Country Name: Conventional long form: Republic of Iraq Conventional short form: Iraq Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah Local short form: Al Iraq Government Type: Democratic republic Capital: Baghdad Administrative Divisions: 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit Independence: October 3,1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on June 28, 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government. On May 20, 2006 Iraq’s permanent government was formed. Constitution: Ratified Oct. 15, 2005 (Download PDF)  Flag Description:
Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,(middle) and black (bottom) with the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic Kufic script in a horizontal line centered in the white band. The flag was modified by the Iraqi Council of Representatives in January 2008 from a similar form that had three stars on all sides of “Allahu Akbar” which was said to have been scripted in Saddam Hussein’s handwriting. The stars were eliminated and script changed in 2008 to address the concerns of Iraqis that refused to fly a flag symbolizing the regime of Saddam Hussein. Previous changes to the flag had been in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf Crisis when the script was added to the three stripes with three stars in the middle white stripe. The flag of Iraq is similar to: the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band. The basic design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors. |
The New Face of Iraq 
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