Iraq

Iraq
Conventional long name	Republic of Iraq
Capital	Baghdad
Largest city	Baghdad
Official languages	Arabic, Kurdish
Government type	Federal parliamentary republic
Leader title1	President
Leader name1	Abdul Latif Rashid
Leader title2	Prime Minister
Leader name2	Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani
Legislature	Council of Representatives
Area km2	438,317
Population estimate	43,533,592
Population estimate year	2023

Iraq. A nation in Western Asia, it is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west. Its strategic location encompasses the historic region of Mesopotamia, home to some of the world's earliest civilizations, including the Sumer, Akkadian Empire, Babylon, and Assyria. The modern state, with its capital in Baghdad, is a federal parliamentary republic defined by its vast petroleum reserves, diverse ethnic and religious composition, and a complex modern history marked by conflict and reconstruction.

History

The land often called the "Cradle of Civilization" witnessed the rise of ancient empires such as Sumer, which developed cuneiform writing, and later the Akkadian Empire under Sargon of Akkad. The Code of Hammurabi was established in Babylon, while the Assyrian Empire became a formidable military power. Following conquests by the Achaemenid Empire and Alexander the Great, the region fell under successive rules including the Parthian Empire and Sasanian Empire. The Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th century brought the area into the Islamic Golden Age, with Baghdad founded by the Abbasid Caliphate becoming a global center of learning. After periods under the Seljuk Empire and Mongol Empire, notably the Siege of Baghdad, the territory was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire for centuries. Following World War I, the British Empire established the Mandate for Mesopotamia, leading to the creation of the Kingdom of Iraq in 1932. The monarchy was overthrown in the 14 July Revolution, leading to rule by the Ba'ath Party and eventually the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. His invasion of Kuwait triggered the Gulf War. The 2003 invasion of Iraq by a coalition led by the United States toppled Hussein's regime, initiating a prolonged period of instability including the Iraq War, the rise of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and the conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Geography

Iraq is predominantly characterized by the vast alluvial plain of the Mesopotamian Plain, fed by the twin rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. The northeast is dominated by the rugged mountains of Kurdistan, which extend towards the borders with Turkey and Iran. To the west and southwest lies the expansive Syrian Desert and the Arabian Desert. Major bodies of water include the Persian Gulf, which provides the nation's narrow coastline, and significant marshlands in the south known as the Mesopotamian Marshes, near the city of Basra. The climate ranges from arid desert to continental in the northern highlands, with the capital Baghdad experiencing extremely hot summers.

Government and politics

Iraq is a federal parliamentary republic defined by its constitution ratified in 2005. The federal government consists of the executive, led by the President as head of state—currently Abdul Latif Rashid—and the Prime Minister as head of government—Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani. The legislative branch is the Council of Representatives, a unicameral parliament. The judiciary is headed by the Federal Supreme Court. The country is divided into 19 governorates, including the autonomous Kurdistan Region with its own Kurdistan Regional Government and Parliament in Erbil. The political landscape is fragmented among numerous coalitions and parties, such as the State of Law Coalition, the Sadrist Movement, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Economy

The economy is overwhelmingly dominated by the petroleum sector, which provides the vast majority of government revenue and export earnings. Iraq is a founding member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and has some of the world's largest oil reserves, with major fields near Kirkuk and Rumaila. Key infrastructure includes the Basra oil terminals on the Persian Gulf. Other significant industries include phosphate mining, agriculture—particularly dates and wheat—along the Tigris-Euphrates basin, and a growing construction sector. The Central Bank of Iraq manages the Iraqi dinar. Economic development has been severely hampered by decades of conflict, sanctions, and political instability.

Demographics

The population is ethnically diverse, with the majority being Arabs, followed by a significant Kurdish minority concentrated in the north. Other groups include Turkmen, Assyrians, Yazidis, Armenians, and Mandaeans. Religiously, the country is majority Shia Muslim, with a substantial Sunni Muslim population, and smaller communities of Christians, Yazidis, and Mandaeans. The official languages are Arabic and Kurdish, with Syriac and Turkmen recognized as official in some regions. Major urban centers include the capital Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah.

Culture

Iraq's culture has deep roots in its ancient Mesopotamian heritage, seen in sites like Babylon and the artifacts of the National Museum of Iraq. The country has a rich literary tradition, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the classical Arabic poetry of Al-Mutanabbi and modern writers like Saadi Youssef. The Maqam al-Iraqi is a revered tradition of classical music. Iraqi cuisine features dishes such as masgouf and kubba. Important architectural landmarks include the Abbasid Palace and the spiral Malwiya minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra. The annual Arbaʽeen pilgrimage to the city of Karbala is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

Category:Iraq