Iraq (country)

Iraq (country)
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Conventional long name	Republic of Iraq
Common name	Iraq
Capital	Baghdad
Largest city	Baghdad
Official languages	Arabic, Kurdish
Government type	Federal parliamentary republic
Area km2	437072
Population estimate	43 million (approx.)
Currency	Iraqi dinar
Independence	3 October 1932 (from United Kingdom)
Established event1	1958 14 July Revolution
Calling code	+964

Iraq (country) is a country in Western Asia centered on the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, whose basin is often identified with Mesopotamia—the cradle of early urban civilizations such as Sumer and Akkad. Modern Iraq's capital is Baghdad, a historic metropolis founded under the Abbasid Caliphate, and the state today is a federal parliamentary republic established after the 2003 Iraq War. Iraq's geography, culture, and politics reflect layers of influence from empires and movements including the Assyrian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Safavids, British Empire, and contemporary interactions with United States, Iran, and Turkey.

Etymology and Symbols

The name "Iraq" derives from medieval Arabic usage potentially linked to the ancient city of Uruk and the region of Mesopotamia. National symbols include the flag adopted after the 2003 transitional period, featuring three green stars historically associated with the Ba'ath Party era and the takbīr phrase rendered in Arabic script. The national emblem features the Eagle of Saladin, which echoes iconography associated with the Ayyubid dynasty and later Arab nationalism linked to figures such as Gamal Abdel Nasser.

History

Iraq's territory was home to early states like Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and the Assyrian Empire—centers of writing, law exemplified by the Code of Hammurabi, and imperial administration. Conquests by Achaemenids, Macedonians under Alexander, and successor states preceded the rise of the Parthian Empire and Sassanian Empire. The 7th-century Arab-Muslim conquests integrated the region into the Rashidun Caliphate and then the Umayyad Caliphate and Abbasid Caliphate, which made Baghdad a cultural capital during the Islamic Golden Age. Later control passed to Seljuks, Mongols under Hulagu Khan, Timurid Empire, and eventually the Ottoman Empire until incorporation into the British Mandate for Mesopotamia and independence in 1932. The 20th century saw the monarchy, the 1958 coup, the Ba'ath Party era, wars with Iran (Iran–Iraq War) and the invasion of Kuwait precipitating the 1991 Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq War leading to the fall of Saddam Hussein and subsequent insurgencies including confrontations with ISIL and stabilization efforts involving the United Nations and NATO partners.

Geography and Environment

Situated in Western Asia, Iraq borders Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west. Major geographic features include the Tigris and Euphrates river system forming the Mesopotamian Marshes, the Zagros Mountains, and the al-Jazira plains. The climate ranges from Mediterranean in uplands to arid desert in lowlands, with environmental challenges including water stress linked to upstream dams in Turkey and Iran, land degradation from conflict, and wetland drainage impacting species tied to the Mesopotamian Marshes recognized by UNESCO.

Government and Politics

Iraq is a federal parliamentary republic with institutions established after the 2005 constitution. The political system includes a presidency filled by election among elites as outlined in post-2003 arrangements, a prime minister leading the executive, and a Council of Representatives as the legislature. Major political parties and blocs include successors of the Iraqi National Congress, Kurdish parties such as the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Shi'a coalitions influenced by leaders associated with al-Sistani, and Sunni movements that have engaged in post-conflict politics. Security forces, reform programs tied to the UNAMI, and regional diplomacy with Iran, United States, and Turkey shape governance and stability.

Economy and Infrastructure

Iraq's economy is heavily reliant on petroleum exports managed by entities such as the Iraq National Oil Company and international firms including BP and ExxonMobil in past contracts; oil fields like Rumaila oil field and West Qurna drive revenue. Infrastructure sectors include the national electricity grid rebuilt with international aid, transport nodes such as Basra International Airport and the Port of Basra, and pipelines connecting to regional markets. Economic challenges include budgetary dependence on oil, reconstruction funding involving the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, corruption scandals linked to procurement, and efforts to diversify through agriculture in the Nineveh Governorate and investment in petrochemical plants.

Demographics and Society

Iraq's population comprises ethnic and religious groups including Arabs, Kurds', Turkmen, Assyrians, and Yazidis; major religious traditions include Shia Islam, Sunni Islam, Assyrian Christianity, and Mandaeism. Urban centers such as Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, and Erbil host diverse communities but also experienced displacement from conflicts like the Iraq War and ISIL campaigns, leading to refugee flows to neighboring states and internally displaced populations tracked by the UNHCR. Social indicators vary across provinces with reconstruction and reconciliation programs promoted by international organizations like the United Nations Development Programme.

Culture and Education

Iraq's cultural heritage includes Mesopotamian artifacts housed in institutions like the National Museum of Iraq, literary traditions manifested in poets from the Abbasid Caliphate era, and musical forms such as Iraqi maqam. Educational institutions include the University of Baghdad, University of Mosul, and the University of Basrah, which have undergone periods of rebuilding after conflicts that affected curricula and infrastructure. Preservation efforts by the ICOMOS and cultural restitution debates involving museums and collectors reflect ongoing international collaboration to safeguard Iraq's archaeological and manuscript heritage linked to sites like Nineveh and Uruk.

Category:Countries in Asia