Some 70 percent of people live without electricity, even more without telephones.
A year ago, Iraq was a nation without telephones after allied bombers hit every telephone exchange in the country.
"Thank God I am in a room without telephones," he said at the start of a recent interview.
Many residents have been without water, electricity or telephones for long stretches of time.
Most Iraqi cities are reported to be without electricity or telephones.
Indeed, for a world without telephones or computers, the 19th century had its economic advantages.
Much of downtown remained crippled today, without power or working telephones.
The attacks on the telephone exchanges left much of the capital without telephones.
Israel was an isolated state without television reception and few telephones.
Expect to survive without telephones, automobile or electricity during your stay.