I’ve been wondering this for awhile but I didn’t know quite where to look. I’ve hesitated asking these things on the boards because it’s sure to cause a flamewar. Yet I ask in GQ because there ARE factual answers to these questions. The only real issue is what non-biased sources can we trust to gather this information, if this information is even available.
What percentage of Iraqi homes in general, and in Baghdad in particular, had electricity and running water during Saddam Hussein’s regime?
After the invasion of US troops?
Today?
What percentage of Iraqi children in general, and in Baghdad in particular, had a school they could attend during Saddam Hussein’s regime?
After the invasion of US troops?
Today?
What was the employment rate of Iraqis in general and in Baghdad in particular during Saddam Hussein’s regime?
After the invasion of US troops?
Today?
Great question.
[Moderator hat ON]
Let me make it perfectly clear------------to all who reply, keep your politics OUT of this thread. You got a problem, open a new thread somewhere else.
If you can contribute statistics, please do so. Even if the source is not as good as we would like, contribute it. But keep the snide comments out.
We now return you to your program.
[moderator hat off]
There’s been a pile of stories printed on this in the last couple weeks:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/12/AR2005051200895.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4569833.stm
http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2005/05/21/ap/business/d8a8303g0.txt
One version has pie charts for electricity, water, etc but I’m afraid it’s been lost in the noise.
At any rate, the raw data seems to all be coming from this recently released UN report:
Iraq Living Conditions Survey 2004 The link is to an overview, from which the LARGE pdfs may be downloaded.
Here’s the CIA World Factbook’s information:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/iz.html
Of interest…
Unemployment Rate: 25% to 30% (2004 est.)
Electricity Production: 32.6 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity Consumption: 33.7 billion kWh (2004)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.4%
male: 55.9%
female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
This website has CIA World Factbooks going back 16 years
http://www.theodora.com/wfb/abc_world_fact_book.html
Here’s the Iraq 2000 data
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 70.7%
female: 45% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 28.4 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 26.412 billion kWh (1998)
And the '89 data (before the Persian Gulf War and the sanctions)
Literacy: 55% (est.)
Unemployment rate: less than 5%
Electricity: 8,692,000 kW capacity; 22,839 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh per capita (1988)
Interesting info so far.
I haven’t had a chance to go through all of Squink’s links but, comparing the first one to Captain Amazing’s provided info, there seems to be a discrepency.
According to CA’s info, in the 1980s they didn’t have, or use, even close to as much electricity as today. In fact they produce more today than four years ago.
But according to Squink’s first link, they were the best developed in the region back in the '80s in terms of electric production and today they barely get by with intermitant 2 hour blocks throughout the day.