The Geography of Iraq

Fertile Crescent The Fertile Crescent was one of the world’s earliest known civilizations. The region extended like an arc from the Nile valley of Egypt, along the Mediterranean Sea, then east and south through the Tigris and Euphrates valleys to the Persian Gulf. It passed through present-day Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and western Iran.

Fertile Crescent Farming originated here in the 4th century BC. The plow was invented here as was the first domestication of plants and animals The abundance of food allowed time for civilization to develop: reading, writing, arithmetic, the first cities and literate societies to develop here. Mesopotamia was located in now what is Iraq.

Babylonia The ancient civilization of Babylonia developed in the lower Tigris- Euphrates valley in Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq). Babylonia took its name from its capital city, Babylon. Babylonia owed its long prosperity to its location on important trade routes between Europe and Asia.

Hanging Gardens of Babylonia

Babylonia Tigris River provided access to the north and Turkey, while the Euphrates River gave access to the west, including Syria. It became the most populous city of the Near East, and was a legendary showplace famous for its temples and Hanging Gardens.

Land of Iraq Southern and central Iraq is a vast plain never exceeding 300 feet. Tigris and Euphrates rivers provide double valleys of fertile soil. The western plateau of western Iraq, covering 35% of the country, is uninhabited except for nomadic Bedouins.

Tigris River

Zagros Mountains Northern Iraq is marked by rolling hills and low mountains. The Zagros Mountains in the northeast extend into Iran. Mount Halgurd (12,230 ft) is the highest point in the country.

Climate Iraq is mostly desert in the south with rainfall averaging only 2 inches during the November-April rainy season. Baghdad’s average July temperature is 93° F; and January average is 50° F, although sudden heat waves may produce temperatures as high as 80° F. Northern Iraq gets about 20” rainfall and has cold winters. Non-irrigated farming is possible only here.

Agriculture Iraq is the world's leading exporter of palm dates. Other important crops are barley, wheat and cotton. Wool and hides are also important products.

Wheat

Barley

Oil Resources Petroleum is the most valuable mineral resource. 2nd largest oil reserves in the world. Also has significant natural-gas reserves

Economy Iraq is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the Middle East. Besides petroleum, the nation's industries includes textiles, steel, sugar, and the manufacture of cement.

People Arabs make up nearly 80% of the population, and Arabic is the official and most widely spoken language. Kurds (15-20%), most of whom reside in the northeastern mountain region, is the largest ethnic group.

Languages of Iraq

Religion Iraq is 97% Muslim and 3% Christian. 2/3 of the Muslims are Shi’a, most of whom reside in the south. The other Muslims are members of the Sunni sect, who live in the north and have long dominated the government and army.

The Iran- Iraq War

Iran-Iraq War War between Iran and Iraq erupted in 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran. There were many causes including a historic rivalry between Iraq and Iran for supremacy in the Persian Gulf area. Iraq's Sunni government also feared the impact of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution on Iraq's Shi’a Iraq also hoped that Iran's problems would allow Iraq to reclaim some of Iran's rich oil fields.

Iran-Iraq War Iran launched several massive human wave attacks (often using children) Iraq twice used chemical weapons The war was mostly a bloody stalemate that took more than 1 million lives over 8 years. In 1984, Iraq began attacks on Gulf shipping as economic warfare against Iran. This strategy drew other countries into the conflict, forcing Iran to accept a negotiated settlement.

Persian Gulf War 1990

Following the Iran-Iraq war, Iraq found itself in need of cash. In August 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait after accusing the country of exceeding their OPEC export quotas, thus holding down world oil prices and reducing Iraq’s profits. Iraq also claimed Kuwait to be a “lost province.” Persian Gulf War

Fearing Saddam Hussein's ambition to dominate the region, a coalition of forces, including most Arab states, began “Desert Storm.”

“Desert Storm” Iraq signed a peace agreement guaranteeing they would destroy weapons of mass destruction. It took a five-week air attack and a 100- hour ground attack to push the Iraq forces from Kuwait.

Baghdad With over 3.2 million inhabitants, Iraq’s largest city and capital is Baghdad, located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Baghdad from the Tigris River

Basra Iraq’s second largest city and petroleum-refining center is Basra, near the Persian Gulf