted under the SADDAM Husayn regime, still remain stateless in Iraq"