Republic of Iraq

Republic of Iraq
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Conventional long name	Republic of Iraq
Common name	Iraq
Native name	جمهورية العراق
Capital	Baghdad
Largest city	Baghdad
Official languages	Arabic; Kurdish
Religion	Islam (majority), Christianity, Yazidism, Mandaeism
Demonym	Iraqi
Area km2	438317
Population estimate	43,000,000
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
Currency	Iraqi dinar
Time zone	UTC+3
Calling code	+964

Republic of Iraq

The Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia centered on the Tigris–Euphrates river system, with Baghdad as its capital and largest city. It is bounded by Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria, and contains historically significant sites such as Babylon, Nineveh, and Ur. Iraq's modern political development includes the Kingdom of Iraq (1921–1958), the Ba'ath Party era, the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and ongoing reconstruction involving actors like the United Nations, the United States Department of Defense, and regional powers.

History

Iraq's ancient history centers on Mesopotamia, home to civilizations including the Sumerians, Akkadian Empire, Babylonian Empire, and Assyrian Empire, with innovations recorded in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Code of Hammurabi, and developments in cuneiform. The region experienced successive conquests by the Achaemenid Empire, Alexander the Great's Hellenistic successors, the Parthian Empire, and the Sasanian Empire before the Rashidun Caliphate and the Umayyad Caliphate established Islamic rule; Abbasid Caliphate made Baghdad its capital, fostering scholars like Al-Khwarizmi and Al-Farabi. The medieval period saw fragmentation under dynasties such as the Buyids and Seljuks, followed by Mongol Empire devastation at the Siege of Baghdad (1258). Ottoman incorporation placed the territory within Ottoman Iraq until World War I and the British Mandate for Mesopotamia led to the 1921 creation of the Kingdom of Iraq. The 1958 14 July Revolution overthrew the monarchy, preceding coups and the rise of Saddam Hussein and the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party; his rule culminated in the Iran–Iraq War, the Invasion of Kuwait, and the Gulf War led by Operation Desert Storm. The 2003 invasion of Iraq by a US-led coalition removed Saddam Hussein, prompting insurgency, involvement by groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq and later Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, counterinsurgency campaigns including Operation Iraqi Freedom, and political transitions involving figures such as Nouri al-Maliki and Haider al-Abadi.

Government and politics

Iraq is a federal system defined by the Constitution of Iraq (2005), with institutions including a Council of Representatives, a Presidency, and a Prime Minister as head of government; prominent political parties include the Islamic Dawa Party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The autonomous Kurdistan Region operates under the Erbil-based Regional Government of Kurdistan and has institutions like the Kurdistan Parliament and Peshmerga forces. Iraq's international relations involve membership in the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and interactions with neighbors such as Iran–Iraq relations, Turkey–Iraq relations, and Saudi–Iraqi relations. Post-2003 political processes have featured de-Ba'athification, national reconciliation efforts, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, and election cycles contested by figures like Muqtada al-Sadr and Ayad Allawi.

Geography and environment

Iraq occupies part of the Mesopotamian Plain, the Zagros Mountains in the northeast, and the Syrian Desert to the west; major rivers include the Tigris and Euphrates, which join near Al-Qurnah to form the Shatt al-Arab waterway flowing to the Persian Gulf. Cities include Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, Najaf, and Karbala; oilfields such as those in Kirkuk oil field and West Qurna underpin its landscape. Environmental challenges include marshland drainage and restoration in the Mesopotamian Marshes, desertification exacerbated by Kuwait oil fires and regional irrigation projects like Ataturk Dam impacts, water disputes over upstream reservoirs held by Turkey and Iran, and pollution from industry and legacy munitions. Iraq's climate ranges from Mediterranean climate-type in highlands to arid subtropical in lowlands, with biodiversity in sanctuaries recognized by UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Hatra and Ashur.

Economy

Iraq's economy is dominated by hydrocarbon production centered on fields like Rumaila oil field and export infrastructure such as the Basra Oil Terminal and pipelines to outlets including Ceyhan. The economy has experienced cycles tied to global oil prices managed partly through agreements with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and investor engagement with companies such as BP, ExxonMobil, and Shell. Reconstruction and development have involved international finance from institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, foreign direct investment, and projects like the Iraq Reconstruction initiatives. Economic challenges include infrastructure collapse after Gulf War (1990–1991), sanctions under United Nations Security Council resolutions, corruption cases investigated by Iraqi commissions and Transparency International indices, unemployment, and efforts to diversify into agriculture in the Tigris–Euphrates irrigation zones and services in urban centers.

Demographics and society

Iraq's population includes major communities such as Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen people, Assyrians, and Mandaeans, concentrated across regions like Baghdad Governorate, Nineveh Governorate, and Dhi Qar Governorate. Religious composition includes Shia Islam majorities with holy cities Najaf and Karbala, Sunni communities centered historically in Anbar Governorate and Mosul Governorate, and minorities including Christianity in Iraq communities tied to Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Yazidis centered in Sinjar, and Mandaeans along the lower Tigris. Social services and institutions have been affected by displacement from conflicts such as the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011), the 2014 Northern Iraq offensive, and humanitarian operations by International Committee of the Red Cross and UNHCR. Urbanization trends concentrate populations in megacities like Baghdad and Basra, while migration flows include Iraqi diaspora in Jordan, Syria, United States, United Kingdom, and Germany.

Culture and religion

Iraq's cultural heritage includes ancient literature such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, architectural sites like Samarra's spiral minaret, and oral and musical traditions including Iraqi maqam performed in venues across Baghdad and Basra. Religious pilgrimage to Karbala and Najaf draws Shia Islam adherents, while Sunni Islam traditions continue at historic mosques like the Great Mosque of Kufa; Christian communities maintain cathedrals of the Chaldean Catholic Church and Assyrian Church of the East, and Yazidi worship centers around Lalish in neighboring Iraq–Kurdistan region contexts. Iraqi cuisine features dishes like masgouf and dolma, with influences from Persian cuisine, Turkish cuisine, and Arab cuisine. Cultural institutions include the Iraqi National Library and Archive, the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad, and festivals such as Nowruz observed by Kurdish communities and widespread literary and artistic movements influenced by figures like Badr Shakir al-Sayyab and Nazik al-Malaika.

Category:Countries in Asia