 IRAQ Mr. Rochford November 2015

Do Now – Nov. 10, 2015  Students are to go to Mr. Rochford’s teacher page and go to the Helpful Resources Tab.  Students are to download “Iraq- 11/10/15” presentation and open it.  Once the presentation is opened students are to sit quietly and wait for the teacher to begin.

Iraq  Iraq lies at the head of the Persian Gulf and north of the Arabian Peninsula.  Some of the world’s oldest civilizations developed there between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in an area called Mesopotamia.  As a nation, modern Iraq has been in existence since the early 1900’s.

Iraq

The Land  The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are the major geographic features of Iraq.  They flow through Iraq’s northern highlands and central plain before joining to enter the Persian Gulf.  The capital of Iraq is Baghdad (Pop. 9.5 Million)

Climate Map - Iraq

The Economy Iraq’s economy is based on oil and agriculture. Oil is Iraq’s major export. Iraq has the second most oil reserves in the world behind Saudi Arabia. Manufacturing – food products, cloth, soap, and leather goods.

Economy - Farming  Most farming in Iraq takes place near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.  The plain between the rivers is called an Alluvial Plain, because it is built up by rich fertile soil left by river floods.  Iraq’s farmers grow crops such as barley, grapes, melons, citrus fruits and wheat.

Iraq- The People

Iraq – The People  Population: Approx. 37 Million People  Religion: Iraq is about 95% Islamic  Government: Federal Parliamentary Republic (Democratic – three branches)  Language: Arabic is the most popular language. Kurdish is spoken by a small amount of the population.

Past & Present  Throughout the centuries many empires have risen and fallen on the Tigris- Euphrates plain.  From AD 700’s-1200’s – Baghdad was the center of a large Muslim empire that made many advances in the arts and sciences.

Past & Present  In 1990, Iraqi armies invaded Kuwait, Iraq’s southern neighbor.  In 1991, a United Nations (UN) forced led by the United States (US) launched air and missile attacks on Iraq and its forces in Kuwait – this was known as the Persian Gulf War.  In 2003, The US and its allies invaded Iraq seeking weapons of mass destruction.

What do we know about Iraq?  Students are to complete the following Google Forms Questions on Iraq for homework: 