Iraq: Population and Key Statistics

With a population of 46 million and a median age of 21.5, Iraq is a rapidly growing country with an exceptionally young society. As OPEC's second-largest oil producer, it draws the overwhelming majority of its public revenue from oil exports, which leaves the economy vulnerable to swings in oil prices.

Built on the land of Mesopotamia, where writing and the first cities were born, Iraq is rebuilding after decades of war and instability. Dependent on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the country is struggling seriously with dwindling water resources and desertification.