Official name:
Republic of Iraq.
Capital: Baghdad.
Population: 26,783,383 people (2006)
Language: Arabic, Kurdish.
Religion: Islam
Territory: 437,072 sq. km.
Currency of Iraq: Iraqi dinar.
Iraq telephone code - 964.
Geographical location and nature.
State in South-West Asia. In the east it borders with Iran (border length 1,458 km), in the south - with Saudi Arabia (814 km) and Kuwait (242 km), in the west - with Syria (605 km) and Jordan (181 km), in the north - with Turkey (331 km). In the south, Iraq is washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. The total length of the border is 3,631 km, the length of the coastline is 58 km. Despite the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Iraq in 1990 after the end of an eight-year war, an agreement regarding the border between the two countries continues to be worked out. After the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi troops, the UN Boundary Commission established the Iraq-Kuwait demarcation line in accordance with Resolution No. 687 of June 17, 1992. Most of the territory is occupied by the Mesopotamian lowland, located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; At the confluence of these rivers and their flow into the Persian Gulf, swamps formed. In the north and northeast of the country lie the ridges of the Armenian and Iranian plateaus. The highest mountain is located on the Iranian Plateau - Haji Ibrahim (3,600 m). To the west of the Euphrates is the Syrian Desert, crossed by numerous dry riverbeds.
Main rivers of the country - Tigris and Euphrates, in addition, important rivers are the tributaries of the Tigris - Diyala, Greater Zab and Lesser Zab. Large lakes: El-Milkh, Tartarus, El-Hammar. The country's subsoil is rich in oil and natural gas; phosphorites and sulfur are also mined.
History of Iraq . The fertile region of Mesopotamia, in the Tigris-Euphrates valley, was the birthplace of several ancient civilizations such as Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria. For a long time, the territory of modern Iraq was part of Persia and the Seleucid state.
636 - Mesopotamia is conquered by the Arabs, who bring Islam with them.
762 - Baghdad becomes the center of the Arab Caliphate and remains so until the Mongol invasion in 1258.
1534-1914 - Mesopotamia under the Ottoman Empire.
1914-1921 - Mesopotamia under British occupation.
1921-1932 - proclamation of the Kingdom of Iraq (Arabic for “land between the shores”). The League of Nations mandate issued to Great Britain lasted until 1932.
1932-1958 - declaration of independence. In 1955, Iraq signs the Baghdad Pact.
1958 - formation of a single Arab Union with the Kingdom of Jordan. The conspiracy of officers and the Revolution in Iraq 1958. The king, regent and prime minister of the country were killed, the monarchy was destroyed, Iraq was proclaimed a republic. Iraqi Army Brigade Commander Abdel Kerim Qassem is the head of the new regime. The Arab Union is falling apart. Withdrawal from the Baghdad Pact, British military bases in the country are closed. The rule of General Qassem is developing into a dictatorship.
February 1963 - as a result of a coup, the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (Baath) comes to power. Execution of Kasem.
November 18, 1963 - power passed to the military junta led by Abdel Salam Aref.
July 17, 1968 - The Baath Party regained power. The country was led by General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr.
1979-2003 - President of Iraq - Saddam Hussein.
1980-1988 - Iran-Iraq War.
1988 - The Iraqi army uses poison gas against Kurdish rebels.
January 17 - February 28, 1991 - Gulf War. Iraqi troops are expelled from Kuwait.
1998 - Operation Desert Fox (American air raids on Baghdad).
2001 - After the events in New York on September 11, 2001, US President George W. Bush accuses Iraq, among other “rogue countries,” of supporting international terrorism and attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction.
March 20 - May 1, 2003 - the invasion of international coalition forces (the main participants are the USA and Great Britain) into Iraq with the aim of overthrowing Saddam Hussein, as well as to destroy weapons of mass destruction that were not discovered. Overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime with the support of Shiites and Kurds. On May 1, George W. Bush aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln proclaims: “The tyrant has fallen, Iraq is free!” - and declares the war won. The American Jay Garner becomes the head of the provisional administration of Iraq, then Paul Bremer. See also International Coalition Forces in Iraq.
2004 - Rise of the Mahdi Army.
2006, December 30 - former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging.
Territory of modern Iraq
- one of the centers of civilization development. This land has been inhabited since time immemorial and is literally saturated with legends and myths. It is here that the Tigris and Euphrates flow, whose sources, according to legend, were in the Garden of Eden, the legendary cultures of Mesopotamia and Parthia, Assyria and Sumer, Akkad and Persia were born here, Babylon with its famous Hanging Gardens And Tower of Babel and the birthplace of Abraham was located - Ur of the Chaldeans; one of the oldest cities on the planet - Baghdad - still stands here, as well as the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. The rich history of the country, the unique historical, cultural, archaeological and religious monuments of Iraq have earned it fame as one of the most interesting places in Asia, which even tragic events end XX century.
Baghdad.The capital of Iraq is among the oldest cities on the planet - already in XIX - XVIII centuries BC e. here, on the banks of the Tigris River, not far from the mouth of the Diyala River, there were human settlements. Modern Baghdad was founded in 762 as the capital of the Abbasid state, and by IX century, it turned into the largest cultural and commercial center of the Middle East, becoming the capital of the Arab Caliphate. Repeatedly destroyed by invaders almost to the ground, the city was quickly rebuilt each time, nevertheless maintaining its radial structure.
Old Baghdad is an incredible mixture of narrow, crooked streets, markets and ancient adobe houses overlooking the Tigris embankment. Its main decorations are the old quarters themselves with their uneven cobblestone streets, two-three-story houses with fancifully decorated windows and doorways. Its historical monuments include the Al-Mustansiriya madrasah ( XIII century), Abbasid Palace ( XII - XIII centuries), mausoleum of Zubaydah ( XIII c.), Souq al-Ghazal minaret ( XIII century), the building of the Khan-Marjan caravanserai ( XIV c.), Golden Mosque with the mausoleum of Musa al-Kadim ( XVI c.) and the famous Souk - a market separating the old quarters from the younger areas. Outside the historical core of Baghdad are unique monuments such as the Ramadan and Bunniyeh mosques (both XIV - XV centuries), the shrine of Al-Qadriya (Al-Kederiya, XI c.) with a huge dome (1534), the Al-Adamiyya mosque complex on the territory of the mausoleum of Imam Abu Hanifa ( IIX - XIX centuries), mausoleum and mosque Al-Jailani ( XVI c.) with a huge dome and a luxurious library, the mausoleum of Omar al-Sahrawardi (1234), the El-Kadimain mosque (Al-Kadumain, XV - XVI centuries - one of the most revered mosques in the Islamic world), Al-Jawaat ( XVI c.), Umm al-Mahar (Umm al-Maarik, XX c., the minarets of this mosque rise to a height of 43 m, and the Koran stored here was allegedly written in the blood of Saddam Hussein) and Al-Rahman ( XX c.), the mausoleum of Sitt-Zumurrud-Khatun (1202), as well as the new Mosque of the Caliphs with an ancient minaret that belonged to the mosque of the Palace of the Caliphs approximately a thousand years ago.
Also noteworthy are the Wastani gates (Dafariyya, Bab el-Wastani, XIII c.) - the only surviving fragment of the medieval fortifications of the city, the ruins of the Halab Gate (1221), the Armenian Church of the Holy Virgin Mary, or Meskent (1640 - one of the oldest churches in Baghdad), the Catholic Church of Saint Thomas (1866- 1871) on Al-Khulafa Street, the residence of the Chaldean Patriarch and the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows belonging to the same denomination (1838) on Ras al-Graya, opposite the Shorja market, the Armenian Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1898) and the Syrian Catholic Church of the Holy Virgin Mary (1841).
Despite the desire of the occupation authorities to destroy all monuments associated with the period of Hussein's reign, the city can still see the luxurious Ar-Rihab Palace in the western part of Baghdad and all eight of Saddam's palaces scattered throughout the city - Abu Ghuraib, Al-Salam, Al -Sijud, Al-Azimiya, Dora Farms, Radwaniya and the Republican Palace (access to the territory of most of these colorful buildings, which are real monuments of architecture and landscape architecture, is prohibited, but it is quite possible to inspect them from outside the fence), buildings parliament and government, monument to the June 14 Revolution (1960), monument complex To the Unknown Soldier(1959) and the Martyrs' Monument (1983) in memory of those killed in the Iran-Iraq War (both complexes have impressive museums), the Martyrs' Monument east of the bridge Jumhuriya, the Arc de Triomphe, the two arcs of which are made in the form of sabers cast from the metal of captured Iranian weapons, as well as many other structures of the mid-late period XX century.
Until recently, Baghdad was home to many museums, including such world-famous collections as the Archaeological Museum of Iraq, the Iraqi National Museum (the largest museum complex in the Middle East with 29 permanent exhibitions), and the Iraq Museum natural history, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Traditional Heritage, Museum of Traditional Costumes and Folklore with the nearby Pioneer Museum of Iraqi Art, Museum of Natural History, Iraqi War Museum and Baghdad Museum. However, during the fighting in 2003, a significant part of the museum exhibits was looted, and their fate is currently unknown. There are also many parks in Baghdad, among which the most popular have always been the Zawra (Zaura) Park, the Baghdad Island Gardens (60 hectares) with their many attractions, restaurants and an amusement park, as well as the Baghdad Zoo in the bend of the Tigris.
The so-called Green Zone, within which all the dictator’s palaces were once located. These days, it is a heavily guarded diplomatic and government area of closed quarters in the very center of the capital, surrounded by barbed wire and checkpoints along its entire perimeter. Visit the numerous villas of Hussein's family, his underground bunker in the Belviere Palace, the headquarters of the once ruling Ba'ath Party, numerous buildings of ministries and departments (many of them were made according to very original designs), the Al-Rashid Hotel and many other buildings are often almost impossible, but the general rhythm and style of life of this enclave the new government, living in almost complete isolation from the rest of the city, simply have no analogues in the world.
Always famous for its markets, Baghdad can still offer many colorful shopping areas, including the famous markets of coppersmiths (boilermakers), the Al-Bazzazin weavers' market, the large Shorja bazaar - one of the most important shopping centers in the city, the Mustanser shopping street with dozens of haberdashery shops, women's clothing and jewelry, as well as dozens of small bazaars scattered throughout almost the entire capital
The ruins of the ancient capital of Babylonia - the main archaeological site of Iraq - lie about 100 kilometers south of Baghdad, on the banks of the Euphrates. According to scientists, already in XXIII V. BC e. there was a large trade center at this site, and it arose on the ruins of an even more ancient Sumerian settlement. Thus, Babylon can be considered the oldest city on the planet. It was the center of Sumer and Urartu, Akkadia and Mesopotamia, Susiana and Assyria, Babylonia and the Achaemenid Empire. The ancient city reached its greatest prosperity in 626-538. BC e., when many temples and palaces were built, a powerful fortification system, as well as many other structures, including the Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel, which were included in the list of the seven wonders of the ancient world. However, already in 331 BC. e. Babylon was conquered by Alexander the Great, who was going to make it the capital of his huge empire, but after his death this idea was forgotten, and by the beginning of the new era only ruins remained on the site of the city.
Only fragments of the city’s former greatness have survived to this day in varying degrees of preservation - Summer and Winter Palaces
Nebuchadnezzar
II(it is believed that it was on the terraces of these palaces that the famous ones with an area of about 1.4 hectares were located), a unique seven-tier ziggurat, Processional Street (the world's first asphalt road leading to the main temple of the city - Esagil), the famous Babylonian Lion and the Ishtar Gate (a copy , the original gates are kept in the Berlin Museum). Ruthless time literally turned all other houses and buildings into dust (unbaked clay brick mixed with straw and natural asphalt - the main building material of the ancient city - turned out to be very unstable to the effects of wind and salt groundwater). Around the ruins of Babylon you can see a monumental country residence Saddam Hussein and several ancient burial mounds that have not yet been excavated.
At the same time, there are many cities scattered across the land of Mesopotamia that can compete with ancient Babylon: ancient Ur(one of the oldest Sumerian cities in Mesopotamia, located in the lower reaches of the Euphrates River); ancient capital Arcadia and Sassanid Empire - city Stesiphone(38 km from Baghdad) with its imperial palace complex and the famous arch dating back to V - IV centuries BC e.; included in the World List cultural heritage ancient city Ashur(Kalat-Sherkat) in northern Mesopotamia - the first capital of the Assyrian Empire ( III
The official name is the Republic of Iraq. Located in Southwest Asia. Area 435.05 thousand km2, population 23.117 million people. (2000). Official language- Arabic, in Iraqi Kurdistan - and Kurdish. The capital is Baghdad (approx. 5 million people). Currency unit- Iraqi dinar (equal to 1 thousand fils).
Member of the UN (since 1945) and its specialized organizations, Arab League (since 1945), OPEC (since 1960), Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (since 1968), OIC (since 1971), Arab Monetary Fund (since 1978), etc.
Sights of Iraq
Geography of Iraq
Located between 38o45' and 48o45' east longitude, 29o05' and 37o22' northern latitude. In the southeast it is washed by the Persian Gulf for 58 km. The Abdullah Strait separates the southern coast from the islands of Warba and Bubiyan (Kuwait). It borders: in the north - with Turkey, in the east - with Iran, in the southwest and south - with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, in the northwest and west - with Syria and Jordan.
According to the nature of the relief, Iraq can be divided into four parts: mountainous (Iraqi Kurdistan) - in the north and northeast; the elevated plateau of El Jazeera (Upper Mesopotamia) - in the west; Mesopotamian Lowland (Lower Mesopotamia, or Arab Iraq) - in the center and south; the outskirts of the Syrian-Arabian Plateau (desert region) - in the southwest.
The highest mountains (height more than 3000 m) are located on the border with Turkey and Iran and in the area between the Greater and Lesser Zab rivers. El Jazeera - elevated plain, average height- from 200 to 450 m above sea level. In the north it is crossed by the Jebel Sinjar Mountains (highest point - 1463 m), running from southwest to northeast, and in the south by the Jebel Hamrin Mountains (highest point - 520 m). North of Baghdad, El Jazeera decreases to the south and turns into a vast plain - the Mesopotamian Lowland, its average height is 100 m. The desert plateau, including El Jazeera, is approx. 60% of the territory of Iraq, mountainous region and alluvial lowland (Arab Iraq) - 20% each.
Iraq ranks 2nd in the world after Saudi Arabia in terms of proven oil reserves (112 billion barrels, or 15.3 billion tons), which is approx. 10.7% of proven world reserves. The cost of production is very low - on average, approx. 1-1.5 US dollars per 1 barrel.
Proven reserves natural gas reach 3188 billion m3 (10th place in the world). 3/4 of them are concentrated in the gas caps of oil fields (bound gas). Iraq has some of the world's largest deposits of native sulfur in the Mishrak region near Mosul and phosphorus-containing ores (estimated at 10 billion tons), the largest in the Rutba region (Akashat, 3.5 billion tons) and in the Marbat region approx. Baghdad. The subsoil of Iraq also contains reserves of iron ore, chromium, copper, manganese, uranium, asbestos, gypsum, marble and other minerals. Exploration for mineral resources has been carried out only on 50% of the country's territory.
The most common soils are alluvial-meadow (along most of the Tigris River, along the entire course of the Euphrates and Shatt al-Arab rivers), gray soils (western and southwestern parts of the country, part of Upper Mesopotamia), chestnut (in the north, in the region of .Mosul) and mountain chestnut (in the mountains of Kurdistan).
Most of Iraq has a continental-type subtropical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and warm, rainy winters. In the north there is a hot summer, but the average July temperature is not higher than +35°C and is mild rainy autumn, precipitation from 400 to 1000 mm/year. Upper Mesopotamia has dry, hot summers (absolute maximum in July + 50°C), mild rainy winters, precipitation - 300 mm/year. Lower Mesopotamia is located in the tropical zone, occupying 70% of the territory of Iraq, with precipitation ranging from 50 to 200 mm/year. In the west and southwest of Iraq, the climate is desert, precipitation reaches 100-120 mm/year. In July-August, southern winds (Arabian simoom) predominate; in winter, northeastern winds with hot fine sand prevail; they reach particular strength in February.
The largest rivers of the Middle East - the Tigris and Euphrates (in Arabic Ed-Dijla and El-Furat) - the main sources surface waters Iraq. Approx. flows through its territory. 80% total length Tigris (approx. 1400 km) and 44% of the Euphrates (approx. 1150 km). The Shatt al-Arab River was formed as a result of the confluence of the lower reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, its length is 187 km.
Most of the lakes are located in the south of the country. The most important of them are: Khor el-Hammar (area 2500 km2), Khor el-Howeyza (in Iraq, about 1200 km2), Khor Saniya, Khor es-Saadia. In the center of Iraq there is one of the largest artificial reservoirs in the world - Lake Tartar (Wadi Tartar) (area 2710 km2, capacity - 85.4 km3); Lake Er-Razzaza (on maps in the USSR indicated as Lake El-Milkh, capacity - 25.5 km3), Lake Habbaniya (capacity - 3.25 km3), in the north - the Dukan reservoir (capacity - 6.8 km3) and Derbendi -Khan (capacity - 3.25 km3).
The main types of vegetation are semi-desert-desert (west, south-west and south of the country), steppe (north and north-east of Iraq), swamp (southern Lower Mesopotamia), shrub (in the floodplain zone of the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys) and woody (in north and northeast of Iraq). total area forests 1,776 thousand hectares, including 20 thousand hectares of gallery forests along river banks (mainly poplar). Among cultivated plants, the main one is the date palm; its plantations occupy the south of Iraq; the number of productive date palms in 1994 reached 12.6 million.
mammals and causing hookworm disease. The rivers of Iraq and the Persian Gulf are rich in fish. Domestic animals include horses (Arabian horses predominate), cattle - buffaloes (the main draft animal), cows, sheep, goats, and donkeys. Dromedary camels (dromedaries) are bred in southern Iraq.
Population of Iraq
Dynamics of the population of Iraq (million people): 1957 (census) - 6,299, 1965 - 8,047, 1977 - 12.0, 1987 - 16,335, 1995 (estimate) - 20.1, 2003 (estimate) - approx. 25.0. The decrease in population growth in 1987-2000 is explained by the 1980-88 war between Iraq and Iran, Iraq's war against multinational forces in 1991 and the introduction of economic sanctions against Iraq by the UN Security Council in August 1990, which were in effect until May 2003, which caused a drop in the birth rate and an increase in mortality. and a huge wave of emigration from the country. The number of emigrants from Iraq as of 2000 is estimated at 2-4 million people.
Birth rate in 1973-75 42.6‰; according to UN estimates, in 1990-95 38.4‰, in 1995-2000 - 36.4‰.
Mortality, according to UN estimates, was 10.4‰ in 1990-95, 8.5‰ in 1995-2000. Infant mortality (under 1 year of age) in 1973-75 88.7 people. per 1000 newborns; according to UN estimates, in 1990-95 - 127, in 1995-2000 - 95.
Age structure of the population: 0-14 years - 45.2%; 15-59 years old - 49.7%; 60 years and older - 5.1% (1987). Men 51.3%, women 48.7% (1994 estimate).
The size of the urban population and its share in total number country's population (million people, %): 1970 (estimate) - 5,452 (57.8), 1977 - 7,646 (63.7), 1987 - 11,469 (70.2), 1994 (estimate) - 14,308 (71.5 ), 2000 (estimate) - 17,325 (75).
The proportion of illiterate people over the age of 9 is 27.4% (1987). The share of children and youth (aged 6 to 23 years) studying in educational institutions decreased in 1980-98 from 67 to 50%.
The published results of the population censuses in 1965, 1977 and 1987 do not contain information about its ethnic composition. According to estimates, in the total population: Arabs - 76-77%, Kurds - 18-20%, Turkomans, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians (Iranians), Armenians, Turks, Jews, etc. Languages: Arabic (Iraqi dialect, in which speaks most of Arabs of Iraq, formed from the 7th century. from the living speech of the Arabs influenced by elements of Aramaic, Persian and Turkish languages); Kurdish (Kurmanji and Sorani dialects).
Over. 95% of the population (Arabs, Kurds, Turkomans, Iranians, Turks) profess Islam, which is state religion. The rest profess various forms of Christianity, Judaism and some residual forms of the ancient beliefs of the peoples of the Middle East. The majority of Iraqi Muslims belong to the Shia community (60-65% of all Muslims in the country and about 80% of Arab Muslims). The Shia community in Iraq is the largest in Arab countries and ranks 3rd in the world after Iran and Pakistan. In addition to the Arabs, 30% of the Turkomans living in Iraq also belong to it; Almost all Iraqis are of Iranian origin (Persians). Most Shiites live in the south and east of the country, as well as in Baghdad. Most of the Shiites are villager, Shiite city dwellers live, in addition to the sacred Shiite centers of An-Najef and Karbala, and in such religious centers of Shiism as Kazymein (outskirts of Baghdad), Kufa, Samarra. The Shia population is represented by the Imami sects (the largest sect in Shiism) - approx. 90% of the country's Shiites, Sheikhs, Ali-Ilahi, Bahais, Ismailis. Shiites are the most backward and traditionally oppressed part of the country's population. Spiritual leader Shiites of Iraq - the Ayatollah lives in Najaf. Sunnis are the leading branch in the world of Islam, but in Iraq they rank second in the number of its adherents (about 30-35% of all Muslims in the country and less than 20% of Arabs in Iraq). This ratio between the numbers of Sunnis and Shiites was carefully hidden by the authorities during the years when the Baath Party was in power, and the existing differences in the socio-economic situation between Sunnis and Shiites were obscured in every possible way. These differences have existed since the time of the Ottoman Empire. All leadership positions in administrative bodies and in various sectors of the economy, officer positions in the army and police were primarily provided to Sunnis (under the Ba'ath - members of this ruling party). Sunnis live in the center and north of Iraq. The highest authority among Sunnis is the qadi (qadi). There are from 800 thousand to 1 million Christians in Iraq. (grade). TO Orthodox Church Most of the Assyrians belong to the Nestorians. Catholics include part of the Assyrians (Syro-Catholics), Chaldeans - former Nestorians who accepted a union with the Catholic Church and submit to the Pope, as well as Jacobite Arabs and Maronites. The number of Chaldeans and Assyrians, according to St. 600 thousand people Part of the Armenian community also belongs to Catholics. The other part is that the Gregorian Armenians recognize the Catholicos of all Armenians in Etchmiadzin (Armenia) as their head. The total number of Armenians in the country in 2000 is approx. 30 thousand people Among the religious minorities professing residual forms of ancient beliefs, the most famous are the Yezidis (about 30-50 thousand people) and the Sabaeans (several tens of thousands). The Jewish community, uniting those professing Judaism, numbers approx. 2.5 thousand people, they live mainly in Baghdad and Basra. The Jewish community was once very influential in the business world of Iraq. However, since 1948 - the beginning of the Arab-Israeli wars - the vast majority of Jews left Iraq.
History of Iraq
Iraq is located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Greek - Mesopotamia, i.e. interfluve). Mesopotamia was the birthplace of the world's most ancient civilizations: Sumerian-Akkadian (3rd millennium BC), the Babylonian kingdom (21st-6th centuries BC), ancient Assyria (3rd millennium - 7th century BC). BC.). In the 7th-8th centuries. AD Mesopotamia was conquered by the Arabs, and Islam came here with them. Mesopotamia became part of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates (7-11 centuries AD). The Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent subjugated all of Mesopotamia in 1534-46, and for almost 4 centuries it was one of the outskirts of the Ottoman Empire, which collapsed after the 1st World War. From three provinces of the former empire - Baghdad, Basra and Mosul - modern Iraq was formed, which, in accordance with the decision Supreme Council The Entente and the League of Nations mandate were administered by Great Britain in 1920-32. In July 1921, the provisional government of Iraq elected Emir Faisal al-Hashimi as king, but the British High Commissioner to Iraq remained the de facto leader of the country. In October 1932, after the abolition of the mandate, Iraq became a formally independent state and was admitted to the League of Nations.
The mandate regime left a difficult legacy - a backward economy, the omnipotence of feudal lords and moneylenders in the countryside, the poverty of millions of landless peasants in the countryside and workers, artisans, and the unemployed in the city, serious national and religious contradictions. After gaining independence, the country was ruled by proteges of the British - Prime Minister Nuri Said and regent under the heir to the throne Faisal 2nd Emir Abdul Illah. Their dominance in the country relied on the support of not only the British, but also local feudal lords and compradors.
The period after World War II took place in an atmosphere of the rise of the national liberation movement. The activity of political parties expressing the interests of the working class, petty bourgeoisie and national bourgeoisie increased. Despite the establishment of a brutal dictatorship by N. Said, resistance to the anti-people policies of the ruling circles grew. Participants in the national liberation movement directed their efforts towards Iraq's withdrawal from the Baghdad Pact (1955), and in October-November 1956 there was a powerful wave of demonstrations condemning the aggression of Great Britain, France and Israel against Egypt. The national liberation movement finally took shape in 1957, when the National Unity Front (FNU) was created, which included the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Baath Party (Iraqi Arab Socialist Renaissance Party - PASV) and the Independence Party . The FNU program provided for the removal of the feudal-monarchist clique from power, Iraq's withdrawal from the Baghdad Pact and the provision of constitutional democratic freedoms to the population. The Front's program was approved by mass patriotic organizations, trade unions, as well as underground organization"Free Officers", created in the Iraqi army in May 1956.
The revolution of July 14, 1958 eliminated the feudal-monarchical regime. In place of the monarchy, the Iraqi Republic was proclaimed. The first republican government was headed by the leader of the Free Officers organization, which became the vanguard of the armed coup in the capital, Brigadier Abdel Kerim Qassem. During the first year of its existence, the republic achieved significant successes in domestic and foreign policy: Iraq withdrew from the Baghdad Pact, liquidated foreign military bases, denounced agreements with the United States on military and economic issues, restored diplomatic relations from the USSR. In July 1958, the Provisional Constitution was adopted, proclaiming the equality of all citizens before the law, for the first time women were given equal rights with men, and the activities of public organizations and trade unions, a purge has begun state apparatus, key figures of the monarchical regime were brought to trial.
In September 1958, the law on agrarian reform began to be implemented, undermining the foundations of the semi-feudal exploitation of the peasants. In 1959, the Temporary Plan was approved, and in 1961, the first five-year plan for the development of the national economy. In order to reduce dependence on Western capital, Iraq left the sterling bloc and established control over the activities of foreign companies, including the multinational company Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC). Trade and economic ties were established with socialist countries, primarily with the USSR. These states began to provide assistance to Iraq in the development of the national economy, mainly in the field of industry, infrastructure and in the training of national personnel.
In September 1961, the regime of A.K. Qassem began a war against the Kurdish people in the north of the country. This war continued intermittently for 30 years - until 1991. On February 8, 1963, the regime of A.K. Kassem was overthrown as a result of an armed coup organized by the Baath Party, the Arab Nationalist Movement and the military group of Colonel A.S. Aref.
The new supreme body of power, the National Council of the Revolutionary Command (NRC), appointed A.S. Aref as president of the country, but actual power was in the hands of extremist Baath leaders who occupied key positions in the NRC and the government. During the first period of its stay in power (February-November 1963), PASV showed itself with the most severe repressions unleashed against the communists and other democratic forces in the country. As a result, approx. were killed without trial or investigation. 5 thousand people, and more than 10 thousand were thrown into prisons and concentration camps. Almost the entire leadership of the ICP, including its general secretary Salam Adil, was destroyed.
After the liquidation of its opponents, the Baath regime began a war of extermination against the Kurds in June 1963, during which civilians Kurdistan has been subjected to violence and mistreatment. The anti-people political course of the ruling regime, its complete inability to solve the country’s most important problems plunged Iraq into deep economic crisis. All R. 1963 all political parties and groups that participated in the overthrow of Qassem abandoned the alliance with PASV. On November 18, 1963, as a result of a military coup, the Baathists were removed from power. A.S.Aref took the posts of president of the country, chairman of the National Socialist Republic of Kazakhstan and commander-in-chief. The short period in power of A.S. Aref, and after his death in a plane crash in 1966 - that of his brother General Abdel Rahman Aref, who previously held the post of chief of the general staff of the Iraqi army, is characterized by internal struggle ruling bloc. Trying to bring the country out of the crisis, the government expanded cooperation with the UAR, normalized relations with the USSR, and tried to regulate relations with the Kurds. Under the influence of supporters of the development of Iraq along the path of the UAR, on July 14, 1964, laws were passed on the nationalization of large enterprises in industry and trade, all banks and insurance companies, including branches of foreign banks and insurance companies. However, in reality, the most important problems associated with the democratization of society Kurdish issue and the economy were not resolved. A.R. Aref tried to maneuver between various opposition forces to no avail. On July 17-30, 1968, the Baath Party came to power again in Baghdad, carrying out, with the help of the army, coup d'etat. A.R. Aref was removed from the post of president. To govern the country, the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) was established, headed by Brigadier Ahmed Hassan al Bakr, Secretary General of the Iraqi Ba'ath, who simultaneously took the post of President of the Republic.
The activities of the PASV leadership in 1968-2003, which took into account its sad experience of short-lived rule of the country, can be reduced to several the most important areas: 1) strengthening the social base of the ruling party; 2) strengthening the financial and economic base for the socio-economic development of the country and to strengthen the strength of the regime; 3) solution of all remaining major political problems(Kurds, communists, Shiites, the activities of bourgeois and nationalist parties and movements) with the aim of weakening and neutralizing them as much as possible; 4) the creation of an authoritarian regime of personal power for President S. Hussein, who in November 1969 became the second person in the state and party; 5) expansion of Iraq's influence in the Middle East region, turning the country into a regional superpower.
With the coming to power of the Baath Party, “Baathization” began to be carried out officers army (completed by the beginning of 1970) and all civilian levels of the state apparatus. The expansion and renewal of the social base was also carried out at the expense of workers, intellectuals, and university students. The activities of trade unions were brought under the control of the Baath, new Baathist mass organizations were created, as well as “ people's councils"and the "people's army" (armed units of the party, subordinate personally to S. Hussein).
In 1972-75, Baath carried out the nationalization of the multinational company IPC and its branches in Mosul and Basra. With this she took control full control The country's main natural wealth is oil. In addition to the foreign policy significance of this step, the nationalization of IPC led to a huge increase in the power of PASV due to the sharp increase in world oil prices. Iraq's revenues from oil exports increased over 13 years (1968-80) by almost 55 times - from 476 million to 26.1 billion US dollars. It gave Ba'ath such a degree financial power and independence, which none of the previous governments of Iraq had, and the managers of the finances turned out to be a small group of members of the SRK, among whom was the deputy chairman of the SRK S. Hussein. Possessing such a serious financial base, the Ba'ath was able to solve a number of important social issues related to improving social security, expanding free medical care, the creation of one of the most advanced in the 1970s. educational systems in the Arab world.
In 1970, the Baath invited the PCI to recognize its (Baath) leadership role in governing the country and in the activities of mass organizations. In July 1973, the PCI joined the Progressive National Patriotic Front (PNPF) as a Baath partner, depriving itself of the opportunity to publicly criticize the actions of the ruling party. In 1978, when the alliance with the IKP was no longer needed by the Ba'ath (the problems of the Kurds and the nationalization of the IKP were practically resolved), S. Hussein declared the communists of Iraq foreign agents, repressions were launched against them, 31 communist officers were executed. The ICP was forced to go underground, and the PNPF practically collapsed. The problem of the Kurds was “solved” by the adoption of the law of March 11, 1974 on Kurdish autonomy. This “solution” did not suit the Kurds of Iraq at all. In Iraqi Kurdistan, ethnic cleansing began - instead of Kurds, Arabs from the southern regions were resettled to the north of the country. In the 2nd half. 1970s St. was deported from Iraqi Kurdistan. 700 thousand people, destroyed from 1975 to 1988 approx. 4 thousand Kurdish villages.
The problem of the Shiites was also “solved” with harshness. In March 1980, several tens of thousands of Shia Iraqis of Iranian origin were expelled to Iran. In the same year, on the orders of S. Hussein, the spiritual leader of the Shiites of Iraq, Ayatollah Mohammed Bakr al-Sadr, and his sister were executed. Before these events in the 1970s. Shiite protests in the south of the country were brutally suppressed.
In July 1979, S. Hussein completely seized power in the country, depriving President A.Kh. al-Bakr of all posts. Real and potential competitors of Saddam Hussein were shot - a third of the members of the SRK. Only those who were able to unquestioningly obey their leader were left alive.
In order to strengthen Iraq's power in the region and his own influence, in 1980 Saddam Hussein started a war with Iran, which lasted 8 years. During the war, Iraq lost approx. 200 thousand people and still ok. 300 thousand were injured, and foreign debt amounted to $80 billion.
In August 1990, S. Hussein unleashed new war- against Kuwait, declaring it the 19th province of his country. This led to military action by multinational forces of 33 countries against Iraq in January-February 1991. By decision of the UN Security Council, an economic blockade was established against Iraq, which lasted until April 2003. During the blockade, St. died from hunger and disease. 1.5 million Iraqis.
US authorities in last years demanded that the Iraqi leadership allow UN inspectors expelled from this country in 1998 to check the presence or absence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or equipment for their production on Iraqi territory. Iraq has consistently refused these demands. After a series of warnings to Iraq from the United States, on March 18, 2003, US President D. Bush, in the form of an ultimatum, demanded that Saddam Hussein leave Iraq within 48 hours. S. Hussein publicly rejected this demand. On the morning of March 20, 2003, D. Bush announced the start of a military operation against Iraq, called “Shock and Awe.” Participated in it Armed forces USA, UK and Australia. During the operation, which lasted 3 weeks, the number of countries participating in the coalition increased to 45.
China, France, Germany, and India expressed their concern about the start of the war against Iraq. President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin condemned this military operation. Poland sent troops from European countries to help the American-British coalition. On May 1, 2003, D. Bush announced the end of the war in Iraq. Baghdad was completely captured by US troops on April 9. Iraq's PASV was outlawed.
Before the start of the war, the United States created the Bureau of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq, which became the Coalition Provisional Administration in Iraq. It included 23 ministries. Each is headed by an American with 4 Iraqi consultants. In May 2003, he was appointed as the new head of the Provisional Administration. former employee State Department USA Paul Bremer. The Iraq Development Fund was established with separate accounts opened at the Central Bank of Iraq. Revenues from the sale of Iraqi oil will have to go to the Fund's accounts and be distributed before the formation of the Iraqi government by the Interim Administration.
The United States plans to transfer power from the Interim Administration to the Iraqi government in 3 stages. Initially, the US military authorities will one by one transfer the cities to the management of the Provisional Administration. At the second stage, power will pass into the hands of the Iraqi Provisional Administration, in which key positions will be occupied by representatives of the Iraqi opposition, but on decisive issues the United States will have the last word. The third stage involves the adoption of a new Constitution, holding elections to the Iraqi parliament and the transfer of all power functions to the Iraqis (except for the ministries of interior and defense - they will be transferred to the Iraqis later).
A temporary division of the country into 3 zones (sectors) of responsibility is planned: the USA, Great Britain and Poland. Peacekeepers from other countries are being assigned to assist the peacekeeping contingents of these three states. It is planned to deploy peacekeepers from 23 countries in the Polish sector (including 1,650 people from Ukraine, sent in July 2003 to the area of Al-Kut, south of Baghdad).
In August 2003, there were 139 thousand US troops in Iraq, 11 thousand from Great Britain and approx. 10 thousand from other 18 states. American military personnel will be present in all zones.
The US Interim Administration has allowed elections to be held in Iraq. local authorities authorities. In July 2003, the Provisional Governing Council of Iraq (IGC) was formed in Baghdad, consisting of 25 people representing all major population groups - Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, and former secular emigrants. On September 1, 2003, the VUS, in agreement with the Provisional Coalition Administration in Iraq, appointed the first cabinet of ministers. The cabinet includes 25 ministers: 13 Shiites, 5 Sunni Arabs, 5 Sunni Kurds, 1 Turkoman and 1 Assyrian Christian. On June 1, 2004, Sunni Ghazi al Yawar, a member of the Supreme Council since July 2003, was appointed President of Iraq. Shiite member of the Supreme Council Ayad Alawi, who founded the Iraqi National Accord movement in exile in 1991, was appointed Prime Minister.
In August 2003, recruitment of Iraqi citizens into the new national army began. It is expected to increase its number to 40 thousand people. within 3 years. The task is to protect military facilities, power plants, and escort food cargo. The armed units of the two leading Kurdish parties - the KDP and the PUK, which together with the United States participated in the battles against the army of Saddam Hussein, will eventually join the new Iraqi army.
Economy of Iraq
The modern economy of Iraq is a typical example national economy existing within the framework of a totalitarian regime and a command-administrative system. As a result of the introduction of sanctions by the UN Security Council, economic growth rates have been declining since 1991. If in 1965-73 the average annual growth rate of GDP reached 4.4%, in 1974-80 - 10.4%, then after the introduction of sanctions and the actual cessation of oil exports, GDP production began to decline sharply. The average annual rate of decline in GDP in 1989-93 (in 1980 prices) reached minus 32.3%. Later, according to the UN, growth resumed and the average annual rate was 8.3% in 1995-2003, which was mainly due to the restoration of the oil industry. In 2002, GDP reached (in 1995 prices) 4112 billion US dollars, and GDP per capita (in the same prices) - 165.5 US dollars.
The economically active population was 6 million people in 1997-99. In 1992, 14% were employed in agriculture, 19% in industry, and 67% of the economically active population in the service sector. There is no data on unemployment in Iraq, but after the imposition of UN sanctions the number of unemployed increased significantly due to the fall industrial production, a sharp reduction in government spending and inflation. In 1989, inflation in Iraq reached 45%; in 1991 it jumped to approximately 500%. In 1991-95, according to FAO, food prices increased 4,000 times. The resumption of oil exports from Iraq brought inflation down to around 70% in 2000.
Sectoral structure of the economy by specific gravity industries in GDP (UN estimate, 2002, %, 1995 prices; in brackets - 1989 data in 1980 prices): agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing - 30.5 (6.9); mining and manufacturing industry - 9.8 (60.8); production of electricity, gas and water supply - 1.0 (1.1); construction - 4.7 (4.8); trade, restaurants and hotels - 16.6 (6.7); transport, communications and warehousing - 19.3 (4.0); finance and insurance - 5.0 (4.1); real estate and business services - 5.2 (2.2), public and personal services - 5.9 (10.0); import duties and other items - 2.1.
In Iraq's industry, the main role belongs to oil production (54.7% of total GDP in 1989), export earnings from which brought up to 95% of all income in foreign currency. The cessation of oil exports by decision of the UN Security Council in August 1990 led to a drop in its production.
Taken in mid. 1970s The course in industry development towards diversification of production and import substitution slowed down in 1980 due to the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war. During the war years, the state sought to increase production at existing enterprises and reduce imports due to a shortage of foreign currency. Under these conditions, new industries such as mechanical engineering, chemistry and petrochemistry, metallurgy, and paper production developed in Iraq. Those that existed in the beginning also developed on a new technical basis. 1960s industries such as the production of building materials, food, textiles.
The electric power industry in Iraq had to be restored almost completely after the 1991 war, since main blow multinational forces were aimed at disabling power plants and power lines. The total installed capacity of 30 power plants in the country at the beginning. 1991 amounted to 9552 thousand kW, of which 56% of the capacity was at thermal power plants, approx. 26% - at hydroelectric power stations and 17.6% - at gas turbine stations. During the bombing, 21 power plants were destroyed or damaged. On the line. In 1996, the capacity of operating power plants reached 5,500 thousand kW. Electricity generation reached 30.3 billion kWh in 1998.
Despite the difficulties and obstacles caused by UN sanctions, agriculture in the 1990s. increased its contribution to the creation of GDP. Of approximately 8 million hectares of land suitable for cultivation, 4-5 million hectares are cultivated, approx. 3/4 of the cultivated land is occupied by wheat and barley. The grain deficit, according to FAO estimates, amounted to 5.4 million tons in 1993 and increased in subsequent years. The production of grains and vegetables decreased by 1/3 due to the destruction of irrigation systems, lack of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural machinery and equipment. In 1996, 1,300 thousand tons of wheat and barley, 797 thousand tons of dates were produced, in 2000 - much less: 384,226 and 400 thousand tons, respectively. At the same time, the volume of livestock production in 1996-2000 increased from 16 thousand tons of sheep and goat meat and 38 thousand tons of poultry meat to 27 thousand and 50 thousand tons, respectively.
Large marine oil terminals Al-Bakr and Khor el-Amaya (Al-Amik) with a design capacity of 1.6 million barrels each. per day, located in the area of the oil export port of Fao, on the coast of the Persian Gulf, serve the export of oil through southern borders. The main oil pipelines of Iraq: the main “strategic” oil pipeline El Haditha-Ar Rumaila (length - 665 km, throughput - 44 million tons/year in the northern direction and 50 million tons/year - in the southern direction) allows you to export oil both through southern ports , and through the ports of Turkey, Syria and Lebanon using the Kirkuk-Keyhan port (Turkey), El-Hadita-Baniyas (Syria) and El-Hadita-Tripoli (Lebanon) oil pipelines. The Baghdad-Basra oil products pipeline has a length of 545 km (designed to pump 1.5 million tons of oil products per year to the areas of the center and south of the country).
The total length of railways with a gauge of 1435 mm was in the end. 1990s OK. 2500 km. Iraq's railway network consists mainly of three lines: Baghdad-Kirkuk-Erbil; Baghdad-Mosul-Yarubiya (Tell Kochek), connecting Iraq with the railway system of Turkey and Syria and having access to the railways of Europe; Baghda-Basra-Umm Qasr. In 2000, traffic on the Mosul-Aleppo line was resumed.
The length of all highways in the country is about 1990s St. 45 thousand km. The roads are laid mainly in the meridian direction. Best roads lead from Baghdad to the borders of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Iran. Main roads: Baghdad Diwaniyah-Basra; Baghdad-Kut-Amara-Basra; Basra Umm Qasr; Basra Safwan (towards the border with Kuwait); Baghdad-Mosul-Tell Kochek - border with Syria; Baghdad-Mosul-Zakho - border with Turkey: Baghdad_Hanekin and Baghdad-Kirkuk-Erbil-Ravanduz - border with Iran. After the introduction of sanctions, the Baghdad-Ramadi-Rutbah highway - the border with Jordan - was called the “road of life”. It was through Amman and this road that cargo from abroad arrived in Iraq, mainly from Europe, America, and the Russian Federation due to the closure of Iraqi airports after the start of sanctions. Important role plays the Damascus-Abu Kamal-El Haditha-Ramadi-Baghdad highway.
The country has four international airports - in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul and Samawah.
Using satellite systems Intersat and Arabsat communications Iraq established direct telephone and telex communications with other countries after 1991. All R. 1990s Telephone communications (55 automatic telephone exchanges) were provided to 4% of the country's residents (in 1989 - 6.5%).
To the beginning 2003 The Central Bank of Iraq acted on behalf of the state by issuing currency, exercising banking control and managing the currency. Basic commercial Bank- Rafidain Bank, founded in 1941, is the largest in the Arab East in terms of deposits and total amount assets, acted in the interests of the state, performing functions that the central bank does not perform. It had 228 branches in Iraq and 10 branches abroad. In 1988, Rashid Bank was formed to compete with Rafidain Bank. In 1991, during the liberalization of the banking sector, 4 new banks were formed: Al-Ittimad, Baghdad, Iraqi Commercial and Private Banks. There were 4 state specialized banks: agricultural cooperation (founded in 1936, 47 branches) for medium- and long-term lending to agriculture; industrial (founded in 1940, 8 branches) - lending to state and private industrial companies; real estate bank (founded in 1949, 27 branches) for issuing loans for housing and general construction; socialist (1991) - issuing interest-free loans to civil servants and veterans of the war with Iran. The stock exchange was opened in Baghdad in March 1992 in connection with government plans to privatize state-owned enterprises.
Structure of Iraq's external debt (creditors and amount of debt in billions of US dollars): Russian Federation - 8.0; France - 8.0; Paris Club (without the participation of the Russian Federation and France) - 9.5; Central Europe- 4.0; Gulf countries - 55; commercial creditors - 4.8; international institutions- 1.1; others (unspecified) - 26.1. Total - $116.5 billion.
Science and culture of Iraq
Education in Iraq is structured according to the following system: primary - 6 years, incomplete secondary - 3 years, complete secondary - another 3 years, i.e. only 12 years old. There are also secondary vocational and pedagogical educational establishments. In 1994/95 academic year There were 8,035 primary schools in Iraq, attended by 3 million children. 2,635 junior and senior secondary schools (all data for 1994/95 and do not include data on Iraqi Kurdistan) educated 1.1 million people. 110 thousand people studied in 274 secondary vocational schools and colleges. AT 11 state universities and several technical universities, 189 thousand people studied, incl. 50.7 thousand studied at the University of Baghdad, and 53.3 thousand people. - in technical universities. In addition, there are three universities in Iraqi Kurdistan: the largest is in Erbil (Salah ad-Din University). In con. 1990s it had 11 faculties and 7050 students. General management of education is carried out by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry higher education And scientific research.
Besides universities, scientific activity carried out by the Organization for Scientific Research, the Commission for atomic energy, Iraqi Academy of Sciences (established in 1940, studies Arab culture - history, literature, language, poetry, folklore).
Iraq, a country of ancient culture, has rich museums. The most famous of them are located in Baghdad: the Iraqi Museum, where samples of the culture of the peoples and states of Mesopotamia from the Stone Age to the 7th century are exhibited. AD; Museum of Islamic Culture; Museum of Arabic monuments “Khan-Marjan”; weapons museum; Museum of Contemporary Iraqi Art. In Mosul there is a large historical museum rich in monuments (exhibits from Nineveh, Nimrud, El-Hadar). In total, there were 27 museums in the country in 1994.
The most important monuments of Islamic culture, well preserved in Iraq, are mosques (mostly active) and mausoleums - both Shiite and Sunni, for example the Golden Mosque, the mosque-mausoleum of Imam Abu Hanif in Baghdad, mausoleums in Karbala, Najaf, Samarra.
- a state in South-West Asia. In the north it borders with Turkey, in the east with Iran, in the south with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and in the west with Jordan and Syria. In the south the state is washed by the Persian Gulf.
The name of the country comes from the Arabic “Iraq” - “coast” or “lowland”.
Official name: Republic of Iraq
Capital:
The area of the land: 432.1 thousand sq. km
Total Population: 31.2 million people
Administrative division: 16 governorates (provinces).
Form of government: Parliamentary republic.
Head of State: The president.
Population composition : 75% are Arabs, 15% are Kurds, Turks and Jews also live.
Official language: Arabic and Kurdish. At the everyday level, the languages of ethnic groups are widely used, including Armenian and Assyrian. Many Iraqis speak English and French quite well, and some speak Russian.
Religion: 60% profess Shiite Islam, 37% Sunni Islam, 3% are Christians.
Internet domain: .iq
Mains voltage: ~230 V, 50 Hz
Country dialing code: +964
Country barcode: 626
Climate
Iraq's climate is subtropical Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and warm, rainy winters. Two seasons are most pronounced: a long, hot summer (May - October) and a shorter, cool and sometimes cold winter (December - March). In summer the weather is usually cloudless and dry. There is no precipitation at all for four months, and in the remaining months of the warm season it is less than 15 mm.
The northern mountainous regions are characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, warm winters with rare frosts and frequent snowfalls. El Jazeera has dry, hot summers and mild, rainy winters. Lower Mesopotamia is characterized by hot summers and warm winters with rain and relatively high relative humidity. The southwestern region is characterized by dry, hot summers and cool winters with rare rains. Significant seasonal and diurnal temperature changes (sometimes reaching 30°C) have been recorded in many areas of Iraq.
Average July temperatures are 32–35° C, maximum – 40–43°, minimum – 25–28°, absolute maximum – 57° C. Average January temperatures +10–13° C, average January maximum 16–18° C, minimum – 4–7° C, the absolute minimum in the north of the country reached –18° C.
Precipitation falls mainly in winter (December - January), and there is little of it in the central and southern regions of the country: the average annual precipitation in Baghdad is 180 mm, in the southwest approx. 100 mm, in Basra 160 mm. As you move north, their number increases and amounts to approx. 300 mm on the plains and up to 500–800 mm in the mountains.
In the summer (May–June), northwestern winds blow continuously, carrying masses of sand (so-called dust storms), and in winter northeastern winds predominate, especially strong in February.
Geography
Iraq is a state in the Middle East, in the Mesopotamian lowland, in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It borders on the southeast with Kuwait, on the south with Saudi Arabia, on the west with Jordan and Syria, on the north with Turkey, and Iran on the east. The territory of Iraq is washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf in the southeast of the country.
The northern region of Iraq - El Jazeera - occupies the Armenian Highlands, the height of which reaches 2135 m in the area of the Turkish border. Further south lies the vast plain of the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys. In the far south of Iraq there is a swampy plain, and to the west of the Euphrates the valley opens into the Syrian Desert.
Flora and fauna
Vegetable world
The most widespread in Iraq is subtropical steppe and semi-desert vegetation, confined to the western, southwestern and southern regions(west and south of the Euphrates Valley) and is represented mainly by wormwood, saltwort, camel thorn, juzgun, and astragalus. In El Jazeera and the northeast of the country, steppe xerophytic and ephemeral-forb vegetation predominates.
Above 2500 m, summer pastures are common. In the mountains in the north and northeast of the country, tracts of mountain oak forests have been preserved, in which oaks predominate and there are comb (tamarix), pine, wild pear, pistachio, juniper, etc. At the foot of the mountain ranges, thorny bushes are common. The floodplain of the Euphrates, Tigris and its tributaries is confined to tugai forest vegetation with shrubby undergrowth, including poplars, willows, and comb grass.
In the southeast of the country, large swampy areas are occupied by reed-reed thickets and salt marsh vegetation. Currently, in the river valleys of central and southern Iraq, right up to the coast of the Persian Gulf, significant areas are devoted to date palm plantations.
Animal world
The fauna of Iraq is not rich. Gazelle, jackal, and striped hyena are found in the steppes and semi-deserts. Rodents and reptiles are widespread, including monitor lizards and the poisonous cobra snake. Many waterfowl (flamingos, pelicans, ducks, geese, swans, herons, etc.) live along the river banks. Rivers and lakes abound with fish. Carp, carp, catfish, etc. are of commercial importance. Horse mackerel, mackerel, barracuda, and shrimp are caught in the Persian Gulf. The real scourge of Iraq is insects, especially mosquitoes and midges, carriers of malaria and other diseases.
Attractions
The territory of modern Iraq is one of the centers of civilization. This land has been inhabited since time immemorial and is literally saturated with legends and myths. It is here that the Tigris and Euphrates flow, whose sources, according to legend, were in the Garden of Eden, the legendary cultures of Mesopotamia and Parthia, Assyria and Sumer, Akkad and Persia were born here, Babylon roared here with its famous Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel, and the birthplace of Abraham was located - Ur of the Chaldeans, one of the oldest cities planets - Baghdad, as well as the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
The rich history of the country, the unique historical, cultural, archaeological and religious monuments of Iraq have earned it the reputation of one of the most interesting places in Asia, which even the tragic events of the late 20th century could not prevent.
Banks and currency
New Iraqi dinar (NID, IQD), nominally equal to 20 dirhams and 1000 fils (in reality, these units are practically not used). There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 25,000, 10,000, 5000, 1000, 500, 250 and 50 dirhams, as well as coins of 100 and 25 dirhams. The dirham exchange rate is quite unstable.
Banks are usually open from Saturday to Wednesday - from 08.00 to 12.30, on Thursdays - from 08.00 to 11.00. During Ramadan, banks close by 10:00.
Iraq's banking and financial infrastructure was virtually destroyed during the overthrow of the Hussein regime and currently is in the process of restoration. You can exchange currency for dinars and back only in markets or in specialized exchange shops.
Credit and debit cards are not accepted for payment. There are no ATMs. Cashing travel checks is also almost impossible (only 2 banks in Baghdad work with them, and the procedure itself is full of formalities and takes a lot of time).
Officially, foreign currency can be used in specialized duty-free shops in Baghdad, while a passport must be presented, and the amount of a one-time purchase should not exceed $200. However, in practice, US dollars, euros and the currencies of neighboring countries have almost unlimited circulation in Iraq (hotels, for example, usually require payment only in foreign currency).
Useful information for tourists
Due to the tense situation, the state is practically not visited by foreign tourists.
Once again, hearing the name of Saddam Hussein, the words “political instability”, “American troops” and others, only one country immediately comes to mind - Iraq. And it is very sad that associations with this country are far from connected with its customs, traditions or culture. Let's imagine that we are hearing about the existence of this country for the first time, and study it a little.
The Republic of Iraq is the name that officially belongs to the country. This big country with different nationalities, but mostly eastern ones dominate here - Arabs, Turks, Persians and others.
The capital of Iraq is the wonderful city of Baghdad. Since all Muslims are believers, it is not for nothing that they gave this name to the city, because in translation it means “given by God.” This wonderful city has an excellent location, which is famous for its fertile soil and, importantly, includes many trade routes.
The capital of Iraq is a very ancient city, it has been repeatedly subjected to various attacks. Basically, all the attractions located in the state are kept on their territories. The country is famous for its rich historical world, ancient culture and numerous architectural works, one of which is the famous “Golden Mosque”. Many tourists also highlight beautiful buildings educational institutions, built back in the 12th century.
As for the culture of this country, it differs significantly from the usual European one. Therefore, before the capital of Iraq welcomes you, you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristic customs and traditions.
First of all, this is expressed in the relationship between opposite sexes, women should pay special attention to their wardrobe. The body should be covered as much as possible, and the head should be covered with a scarf that could cover the face. In turn, men cannot wear trousers that would hug their legs; clothing should also cover as much as possible. Not enough stronger sex without a veil covering the hands and ankles. It is worth noting that in relation to the others Muslim countries, women are given more privileges here. An interesting tradition of local residents is to eat when it gets dark. However, don’t be so scared, this only applies during Ramadan.
Iraq is the capital of meat cooking, true gourmets can always be convinced of this. Lamb and beef are the main dishes. Having a unique recipe, Iranians can delight you with the famous “tika” in the form of small pieces of lamb roasted on a spit. Basically, you will be offered rice or vegetables with herbs as a side dish. All kinds of seasonings play a huge role here, without which cooking meat dishes is not possible. Iranians are very hospitable people, as evidenced by the presence of various sweets in the house. Every meal is accompanied by drinks, especially tea and coffee. Common alcoholic drink is
As you have already noticed, this is very interesting country, and it’s not for nothing that the capital of Iraq bears a sacred name.
Iraq is a state located in the Middle East, its neighbors are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria, Turkey and Iran. In the south, Iraq is washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. Baghdad is the capital of Iraq. The territory of the country is 435 thousand km², the population of Iraq is more than 36 million people.
It is the richest country and has some of the largest oil reserves on the planet. But this did not bring its inhabitants either happiness or prosperity - for several decades now the country has been in a state of fratricidal civil war, the situation is only getting worse every day.
This land is the cradle of human civilization. It was here that man built the first cities; here, over the course of thousands of years, great civilizations replaced one another, all of which left their imprint on the culture of the peoples now living in Iraq. We can only hope that reason will prevail and peace will come to the long-suffering ancient land.
Story
The valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has long been inhabited by people. Scientists have discovered numerous sites of primitive people here, which belong to the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. It was the Mesopotamian lowland that became the place where the most ancient human cultures: Sumer, Akkad, Assyria and Babylon. It was here that humanity began to build the first cities, writing appeared, and science was born. People first started using the wheel and making houses out of bricks. The ancient Sumerians built magnificent buildings, were well versed in astronomy, and conducted active trade with neighboring and distant countries.
The Sumerian civilization appeared on these lands about 6 thousand years ago. We still don’t know where they came from. They built numerous cities in Mesopotamia. The Sumerians were replaced by other peoples: Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians.
In the 6th century BC. e. Mesopotamia was conquered by the Persians and became part of the Achaemenid Empire. This continued until Alexander the Great defeated the Persians and included these lands into his empire, which, however, did not last long.
Later, the lands of present-day Iraq became part of the Parthian kingdom, and in the 1st century AD Rome came to these lands. In the 3rd century, Iraq was conquered by the Sassanids, who ruled these lands for almost three hundred years. In the 7th century, Islam came to Mesopotamia: the Arabs conquered the country and converted its population to a new religion.
In 762, Baghdad, the capital of present-day Iraq, became the center of the Arab Caliphate and remained so until the 13th century, when hordes of Mongol nomads swept through Mesopotamia like an avalanche, destroying everything in their path. They sacked Baghdad and devastated the country. At the beginning of the 15th century, Mesopotamia experienced another devastating invasion: the hordes of Tamerlane invaded the country.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the Ottoman Turks came to these lands, and the country became part of the Ottoman Empire for almost four hundred years.
During the First World War, the territory of modern Iraq was captured by Great Britain and a constitutional monarchy was established.
In 1958, a military coup took place in the country. A group of officers seized power and executed the king. The next twenty years were marked by numerous military coups, intense political struggle and reprisals against opponents. In 1979, Saddam Hussein officially came to power, ruling Iraq for several decades.
Hussein ruled the country very harshly, he ruthlessly dealt with opponents, suppressed Kurdish uprisings several times, and in 1980 the Iraqi army invaded Iran. The war lasted eight years with varying degrees of success. In 1990, Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait. The international community harshly condemned this act of aggression. An international coalition was created, which in 1991 liberated Kuwait within a few weeks.
In the same year, unrest began in Kurdistan, which was brutally suppressed by the government. Iraq falls under severe sanctions, and a severe economic crisis begins.
In 2003, the Americans begin the second war in Iraq, accusing the government of collaborating with terrorists. The Iraqi army was quickly defeated, but the country broke out guerrilla warfare. In 2006, Saddam Hussein was executed.
Today, part of the territory of Iraq is controlled by the extremist organization ISIS, which lives according to Sharia law and aims to create a global caliphate. Northern Iraq is controlled by the Kurds, who have practically created independent state. American troops are leaving Iraq; no one can say today what the future awaits the country.
General information
Iraq is located in the Middle East, in the valley of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad.
Relief
The country's topography is quite diverse. In the southwest of the country there is a desert, in the northeast there is the Iranian Plateau, in the north there is the Armenian Plateau, most of the country is in the Mesopotamian lowland. Two large rivers flow through the country: the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Climate
The climate is continental, very hot in summer and quite cool in winter. The country lies in the subtropical and tropical zone.
The fauna is very poor, and the same can be said about plant diversity. The area of protected areas is negligible.
Minerals
The country's main wealth is its huge reserves of oil and natural gas. Export of minerals is the main part of the country's income. The main oil fields are located in the north and south of Iraq. The country has deposits of sulfur, gypsum, talc, asbestos, table salt, clays, limestones, chromites, iron, lead-zinc, copper, nickel ores and other minerals
State structure
Iraq is a parliamentary republic. Parliament consists of 325 deputies who are elected from party lists. The parliamentary coalition forms the government and elects the prime minister.
There are two official languages: Kurdish and Arabic. The overwhelming majority of the country's population are Muslims.
Population
Most of the country's population belongs to one of three communities: Sunni Muslims, Shiites or Kurds. The relationship between them determines the situation in the state. Under Saddam Hussein, Sunni Muslims were in power, Shiites were in secondary roles, and the Kurds, who always dreamed of creating their own state, were brutally persecuted.
After the overthrow of Hussein, the Sunnis were pushed away from government and found themselves in opposition. They did not participate in the 2005 elections and did not participate in discussions on the 2005 constitution, which proposes turning Iraq into a federation.
The problem is that the main oil wealth is in the north and south of the country, where Shiites and Kurds live. The Sunnis accused them of wanting to individually manage the money received from the sale of oil.
Features of Iraq
The north of the country is a densely populated area of Kurds. These people are striving to create their own state and, in fact, already control part of the territory of Iraq. Kurds also live in the territory neighboring states. The Kurds fully control their part of Iraq and set their own rules there.
During the time of Hussein, the Kurds repeatedly rebelled, which were brutally suppressed by government troops. The Kurds have their own self-defense units, which are distinguished by their very high combat capability.
Sunni Muslims are another distinct group that lives in Iraq. During the time of Hussein, they occupied leading positions in the state. After his defeat, they began to offer fierce resistance to the Americans. In the “Sunni Triangle,” an area densely populated by Sunnis, the Americans had to storm every city, suffering heavy losses.
Shiites. The majority of Iraqi citizens belong to this branch of Islam. The Shiites are actively supported by neighboring Iran, where they also form the majority.
There are also quite a few Christians and Yazidis living in Iraq. However, after the outbreak of civil conflict in the country, it was these groups that became the target of persecution by Muslims. Many Christians and Yazidis had to leave their homeland.
Iraq has incredible interesting story and culture, but unfortunately travel there is currently not possible. Over the past few decades, Iraq has not been the best place for foreigners. Especially after the appearance of the extremist organization ISIS on the territory of the country.
Since 2013, they actually control part of the country, and the authorities cannot do anything about it. Medieval savagery and obscurantism reign in these territories. Extremists set themselves the goal of creating islamic state within the borders of the Ottoman Caliphate, they claim the territory of several countries: Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Israel. Murders, torture, and kidnappings are the norm in Iraqi territories controlled by terrorists. In the summer of 2014, ISIS launched an offensive on the northern and western provinces of Iraq; only recently government forces managed to regain some of the territories. In the north, the Kurds are fighting the extremists bravely and quite successfully.