Iraq
sovereign state in western Asia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iraq is a country in southwestern Asia. Iraq borders with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to the south, Turkey to the north, Syria to the north-west, Jordan to the west, and Iran to the east. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad.
Republic of Iraq | |
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Motto: الله أكبر (Arabic) "Allahu Akbar" (transliteration) "God is the Greatest" | |
Anthem: "Mawtini" "موطني" (English: "My Homeland") | |
Capital and largest city | Baghdad 33°20′N 44°26′E |
Official languages | |
Religion | Islam |
Demonym(s) | Iraqi |
Government | Federal parliamentary republic |
Latif Rashid | |
Mohammed Al Sudani | |
• Speakers of the Council of Representatives | Mohamed al-Halbousi |
• Chief Justice | Medhat al-Mahmoud |
Legislature | Council of Representatives |
Independence from the United Kingdom | |
• Kingdom | 3 October 1932 (1932-10-03) |
• Republic declared | 14 July 1958 |
• Current constitution | 15 October 2005 |
Area | |
• Total | 437,072 km2 (168,754 sq mi) (58th) |
• Water (%) | 1.1 |
Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 43,533,592[1][2] (36th) |
• Density | 82.7/km2 (214.2/sq mi) (125th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $695 billion[3] (34th) |
• Per capita | $17,429[3] (71st) |
GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $223 billion[3] (47th) |
• Per capita | $5,601[3] (88th) |
Gini (2012) | 29.5[4] low |
HDI (2017) | 0.685[5] medium · 120th |
Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD) |
Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +964 |
ISO 3166 code | IQ |
Internet TLD | .iq |
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Iraq has been known by the Greek name Mesopotamia which means (Land between the rivers) and has been home to continuous successive civilizations since the 6th millennium BC. The region between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers is often referred to as the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of writing. Iraq was part of several empires, some were Safavid, and Afsharid. During the Mesopotamian Campaign of World War I, British Empire troops conquered the Ottoman Empire provinces of Basra and Baghdad and later added the province of Mosul to make Iraq.
Most Iraqis are Shia Muslims.