ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN BAGHDAD

File: cia_70566_70566_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 2
Subject: ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN BAGHDAD  
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 
 
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 
REQUEST. 
 
 
FM CIA 
CITE CIA 592285 
 
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
-------------------------- 
NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. 
 
 
MARCH 1991 
 
COUNTRY: IRAQ 
SUBJ: ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN BAGHDAD 
 
TEXT: 1. AS OF LATE MARCH 1991, ELECTRICITY HAS BEEN 
RESTORED TO ONLY SELECTED AREAS OF BAGHDAD AND IS UNRELIABLE 
AT BEST.  FOR EXAMPLE, RESIDENTS OF NEW BAGHDAD, HAY AL-, 
ADIL, KARADAH, AND PARTS OF ZAYOUNA, MANSUR, AND SAIADOUN 
HAVE ELECTRICITY FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-4 HOURS PER DAY.  OTHER 
PARTS OF ZAYOUNA, MANSUR, AND SAIADOUN REMAIN WITHOUT 
ELECTRIC POWER AND ARE FORCED TO RELY ON GENERATORS. 
ALL WATER PURIFICATION FACILITIES WERE EITHER DESTROYED OR 
DAMAGED BEYOND USE AND HAVE NOT BEEN RESTORED.  AS A RESULT, 
MOST HOTELS AND SOME OF THE MORE WEALTHY RESIDENTIAL AREAS 
RELY ON FILTERS FOR POTABLE WATER.  THE LACK OF PURE WATER 
AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, HOWEVER, HAS FORCED MANY 
RESIDENTS TO USE UNTREATED RIVER WATER, WHICH HAS RESULTED 
IN THE OUTBREAK OF DISEASE.  LIMITED POSTAL 
SERVICES (FOR LETTERS ONLY) EXIST IN BAGHDAD BUT TELEPHONE 
SERVICES HAVE NOT YET BEEN RESTORED.  BUSES CONTINUE TO RUN 
IN BAGHDAD ON NORMAL SCHEDULES AND WITH NORMAL FARES; TAXIS, 
HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO CHARGE UP TO 500 PERCENT ABOVE 
NORMAL FARES BECAUSE OF THE SHORTAGE OF GASOLINE.  IN 
ADDITION, MOST TAXI DRIVERS WILL ONLY ACCEPT PASSENGERS FOR 
SHORT TRIPS. 
 
2. FOODSTUFFS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE BUT SELL FOR INCREASED 
PRICES.  THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT HAS ORDERED FARMERS TO PRODUCE 
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND HAS GUARANTEED THAT IT WILL BUY 
EVERY PRODUCT AT PRICES HIGHER THAN THOSE IN EUROPE (NFI).  
THE GOVERNMENT-HAS PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED THE PRODUCTION OF 
WHEAT, BARLEY, RICE, AND POTATOES WHILE THE GOVERNMENT ALSO 
CONTINUES TO ISSUE RATION BOOKS FOR NECESSITIES SUCH AS 
FLOUR, SUGAR, RICE, AND SHORTENING, A THRIVING BLACK MARKET 
HAS DEVELOPED AS WELL.  THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF 
FOODSTUFFS AND OTHER COMMODITIES AND THEIR BLACK MARKET 
PRICES AS OF LATE MARCH 1991.  ALL PRICES ARE IN IRAQI 
DINARS (ID). 
COMMENT: AT THE OFFICIAL CONVERSION RATE USD 1.00 EQUALS ID 
0.31.)         COMMENT: AS OF LATE MARCH 1991, IRAQI 
DINARS COULD BE EXCHANGED ON THE BLACK MARKET AT THE RATE OF 
APPROXIMATELY USD 1.00 TO 5.50 ID.)