an Iraqi Governing Council, and a new interim constitution
was agreed upon in late February 2004. Almost
immediately after the occupation began, however,
various forms of Iraqi opposition arose, and
resistance attacks grew in frequency and violence in
the years that followed.
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Area:
total: 438,317 sq km
Climate:
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Population:
28,945,569 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Ethnic groups:
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian or other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Baghdad
Administrative divisions:
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
National holiday:
Republic Day, July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has yet to declare an official national holiday but still observes Republic Day
ـ[بَحْرُ الرَّمَل]ــــــــ[02 - 11 - 2010, 01:44 م]ـ
JORDAN
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https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/maps/newmaps/jo-map.gif (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/maps/maptemplate_jo.html)
Background
Jordan shares much of its history with Palestine, since
both occupy the area known historically as Palestine.
Much of present-day eastern Jordan was
under Kings David and Solomon c.
1000 BC. It fell to the Seleucids in 330 BC and to Muslim
Arabs in the 7th century AD. The Crusaders extended
the kingdom of Jerusalem east of the Jordan
River in 1099. Jordan submitted to Ottoman Turkish
rule during the 16th century. In 1920 the area comprising
Jordan (then known as the Transjordan) was
established within the British mandate of Palestine.
Transjordan became an independent state in 1927,
although the British mandate did not end until 1948.
After hostilities with the new state of Israel ceased in
1949, Jordan annexed the West Bank of the Jordan
River, administering the territory until Israel gained
control of it in the Six-Day War of 1967. In 1970–71
Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Area:
total: 89,342 sq km
Climate:
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Natural resources:
phosphates, potash, shale oil
Population:
6,269,285 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
Languages:
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