Yikes. These people have been thrust into a horrible situation that was not asked for by them. I hope it improves soon.
Saddly not surprising. You can't expect a country that has been plunged in war and sanctions for the last 30 years to be doing well. I am surprised though the South is doing worst. I had heard that there was a bit of a boom for awhile immediately after Saddam's regime fell and even though there has been conflict there hasn't been battles like Fallujah or Ramadi. I would've thought that the central Sunni areas would be worse.
I wouldn't think a nation in the middle of war would be doing that well. But I thought that with the sanctions lifted and aid coming in, that it would help at least hold things on an even kiel. It is hard to believe that it has gotten worse. I too was surprised about the south. That area has been spared some of the worst of the violence, and having Saddam's yoke lifted from them, I would have thought they would be doing better.
Not sure I should help derail the thread, but here you go. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty05/pov05hi.html HIGHLIGHTS The official poverty rate in 2005 was 12.6 percent, not statistically different from 2004. In 2005, 37.0 million people were in poverty, not statistically different from 2004. Poverty rates remained statistically unchanged for Blacks (24.9 percent) and Hispanics (21.8 percent) between 2004 and 2005. The poverty rate decreased for non-Hispanic Whites (8.3 percent in 2005, down from 8.7 percent in 2004). After 4 years of consecutive increases, the poverty rate stabilized at 12.6 percent in 2005—higher than the most recent low of 11.3 percent in 2000 and lower than the rate in 1959 (22.4 percent), the first year for which poverty estimates are available. The poverty rate in 2005 for children under 18 (17.6 percent) remained higher than that of 18-to-64-year-olds (11.1 percent) and that of people 65 and older (10.1 percent)—all were not statistically different from 2004. In 2005, the number in poverty remained statistically unchanged from 2004 for people under 18 and people 18 to 64 years old (12.9 million and 20.5 million, respectively). The number in poverty increased for seniors 65 and older—3.6 million in 2005, up from 3.5 million in 2004.
Thanks Not trying to Derail but I just needed a basis of Comparison If the money is not going to people. . . where is it going? Is there a segment of Iraqis that are becoming SUPERRICH? or is all the money going to 'Foreign' hands. by and Large . . . . .what money is coming into American hands IMO should be put right back into the War effort I beleive that that money should be used to Support the Troops If the Troops are the reason that money is being made it only makes sense that they benefit from it Rocket River
From a thriving middle-income economy in the 1970s and 1980s, Iraq has been reduced to a state where one-third of households live on the equivalent of less than $70 a week, the study says No mention of the state of the economy in the 90's? When Saddam purpously destroyed the natural resources of entire villages of Kurds and shiites?
What was the level of poverty before the over through of Saddam? I am more concerned about the access to drinking water and sanitary conditions than anything. That $70 a week or any comparison to a US dollar based economy is misleading because the cost of goods are different everywhere in the world.
Good point. The poverty rate in the us is around $26K for a family of four. that would probably go a long way in Iraq. I think extreme poverty is considered getting $1 US a day.
