Countries

Forests and the forestry sector

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Iraq - situated at the centre of the world¿s largest arid zone (the immense desert belt stretching across the African and Eurasian continents from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gobi Desert) - is very lightly forested. Forest covers about 800 000 ha, or 1.8 percent of the country¿s area. Forests are largely confined to the northern part of the country, particularly along the Turkish border and in the Zagros Mountains in the northeast. Most forests are closed broadleaved forests, mainly of oak, with Quercus aegilops the predominant species. Other common broadleaved species include hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and maple (Acer spp.). Isolated islands of coniferous forest are dominated by Pinus halepensis var. brutia. Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) are grown in many locations.

Insignificant areas of riparian forests still exist in the country. Most forest vegetation in watersheds does not provide proper protection against water erosion and water loss. Human overexploitation of the natural forests, as well as shifting agriculture, forest fires and uncontrolled grazing, have denuded large areas of the natural forest. Most of the forests in the mountain region in Iraq growing at altitudes of 700 to 1 400 m above sea level have been reduced to open woodland or, at the extreme, steppe condition.

The government of Iraq has made great efforts since the early 1950s to develop plantation programmes, both in areas with adequate rainfall and in irrigated areas in the plains. During the early 1970s, the Directorate General of Forests and Forestry designated more than 42 000 ha for the establishment of industrial plantations. However, the planted area, mainly Populus spp., has remained modest (about 10 000 ha). The wood produced does not cover even a very small fraction of the national demand for wood and wood products. However, privately owned small-scale poplar plantations established near villages in the mountains constitute an important source of construction material in rural areas. No statistics are available on the wood production from these plantations.

Little, if any, forest is in Iraq¿s modest network of protected areas.

Last updated: January 2002