Seeing how Iran and Iraq are back in the news (as I suspect so will be the Persian Gulf), let me just remind everyone the size of these “theaters.”
………………….Iraq………….Iran…………Persian Gulf……Texas……Lake Superior
Area (sq. km)…437,072……..1,648,195……251,000…………..696,241…….82,000
Population…….38,433,600…82,531,700……N/A……………..28,995,881…….N/A
GDP …………..$250 Billion…$458 Billion……N/A……………..$1,819 Billion….N/A
Texas is the second largest state in the U.S. (behind Alaska) and the second most populous state in the U.S. (behind California). Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake in the world. Or to put it relative to Europe:
………………….Iraq……………Iran………..Persian Gulf…….France……..Baltic Sea
Area (sq. km)…437,072……….1,648,195…251,000……………551,695……..1,641,650
Population…….38,433,600……82,531,700….N/A………………64,834,000…….N/A
GDP ……………$250 Billion…$458 Billion….N/A………………$2,707 Billion….N/A
The area and population given is for “Metropolitan France,” meaning those parts of France that are in Europe.