Iraq (/ɪˈræk/, i/ɪˈrɑːk/, or /aɪˈræk/; Arabic: العراق al-‘Irāq), is officially named “The Republic of Iraq.” Iraq is located in Asia, surrounding the Mesopotamian alluvial plain, the Zagros mountain range and part of the Syrian Desert. Iraq borders Turky, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Kuwait. It has a small section of coastline on the Persian Gulf. The capital city is Baghdad. It is located in the center eastern part of the country. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers run through the center of Iraq, and flow from the northwest to the southeast. The ancient rivers have provided Iraq with agrcultural land for centuries. This fertile land contrasts much of the desert landscape that covers Western Asia.
History
Mesopotamia means “Land between the rivers. Civilizations have called Iraq home since 6 millenia BC. The rivers begin separately in the north of Iraq, and join together in southern Iraq. This area between the two rivers is known as ‘the cradle of civilization.’ It is where the Sumer culture invented the wheel, and writing. In ancient times the Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Superian empires occupied and ruled Iraq. And it has been home to many other empires throughout the millennia. Read More…
Government
Iraq has been occupied by th Achaemenid, Hellenistic, Parthian, Sassanid, Roman, Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid, Mongol, Safavid, Afsharid, and Ottoman empires. The British took control under the League of Nations’ British Mandate of Mesopotamia in the 1920s. But Iraq finally declared Independence in 1958. Soon after, the Ba’ath party came to power and ruled Iraq from 1968 to 2003. The Iraqi government has had a tumultuous and traumatic history, but it is slowly rebuilding itself into a federal parliamentary democratic republic. Read More…
Civil Society
The term civil society organization (CSO) refers to groups performing service-oriented or development-oriented work in the “third sector,” that is neither governmentally owned and managed nor strictly acting as business concerns. In the Iraqi context, it is common for such organizations refer to themselves as munadhamat ghayr hukumiya, or “non-governmental organizations” and indeed the federal-level agency responsible for the registration of such groups is known as the NGOs Directorate, about which more information appears below. Read More…
Media
Iraq’s media has exploded since 2003, with hundreds of TV stations, radio stations, digital and physical newspapers coming to life within the past decade. Because of Iraq’s past history of tyranny, citizens are grateful for the newfound free marketplace of ideas. Read More…
Business
Iraq business is springing to life, despite security and internal challenges. Basra, Erbil, Baghdad and Karbala are quickly showing great potential in the marketplace. Read More…
Education
In Iraq education is free. The public school system is run by the Iraqi government. Higher education is also free, with some private universities charging only a few thousand dollars per year for tuition. Read More…
Tourism
For travelers to Iraq, the tourism industry is still alive and well. There are many holy and ancient sites that are of interest to people of all countries – Iraq is a magnet for a substantial amount of foreign traffic interested in the rich history and landscape of Iraq. Read More…
Sports
The biggest sport in Iraq is football (soccer, American), like most Arab countries. Matches are played in all 18 governorates at the local level. There is a unified national team called the Lions of Mesopotamia “Usood Al-Rafidain” اسود الرافدين. This team is a member of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, the West Asian Football Federation and the Union of Arab Football Associations. Read More…
Religion
Iraq is primarily an Islamic country, with Islamic law taking precendent in Civil courts. Karbala and Najaf are two holy places located in Iraq which Shia Muslims consider sacred. Coming Soon…
Culture
Iraq is rich in cultural heritage, stemming from the Mesopotamian times. It is known as the ‘birthplace of writing.’ Many world-renown poets, sculptors and artists hail from Iraq. Culturally, Iraq has a very rich heritage. It’s architecture is ancient, unique and Islamic-inspired, especially in Baghdad. Read More…
Healthcare
Iraq’s healthcare system is in need of reformation and change. Since the invasion of 2003, the sector’s improvement remains turbulent and difficult due to security situations, however there is great potential within the market to improve. Read More…