Iraqi Republic

Iraqi Republic
Conventional long name	Iraqi Republic
Common name	Iraq
Capital	Baghdad
Largest city	Baghdad
Official languages	Arabic, Kurdish
Government type	Federal parliamentary republic
Area km2	437072
Population estimate	43,000,000
Currency	Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Calling code	+964
Time zone	AST (UTC+3)

Iraqi Republic

Iraq is a country in Western Asia centered on the Mesopotamia region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, with a capital at Baghdad and major cities including Basra, Mosul, Erbil, and Kirkuk. Its modern borders were shaped by the Sykes–Picot Agreement, the League of Nations mandate system, and the end of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. Iraq has long-standing historical connections to ancient Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria and has been a focal point of 20th- and 21st-century events involving United Kingdom, United States, Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

History

The territory of Iraq encompasses the core of ancient civilizations: Uruk, Nippur, Nineveh, and Babylon were centers of administration, law, and literature such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Code of Hammurabi. After conquest by the Achaemenid Empire, the area became part of the Seleucid Empire and later the Parthian Empire and Sassanian Empire until the Islamic conquests led by the Rashidun Caliphate and figures like Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas established centers such as Kufa and Basra. During the medieval period, Baghdad served as capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and a hub for scholars including Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali, and Ibn Sina; the city linked trade routes like the Silk Road and institutions like the House of Wisdom.

Ottoman control began in the 16th century under the Suleiman the Magnificent era and persisted until the World War I campaigns by the Mesopotamian campaign; the postwar British Mandate for Mesopotamia led to the creation of the Kingdom of Iraq under Faisal I. The 20th century saw coups such as the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état that overthrew the House of Hashim monarchy and brought leaders like Abd al-Karim Qasim to power. The Ba'ath Party rose in the 1960s, with figures including Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and Saddam Hussein dominating politics; policies led to conflicts like the Iran–Iraq War and the Gulf War following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The 2003 invasion of Iraq by a coalition led by United States and United Kingdom toppled Saddam and ushered in an occupation overseen by the Coalition Provisional Authority, followed by insurgency involving groups such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq and later Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Political milestones include the 2005 Iraqi Constitution and the election of leaders like Nouri al-Maliki and Barham Salih amid regional dynamics with Iran and Turkey.

Government and Politics

The federal system established by the 2005 Iraqi Constitution divides authority among a Council of Representatives, a President of Iraq, and a Prime Minister of Iraq; key institutions include the Supreme Court of Iraq, the Federal Supreme Court, and provincial Governorates of Iraq administrations such as Diyala Governorate and Anbar Governorate. Political parties include the Dawa Party, the Iraqi Communist Party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and blocs operate within the Council of Representatives alongside civil movements like those that organized the 2019–2021 Iraqi protests. Iraq's foreign policy has engaged with multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and regional bodies including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation while negotiating bilateral relations with United States–Iraq relations, Iran–Iraq relations, and Turkey–Iraq relations.

Geography and Demographics

Iraq occupies parts of the Arabian Desert, the Zagros Mountains in the northeast, and the alluvial plains of Tigris and Euphrates that support Marsh Arabs communities in the Mesopotamian Marshes. Major urban centers include Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Erbil, and Najaf; disputed territories such as Kirkuk have ethnic and resource implications. The population is composed of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians, and Yazidis, with religious groups including Shia Islam, Sunni Islam, Christianity in Iraq, and Mandaeism; demographic shifts occurred after events like the Anfal campaign and the rise of ISIL in Iraq. Environmental issues center on water rights from upstream states like Turkey and Syria, salinization, desertification, and the rehabilitation of wetlands recognized by UNESCO initiatives.

Economy

Iraq's economy is heavily influenced by its petroleum sector, with fields such as Rumaila oil field, West Qurna, and Kirkuk oilfield contributing to exports managed through entities like the Iraq National Oil Company and contracts with international firms including BP, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil. The state budget depends on hydrocarbon revenues, and institutions such as the Central Bank of Iraq and the Ministry of Oil (Iraq) oversee fiscal and energy policy. Reconstruction and infrastructure projects have involved companies and lenders like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, while agriculture in the Mesopotamian plains and trade via Port of Basra and Umm Qasr Port remain significant. Economic challenges include sanctions regimes such as those after the Gulf War, postwar debt, unemployment, and the need for diversification highlighted by initiatives often framed with support from European Union delegations and United Nations Development Programme programs.

Society and Culture

Iraq's cultural heritage encompasses literature, music, and religious scholarship with cities such as Najaf and Karbala central to Shia Islam pilgrimage, and Erbil's Citadel of Erbil part of World Heritage Sites. Literary figures include Muhsin al-Ramli and historical scholars like Ibn al-Nafis; musical traditions blend Arab maqam with Kurdish and Assyrian influences. Museums such as the Iraq Museum in Baghdad house artifacts from Ur and Nineveh though collections suffered losses during the 2003 Iraq War looting and later recovery efforts led by organizations including INTERPOL. Cultural restoration projects have engaged the UNESCO and global NGOs; film and television industries have produced works screened at festivals like the Venice Film Festival and supported by foundation grants. Languages include Arabic language and Kurdish languages variants spoken across communities including Iraqi Turkmen and Assyrians.

Military and Security

Security forces include the Iraqi Armed Forces, comprising the Iraqi Army, the Iraqi Air Force, and the Iraqi Navy, with paramilitary formations such as the Popular Mobilization Forces that fought Islamic State militants. Post-2003 reconstitution involved training missions by United States Central Command, NATO's Iraq Training Mission, and assistance from nations like United Kingdom and Australia. Major security challenges have included the Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013), the War in Iraq (2013–2017) against ISIL, cross-border operations involving Turkey against PKK, and internal policing conducted by the Iraqi Police Service and Counter Terrorism Service (Iraq). Arms control agreements, demining efforts by UNMAS, and security sector reform remain priorities alongside legal frameworks like the 2003 Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 2 and constitutional provisions addressing armed forces.

Category:Countries in Asia