Iraq

Iraq, a part of ancient Mesopotamia, was officially established following World War I out of the provinces of Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul. The landscape, rich in alluvium, fostered some of the world’s earliest civilizations: Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria. Coming into the 7th century, Iraq became a central and integral part of the Islamic world as the state Caliphate lies within Iraqi borders. Iraq is home to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, both of which are irrigation systems vital to the survival of civilizations within the arid environment.

With more than 95% of its population identifying as Muslim, Iraq has earned its reputation as one of the signature Islamic states in the world. Although there is a majority of Muslims, the nation is ethnically diverse and consists of other religions including separate Islamic sects. Furthermore, one of the most important cities in Islam, the city of Baghdad, is located in Iraq. Baghdad is the second largest city in the Arab world and is noted as the epicenter of Islamic teachings and scholarship. It also was the capital of the Abbasids, who ruled the Islamic world from 750 CE to 1258 CE. Iraq has retained a historical significance in the Arab and Islamic world to this very day.

Located in the heart of Western Asia, Iraq shares a border with Iran, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. As it is the center of the Middle East, Iraq is home to a large portion of arid, but beautiful, land. About 40% of Iraq is rocky desert terrain and another 30% is mountainous landscapes. The rest lies in the south and consists of a marshy and damp ecosystem. This wide array of landscapes provided Iraq with many notable natural landmarks. The Geli Ali Beg Waterfall is a known tourist attraction that is even featured in the 5-dinar note. Similarly, the Zagros mountain range acts as a tourist attraction and as a natural barrier between the Iraq Mesopotamia plains and the Iranian plateau.