An improving security environment and foreign investment are helping to spur economic activity, particularly in the energy, construction, and retail sectors. Broader economic development, long-term fiscal health, 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. Since mid-2009, oil export earnings have returned to levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom. As global oil prices remained high for much of 2011, government revenues increased accordingly. For 2012, Iraq's draft budget forecasts oil exports of 2.6 million barrels per day (bbl/day), a significant increase from Iraq's average of 2.2 million bbl/day in 2011. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil 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. 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 Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. In 2010, Baghdad signed agreements with both the IMF and World Bank for conditional aid programs designed to help strengthen Iraq's economic institutions. Iraq is considering a package of laws to establish a modern legal framework for the oil sector and a mechanism to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although these reforms are still under contentious and sporadic negotiation. Political and economic tensions between Baghdad and local governments have led some provincial councils to use their budgets to independently promote and facilitate investment at the local level. The Central Bank has successfully held the exchange rate at about 1,170 Iraqi dinar/US dollar since January 2009. Inflation has remained under control since 2006 as security improved. 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. Encouraging private enterprise through deregulation would make it easier for both Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Rooting out corruption and implementing reforms - such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector - would be important steps in this direction.

$53.52 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$44.22 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$61.81 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$51.61 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.779 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.727 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry

Petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

2.642 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

2.17 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

115 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

1.48 billion cu m were flared (2010 est.)

3.17 trillion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels, food and live animals

US 23.3%, India 19.2%, China 14%, South Korea 12.2%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4.5% (2011)

Turkey 25%, Syria 18.1%, China 11.5%, US 7.3%, South Korea 4.6% (2011)

$58.96 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$48.61 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$50.79 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$52.58 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Iraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar -