A Brief Description

Over the centuries numerous empires dominated Mesopotamia, the fertile land we now call Iraq. Located between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, its capital city of Baghdad was at one time the most significant commercial and cultural center in the entire Muslim world.

Dozens of invasions and wars would follow, and in 1638, it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks.

In 1932, A decade after Turkey's defeat in World War I, Iraq became an independent kingdom.

Shortly after the Arab-Israeli war concluded in 1979, the Baath Party (led by Saddam Hussein) took control of the country.

In the 1980s, Iraq declared war on its neighbor Iran, and that brutal and tragic conflict lasted eight years. Tens of thousands died, many were victims of the chemical weapons introduce by Iraq. The economic loss to Iraq was estimated at more than $100 billion.

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the Gulf War began, and their forces were quickly defeated by a military coalition.

Today, after the US-led invasion in March of 2003, the Hussein power base is gone, and Iraq is in transition. Military forces remain, helping to restore the damaged infrastructure, and the development of a freely elected government.

Read more about the history of Iraq here.

Men drinking tea, An Nataf, Iraq Travel the World through Poster Art!

Facts and Figures

Name Iraq

(long form) Republic of Iraq

Population 26,074,900

Population & Density (all countries) here

Capital City Baghdad (6.1 million)

Currency New Iraqi Dinar (NID)

Currency Converter here

Languages Arabic, Kurdish, others

Flag here

National Day none

Religions Shi'a Muslim (64%), Sunni Muslim (32%)

Geographic Coordinates

Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)
33º 21' N, 44º 25' E

Relative Location Iraq is in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. It's positioned in the Middle East, a recognized geographical region of southwestern Asia. The country is bordered by the Persian Gulf, and by the countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iran.

Land Statistics

Coastline 36 miles (58 km)

Land Areas

(land) 166,859 sq miles ( 432,162 sq km)

(water) 1,895 sq miles (4,910 sq km)

(TOTAL) 168,754 sq miles (437,072sq km)

Land Area (all countries) here

Landforms Most of Iraq is a series of broad, sandy plains. In the far-west, the Syrian Desert blankets the land, and in the far-southeast near the Persian Gulf, the land is low, marshy, and often flooded.

It's mountainous in the far-north, as the Zagros Mountains front its borders with Iran and Turkey. The country's highest point is located there.

Two of the most significant rivers is all of Asia, the Euphrates and Tigris, drain the land.

Highest Point unamed peak - 11,847 ft. (3,611m)

Lowest Point Persian Gulf - 0 ft. (0 m)

Land Divisions 18 governorates, including: Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, and Wasit.

The following notes are available for your viewing pleasure!

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Map images provided by Graphic Maps

Banknote reference numbers obtained from the Standard Catalogs of World Paper Money published by Krause Publications

Patrick Kennedy's World Currency Homepage
This page created by: Patrick Kennedy
Creation date: March 2007
Last update: 18 November 2009
URL: http://www.patricksworldcurrency.com/countries/iraq.html