Iraq: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Country in Western Asia}}
{{about|the country in Western Asia}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Coord|33|N|44|E|type:country_region:IQ|display=title}}
{{Infobox country
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Republic of Iraq
| conventional_long_name   = Republic of Iraq
| native_name = {{unbulleted list|{{native name|ar|جمهورية العراق|italics=off}}|{{native name|ku|کۆماری عێراق|italics=off}}}}
| native_name             = {{unbulleted list|{{native name|ar|جمهورية العراق|italics=off}}|{{native name|ku|کۆماری عێراق|italics=off}}}}
| common_name = Iraq
| common_name             = Iraq
| image_flag = Flag of Iraq.svg
| image_flag               = Flag of Iraq.svg
| image_coat = Coat_of_arms_of_Iraq.svg
| image_coat               = Coat_of_arms_of_Iraq.svg
| image_map = Iraq (orthographic).svg
| image_map               = Iraq (orthographic projection).svg
| national_motto = {{native phrase|ar|الله أكبر|italics=off}}<br />"[[Takbir|Allahu Akbar]]"&nbsp;{{small|([[transliteration]])<br />"God is the Greatest"}}
| image_map2              = Iraq - Location Map (2013) - IRQ - UNOCHA.svg
| national_anthem = "[[Mawtini (Ibrahim Tuqan song)|Mawṭinī]]"<br />{{lang|ar|"موطني"}}<br />({{Lang-en|"My Homeland"}})<br /><div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">{{center|[[File:United States Navy Band - Mawtini.ogg]]}}</div>
| national_motto           = {{native phrase|ar|الله أكبر|italics=off}}<br />"[[Takbir|Allahu Akbar]]"&nbsp;{{small|([[transliteration]])<br />"[[God in Islam|God]] is the Greatest"}}
| capital = [[Baghdad]]
| national_anthem         = "[[Mawtini]]"<br />{{lang|ar|"موطني"}}<br />({{Lang-en|"My Homeland"}})<br /><center>[[File:United States Navy Band - Mawtini.ogg]]</center><!--<br />''[[Ardh Alforatain]]''{{nbsp|2}}{{small|(previous)}}-->
| coordinates = {{Coord|33|20|N|44|23|E|type:city_region:IQ}}
| capital                 = [[Baghdad]]
| largest_city = capital
| coordinates             = {{Coord|33|20|N|44|26|E|type:city}}
| official_languages = {{hlist |[[Modern Standard Arabic|Arabic]]|[[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]]<ref name=Constitution>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110304074809/http://www.iraqinationality.gov.iq/attach/iraqi_constitution.pdf Iraq, Ministry of Interior – General Directorate for Nationality: Iraqi Constitution (2005)]</ref>
| largest_city             = capital
}}
| official_languages       = {{unbulletedlist |[[Arabic language|Arabic]]|[[Kurdish languagee|Kurdish]]}}
| languages2_type = {{ubl|Recognised regional languages}}
| religion                = [[Islam]]
| languages2 = {{ubl|[[English language|English]]|[[Iraqi Turkmen#Language|Turkmen]]|[[Northeastern Neo-Aramaic|Neo-Aramaic]]|[[Armenian language|Armenian]]<ref name=cia />}}
| demonym                  = Iraqi
| religion = {{unbulleted list
| government_type          = [[Federalism|Federal]] [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[republic]]
| 98% [[Islam in Iraq|Islam]]  
| leader_title1           = [[President of Iraq|President]]
| 1% [[Christianity in Iraq|Christianity]]
| leader_name1             = [[Latif Rashid]]
| 1% Other
| leader_title2            = [[Prime Minister of Iraq|Prime Minister]]
}}
| leader_name2            = [[Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani|Mohammed Al Sudani]]
| demonym = [[Iraqis|Iraqi]]
| leader_title3            = [[List of Speakers of the Council of Representatives of Iraq|Speakers of the Council of Representatives]]
| government_type = [[Federal parliamentary republic]]
| leader_name3            = [[Mohamed al-Halbousi]]
| leader_title1 = [[President of Iraq|President]]
| leader_title4            = [[Federal Supreme Court of Iraq|Chief Justice]]
| leader_name1 = [[Barham Salih]]
| leader_name4            = [[Medhat al-Mahmoud]]
| leader_title3 = [[Prime Minister of Iraq|Prime Minister]]
| legislature             = [[Council of Representatives of Iraq|Council of Representatives]]
| leader_name3 = [[Mustafa Al-Kadhimi]]  
| area_rank               = 58th <!-- Area rank should match [[List of countries and dependencies by area]] -->
| leader_title4 = [[List of Speakers of the Council of Representatives of Iraq|Speaker]]
| area_km2                 = 437,072
| leader_name4 = [[Mohamed al-Halbousi]]
| area_sq_mi               = 169,234 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| leader_title5 = [[Federal Supreme Court of Iraq|Chief Justice]]
| percent_water           = 1.1
| leader_name5 = [[Medhat al-Mahmoud]]
| population_estimate     = {{UN_Population|Iraq}}{{UN_Population|ref}}
| legislature = [[Council of Representatives of Iraq|Council of Representatives]]
| area_rank = 58th <!-- Area rank should match [[List of countries and dependencies by area]] -->
| area_km2 = 438,317
| area_sq_mi = 169,234 <!--Do not remove per [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers]]-->
| percent_water = 4.62 (as of 2015)<ref>{{cite web|title=Surface water and surface water change|access-date=11 October 2020|publisher=Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) |url=https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SURFACE_WATER#}}</ref>
| population_estimate = {{UN_Population|Iraq}}{{UN_Population|ref}}
| population_estimate_rank = 36th
| population_estimate_rank = 36th
| population_estimate_year = {{UN_Population|Year}}
| population_estimate_year = {{UN_Population|Year}}
| population_census =  
| population_census       =
| population_census_year =  
| population_census_year   =
| population_density_km2 = 82.7
| population_density_km2   = 82.7
| population_density_sq_mi = 183.9 <!--Do not remove per [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers]]-->
| population_density_sq_mi = 183.9 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| population_density_rank = 125th
| population_density_rank = 125th
| GDP_PPP = $399.400billion<ref name=imf3>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2020/October/weo-report?c=433&s=PPPGDP,&sy=2020&ey=2020&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1|title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2020 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=14 March 2020}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP                 = $695 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=63&pr.y=8&sy=2018&ey=2018&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=433&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=Iraq |publisher=International Monetary Fund}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_rank = 46
| GDP_PPP_rank             = 34th
| GDP_PPP_year = 2020
| GDP_PPP_year             = 2018
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $17,952<ref name=imf4>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2020/October/weo-report?c=433,&s=PPPPC,&sy=2020&ey=2020&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2020 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=14 March 2020}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_per_capita       = $17,429<ref name=imf2/>
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 111th
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank  = 71st
| GDP_nominal_year = 2019
| GDP_nominal_year        = 2018
| GDP_nominal = $250.070 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=37&pr.y=17&sy=2016&ey=2020&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=433&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2018 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=7 March 2019}}</ref>
| GDP_nominal              = $223 billion<ref name=imf2/>
| GDP_nominal_rank = 48th
| GDP_nominal_rank        = 47th
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = $4,474<ref name=imf2/>
| GDP_nominal_per_capita  = $5,601<ref name=imf2/>
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 97th
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 88th
| sovereignty_type = Establishment
| sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]] {{nobold|from the [[United Kingdom]]}}
| established_event1 = [[Sumer]]
| established_event1      = [[Kingdom of Iraq|Kingdom]]
| established_date1 = 4500 BC
| established_date1        = {{start date|1932|10|03|df=y}}
| established_event2 = [[Akkadian Empire]]
| established_event2      = [[14 July Revolution|Republic declared]]
| established_date2 = 2334 BC
| established_date2        = 14 July 1958
| established_event3 = [[Assyria|Assyrian Empire]]
| established_event3      = [[Constitution of Iraq|Current constitution]]
| established_date3 = 2025 BC
| established_date3        = 15 October 2005
| established_event4 = [[Babylonia|Babylonian Empire]]
| Gini_year                = 2012
| established_date4 = 1895 BC
| Gini_change              = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| established_event5 = [[Achaemenid Assyria]]
| Gini                    = 29.5 <!--number only-->
| established_date5 = 439 BC
| Gini_ref                = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI/ |title=World Bank GINI index |publisher=Data.worldbank.org |accessdate=2016-08-17 }}</ref>
| established_event6 = [[Kingdom of Hatra]]
| Gini_rank                =
| established_date6 = 101 AD
| HDI_year                = 2017<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year-->
| established_event7 = [[Mesopotamia (Roman province)|Roman Mesopotamia]]
| HDI_change              = increase<!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| established_date7 = 198
| HDI                      = 0.685 <!--number only-->
| established_event8 = [[Asoristan]]
| HDI_ref                  = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2018_human_development_statistical_update.pdf |title=2018 Human Development Report |date=2015 |accessdate=December 14, 2015 |publisher=United Nations Development Programme | page=9}}</ref>
| established_date8 = 226
| HDI_rank                = 120th
| established_event9 = [[Lakhmids|Lakhmid Kingdom]]
| currency                = [[Iraqi dinar]]
| established_date9 = 300
| currency_code            = IQD
| established_event10 = [[Abbasid Caliphate]]
| time_zone                = [[Arabia Standard Time|AST]]
| established_date10 = 750
| utc_offset              = +3
| established_event11 = [[Siege of Baghdad (1258)|Sack of Baghdad]]
| drives_on                = right
| established_date11 = 1258
| calling_code            = [[Telephone numbers in Iraq|+964]]
| established_event12 = [[Ottoman Iraq]]
| cctld                    = [[.iq]]
| established_date12 = 1534
| footnote_a              = Constitution of Iraq, Article 4 (1st).
| established_event13 = [[Mandate for Mesopotamia|British Mandate]]
| established_date13 = 1920
| established_event14 = [[Kingdom of Iraq]]
| established_date14 = 3 October 1932
| established_event15 = [[14 July Revolution|Republic declared]]
| established_date15 = 14 July 1958
| established_event16 = {{nowrap|[[Constitution of Iraq|Current constitution]]}}
| established_date16 = 15 October 2005
| Gini_year = 2012
| Gini_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini = 29.5 <!--number only-->
| Gini_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI/ |title=World Bank GINI index |publisher=Data.worldbank.org |access-date=17 August 2016 }}</ref>
| Gini_rank =
| HDI_year = 2019<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year-->
| HDI_change = decrease<!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| HDI = 0.674 <!--number only-->
| HDI_ref = <ref>{{cite book|title=Human Development Report 2020 The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene|date=15 December 2020|publisher=United Nations Development Programme|isbn=978-92-1-126442-5|pages=343–346|url=http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2020.pdf|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref>
| HDI_rank = 123rd
| currency = [[Iraqi dinar]]
| currency_code = IQD
| time_zone = [[UTC+03:00#Arabia Standard Time|AST]]
| utc_offset = +3
| drives_on = right
| calling_code = [[Telephone numbers in Iraq|+964]]
| cctld = [[.iq]]
| footnote_a = Constitution of Iraq, Article 4 (1st).
| today =
|ethnic_groups={{unbulleted list
  | 75%–80% [[Arabs|Arab]]
  | 15%–20% [[Kurds|Kurd]]
  | 10%–13% [[Iraqi Turkmen|Turkmen]]
  | 5% [[Demographics of Iraq|Others]] }}|ethnic_groups_year=2019<ref name=cia /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/10/turkey-iraq-new-administration-excludes-turkmens.html|title = Why Iraqi Turkmens are excluded from the new government}}</ref>}}
'''Iraq''' ({{lang-ar|الْعِرَاق|translit=al-ʿIrāq}}; {{lang-ku|عێراق|translit=Êraq}}), officially the '''Republic of Iraq''' ({{lang-ar|جُمْهُورِيَّة ٱلْعِرَاق}} ''{{transl|ar|{{Audio|Ar-Jumhūriyyat al-‘Irāq.oga|Jumhūriīyah al-ʿIrāq|help=no}}}}''; {{lang-ku|کۆماری عێراق|translit=Komarî Êraq}}), is a country in [[Western Asia]], bordered by [[Turkey]] to [[Iraq–Turkey border|the north]], [[Iran]] to [[Iran–Iraq border|the east]], [[Kuwait]] to [[Iraq–Kuwait border|the southeast]], [[Saudi Arabia]] to [[Iraq–Saudi Arabia border|the south]], [[Jordan]] to [[Iraq–Jordan border|the southwest]] and [[Syria]] to [[Iraq–Syria border|the west]]. The [[Capital city|capital]] and largest city is [[Baghdad]]. Iraq is home to diverse ethnic groups including [[Arabs]], [[Kurds]], [[Iraqi Turkmen|Turkmens]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians/Chaldeans]], [[Yazidis]], [[Shabaks|Shabakis]], [[Armenians in Iraq|Armenians]], [[Mandaeans|Sabian-Mandaeans]], [[Circassians in Iraq|Circassians]], and [[Romani people in Iraq|Kawliya]]. Around 95–98% of the country's {{#expr:{{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Iraq}}|R}}/1e6 round 0}} million citizens are [[Muslims]],<ref name=cia /> with small minorities of [[Christianity in Iraq|Christians]], [[Yarsanism|Yarsans]], [[Yazidism|Yezidis]] and [[Mandaeism|Mandaeans]] also present. The official languages of Iraq are [[Arabic]] and [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]].
 
Iraq has a coastline measuring {{convert|58|km|mi|0|abbr=in}} on the northern [[Persian Gulf]] and encompasses the [[Tigris–Euphrates river system|Mesopotamian Alluvial Plain]], the northwestern end of the [[Zagros Mountains|Zagros mountain range]] and the eastern part of the [[Syrian Desert]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/11/20071126-11.html |title=Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship Between the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America |date=26 November 2007}}</ref> Two major rivers, the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]], run south through Iraq and into the [[Shatt al-Arab]] near the [[Persian Gulf]]. These rivers provide Iraq with significant amounts of fertile land. The region between the [[Tigris–Euphrates river system|Tigris and Euphrates rivers]], historically known as [[Mesopotamia]], is often referred to as the [[Cradle of civilization|cradle of civilisation]]. It was here that mankind first began to read, write, create laws and live in cities under an organised government—notably [[Uruk]], from which "Iraq" is derived. The area has been home to successive civilisations since the [[6th millennium BC]]. Iraq was the centre of the [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadian]], [[Third Dynasty of Ur|Sumerian]], [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyrian]] and [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonian]] empires. It was also part of the [[Medes|Median]], [[Achaemenid Assyria|Achaemenid]], [[Seleucid Empire|Hellenistic]], [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]], [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanid]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]], [[Rashidun Caliphate|Rashidun]], [[Umayyad Caliphate|Umayyad]], [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasid]], [[Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid]], [[Seljuk Empire|Seljuk]], [[Ilkhanate|Mongol]], [[Timurid Empire|Timurid]], [[Safavid Iran|Safavid]], [[Afsharid dynasty|Afsharid]] and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] empires.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livescience.com/history/top10_iraq_battles.html |title=Top 10 Battles for the Control of Iraq |date=11 March 2008 |publisher=Livescience.com |access-date=23 March 2009}}</ref>
 
The country today known as Iraq was a region of the [[Ottoman Empire]] until the [[partition of the Ottoman Empire]] in the 20th century. It was made up of three provinces, called [[vilayet]]s in the [[Ottoman Turkish language]]: [[Mosul Vilayet]], [[Baghdad Vilayet]], and [[Basra Vilayet]]. In April 1920 the [[Mandate for Mesopotamia|British Mandate of Mesopotamia]] was created under the authority of the [[League of Nations]]. A British-backed monarchy joining these ''vilayets'' into [[Mandatory Iraq|one Kingdom]] was established in 1921 under [[Faisal I of Iraq]]. The [[Hashemites|Hashemite]] [[Kingdom of Iraq]] gained independence from the UK in 1932. In 1958, [[14 July Revolution|the monarchy was overthrown]] and the [[Iraqi Republic (1958–1968)|Iraqi Republic]] created. Iraq was controlled by the [[Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction)|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party]] from [[Ba'athist Iraq|1968 until 2003]]. In 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, sparking [[Iran–Iraq War|a protracted war which would last for almost eight years]], and end in a stalemate with devastating losses for both countries.
 
After [[2003 invasion of Iraq|an invasion]] by the [[United States]] and [[Multi-National Force – Iraq|its allies]] in 2003, [[Saddam Hussein]]'s Ba'ath Party was removed from power, and multi-party [[December 2005 Iraqi parliamentary election|parliamentary elections were held in 2005]]. The [[Iraq War|US presence in Iraq]] ended in 2011,<ref name="cnn-dec11">{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/17/world/meast/iraq-troops-leave/index.html|title=Deadly Iraq war ends with exit of last U.S. troops |last=Basu |first=Moni |date=18 December 2011 |work=CNN.com |access-date=18 December 2011}}</ref> but the [[Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)|Iraqi insurgency]] continued and intensified as fighters from the [[Syrian civil war]] spilled into the country. Out of the insurgency came a highly destructive group calling itself [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]], which took large parts of the north and west. It has since been largely defeated. Disputes over the sovereignty of [[Kurdistan Region]] continue. A [[2017 Kurdistan Region independence referendum|referendum]] about the full sovereignty of Kurdistan Region was held on 25 September 2017. On 9 December 2017, then-[[Prime Minister of Iraq|Iraqi Prime Minister]] [[Haider al-Abadi]] declared victory over ISIL after the group lost [[ISIL territorial claims|its territory]] in Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Nehal Mostafa |title=Iraq announces end of war against IS, liberation of borders with Syria: Abadi |url=https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/iraq-announces-end-war-liberation-borders-syria-abadi/ |website=iraqinews.com|date=9 December 2017 }}</ref>
 
Iraq is a [[Federation|federal]] [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[republic]] consisting of [[Governorates of Iraq|19 governorates]], four of which make up the autonomous [[Kurdistan Region]]. The country's official religion is [[Islam in Iraq|Islam]]. [[Culture of Iraq|Culturally]], Iraq has a very rich heritage and celebrates the achievements of its past in both pre-Islamic as well as post-Islamic times and is known for its poets. Its painters and sculptors are among the best in the [[Arab world]], some of them being world-class as well as producing fine handicrafts, including rugs and [[carpet]]s. Iraq is a founding member of the [[United Nations|UN]] as well as of the [[Arab League]], [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|OIC]], [[Non-Aligned Movement]] and the [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]].
 
==Name==
{{anchor|Etymology}}
The [[Arabic]] name ''{{transl|ar|DIN|al-ʿIrāq}}'' ({{lang|ar|العراق}}) has been in use since before the 6th century CE.
 
There are several suggested origins for the name. One dates to the [[Sumer]]ian city of [[Uruk]] (Biblical Hebrew ''Erech'') and is thus ultimately of [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] origin, as ''Uruk'' was the [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] name for the Sumerian city of ''{{lang|sux-Latn|Urug}}'', containing the Sumerian word for "city", [[Cities of the ancient Near East|UR]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=iraq |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Etymonline.com |date=10 December 1979 |access-date=23 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Halloran|first=John A.|title=Sumerian Lexicon|url=http://sumerian.org/sumerlex.htm|year=2000|quote=The name of the very ancient city of URUK- City of Gilgamesh is made up from the UR-city and UK- thought to mean existence (a-ku, a-Ki & a-ko. The Aramaic and Arabic root of IRQ and URQ denotes rivers or tributaries at the same times referring to condensation (of water).}}</ref>
 
Another possible etymology for the name is from the [[Middle Persian]] word {{IPA|erāq}}, meaning "lowlands."<ref>Wilhelm Eilers (1983). "Iran and Mesopotamia". In E. Yarshater, ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', vol. 3, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.</ref> An “Aramaic [[incantation bowl]]” excavated in [[Nippur]] features the word ''’yrg'' ({{rtl-lang|he|אירג}}) next to ''myšyn'' ([[Mesene]]) that suggests that it refers to the region of southern [[Mesopotamia]].<ref>Stephen A. Kaufman (1983). "Appendix C. Alphabetic Texts." In McGuire Gibson. Excavations at Nippur Eleventh Season. Oriental Institute Communications, 22, pp. 151–152. https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oic/oic-22-excavations-nippur-eleventh-season</ref>
 
An Arabic [[folk etymology]] for the name is "deeply rooted, well-watered; [[Fertile Crescent|fertile]]".<ref>"often said to be from Arabic '''araqa'', covering notions such as "perspiring, deeply rooted, well-watered," which may reflect the impression the lush river-land made on desert Arabs. [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=iraq etymonline.com]; see also "{{cite book|last=Rassam|first=Suha|title=Christianity in Iraq: Its Origins and Development to the Present Day|date=31 October 2005|publisher=Gracewing Publishing|isbn=978-0-85244-633-1|page=9}}</ref>
 
During the medieval period, there was a region called ''ʿIrāq ʿArabī'' ("Arabian Iraq") for Lower [[Mesopotamia]] and ''[[Persian Iraq|ʿIrāq ʿAjamī]]'' ("Persian Iraq"),{{sfn|Bosworth|1998|p=538}} for the region now situated in Central and Western Iran.{{sfn|Bosworth|1998|p=538}} The term historically included the plain south of the [[Hamrin Mountains]] and did not include the northernmost and [[Al-Jazira, Mesopotamia|westernmost]] parts of the modern territory of Iraq.<ref name="Bernhardsson-97">{{cite book|author=Magnus Thorkell Bernhardsson|title=Reclaiming a Plundered Past: Archaeology And Nation Building in Modern Iraq|url={{Google books|MVHtRZwU-cAC|page=PA97|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2005|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-70947-8|page=97|quote=The term Iraq did not encompass the regions north of the region of Tikrit on the Tigris and near Hīt on the Euphrates.}}</ref> Prior to the middle of the 19th century, the term '''Eyraca Arabica''' was commonly used to describe Iraq.<ref>{{cite book |last= Salmon |first= Thomas |title= A New Geographical and Historical Grammar |date= 1767 |publisher= Sands, Murray, and Cochran |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FlttD01OMU4C&q=Eyraca |access-date= 22 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Martin |first= Benjamin |publisher= W. Owen |location= London |title= A New and Comprehensive System of Philology or A Treatise of the Literary Arts and Scineces, According to their Present State. |chapter= Philosophical Geography of Turkey in Asia |page= 363 |date= 1761 |work= The General Magazine of Arts and Sciences, Philosophical, Philological, Mathematical, and Mechanical, Part 3, Volume 2 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=MxdbAAAAYAAJ&q=Eyraca |access-date= 22 June 2019}}</ref>
 
The term ''[[Sawad]]'' was also used in early Islamic times for the region of the [[alluvial plain]] of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, contrasting it with the arid Arabian desert. As an Arabic word, {{lang|ar|عراق}} means "hem", "shore", "bank", or "edge", so that the name by folk etymology came to be interpreted as "the [[escarpment]]", viz. at the south and east of the [[Al-Jazira, Mesopotamia|Jazira]] Plateau, which forms the northern and western edge of the "al-Iraq arabi" area.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Boesch|first=Hans H.|title=El-'Iraq|journal=Economic Geography|date=1 October 1939|volume=15|issue=4|pages=325–361|doi=10.2307/141771|jstor=141771}}</ref>
 
The [[Arabic phonology|Arabic pronunciation]] is {{IPA-ar|ʕiˈrɑːq|}}. In English, it is either {{IPAc-en|ɪ|ˈ|r|ɑː|k}} (the only pronunciation listed in the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' and the first one in ''Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Iraq|title=Definition of IRAQ|website=www.merriam-webster.com}}</ref>) or {{IPAc-en|ɪ|ˈ|r|æ|k}} (listed first by [[Macquarie Dictionary|''MQD'']]), the ''American Heritage Dictionary'',<ref>{{cite web| title=Iraq | website=The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. | date=14 March 2008 | url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/81/I0228100.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314173050/http://www.bartleby.com/61/81/I0228100.html | archive-date=14 March 2008 | url-status=unfit}}</ref> and the ''Random House Dictionary''.<ref>{{cite web| title=Meaning of Iraq | website=InfoPlease | date=24 January 2017 | url=https://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/iraq}}</ref> The pronunciation {{IPAc-en|aɪ|ˈ|r|æ|k}} is occasionally heard in US media.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}
 
In accordance with the 2005 [[Constitution of Iraq|Constitution]], the official name of the state is the ''"Republic of Iraq"'' (''Jumhūrīyyat al-'Irāq'').<ref name=Constitution/>
 
==History==
{{main|History of Iraq}}
 
===Prehistoric era===
Between 65,000 BC and 35,000 BC, northern Iraq was home to a [[Neanderthal]] culture, archaeological remains of which have been discovered at [[Shanidar Cave]]<ref>Edwards, Owen (March 2010). "The Skeletons of Shanidar Cave". Smithsonian. Retrieved 17 October 2014.</ref>
This same region is also the location of a number of pre-Neolithic cemeteries, dating from approximately 11,000 BC.<ref name="Ralph S. Solecki 2004 pp. 3">Ralph S. Solecki, Rose L. Solecki, and Anagnostis P. Agelarakis (2004). The Proto-Neolithic Cemetery in Shanidar Cave. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 3–5. {{ISBN|9781585442720}}.</ref>
 
Since approximately 10,000 BC, Iraq, together with a large part of the [[Fertile Crescent]] also comprising [[Asia Minor]] and [[the Levant]], was one of centres of a [[Neolithic]] culture known as [[Pre-Pottery Neolithic A]] (PPNA), where agriculture and cattle breeding appeared for the first time in the world. The following Neolithic period, [[PPNB]], is represented by rectangular houses. At the time of the pre-pottery Neolithic, people used vessels made of stone, [[gypsum]] and burnt lime (Vaisselle blanche). Finds of [[obsidian]] tools from [[Anatolia]] are evidences of early trade relations.
 
Further important sites of human advancement were [[Jarmo]] (circa 7100 BC),<ref name="Ralph S. Solecki 2004 pp. 3"/> a number of sites belonging to the [[Halaf culture]], and [[Tell al-'Ubaid]], the [[type site]] of the [[Ubaid period]] (between 6500 BC and 3800 BC).<ref>Carter, Robert A. and Philip, Graham Beyond the Ubaid: Transformation and Integration in the Late Prehistoric Societies of the Middle East (Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization, Number 63) The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (2010) {{ISBN|978-1-885923-66-0}} p.2, at http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/pubs/catalog/saoc/saoc63.html; "Radiometric data suggest that the whole Southern Mesopotamian Ubaid period, including Ubaid 0 and 5, is of immense duration, spanning nearly three millennia from about 6500 to 3800 B.C".</ref> The respective periods show ever-increasing levels of advancement in agriculture, tool-making and architecture.
 
===Ancient Iraq===
{{main|History of Mesopotamia}}
{{one source|section|date=June 2014}}
[[File:Cylinder Seal, Old Babylonian, formerly in the Charterhouse Collection 09.jpg|thumb|[[Cylinder Seal]], Old Babylonian Period, c.1800 BC, [[hematite]]. The king makes an animal offering to [[Shamash]]. This seal was probably made in a workshop at [[Sippar]].<ref>Al-Gailani Werr, L., 1988. Studies in the chronology and regional style of Old Babylonian Cylinder Seals. Bibliotheca Mesopotamica, Volume 23.</ref> ]]
 
The historical period in Iraq truly begins during the [[Uruk period]] (4000 BC to 3100 BC), with the founding of a number of [[Sumer]]ian [[cities]], and the use of [[Pictographs]], [[Cylinder seals]] and mass-produced goods.<ref>Crawford 2004, p. 75</ref>
 
The "[[Cradle of Civilization]]" is thus a common term for the area comprising modern Iraq as it was home to the earliest known [[civilisation]], the [[Sumer|Sumerian civilisation]], which arose in the fertile [[Tigris-Euphrates river system|Tigris-Euphrates river valley]] of southern Iraq in the [[Chalcolithic]] ([[Ubaid period]]).
 
It was here, in the late [[4th millennium BC]], that the world's [[List of languages by first written accounts|first]] [[Cuneiform script|writing system]] and recorded history itself were born. The [[Sumer]]ians were also the first to harness the [[wheel]] and create [[City States]], and whose writings record the first evidence of [[Mathematics]], [[Astronomy]], [[Astrology]], [[Written Law]], [[Medicine]] and [[Organised religion]].
 
The [[Sumerian language|language]] of the Sumerians is a [[language isolate]]. The major city states of the early Sumerian period were; [[Eridu]], [[Bad-tibira]], [[Larsa]], [[Sippar]], [[Shuruppak]], [[Uruk]], [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]], [[Ur]], [[Nippur]], [[Lagash]], [[Girsu]], [[Umma]], [[Hamazi]], [[Adab (city)|Adab]], [[Mari, Syria|Mari]], [[Isin]], [[Kutha]], [[Der (Sumer)|Der]] and [[Akshak]].
 
The cities to the north like [[Ashur]], Arbela (modern [[Erbil]]) and [[Arrapha]] (modern [[Kirkuk]]) were also extant in what was to be called Assyria from the 25th century BC; however, at this early stage, they were Sumerian ruled administrative centres.
[[File:P1150890 Louvre stèle de victoire Akkad AO2678 rwk.jpg|thumb|Victory stele of [[Naram-Sin of Akkad]].]]
 
====Bronze Age====
In the 26th century BC, [[Eannatum]] of [[Lagash]] created what was perhaps the first [[empire]] in history, though this was short-lived. Later, [[Lugal-Zage-Si]], the priest-king of [[Umma]], overthrew the primacy of the Lagash dynasty in the area, then conquered [[Uruk]], making it his capital, and claimed an empire extending from the [[Persian Gulf]] to the [[Mediterranean]].<ref>Roux, Georges (1993), ''Ancient Iraq'' (Penguin)</ref> It was during this period that the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] originates, which includes the tale of [[The Great Flood]].
 
From the 29th century BC, Akkadian Semitic names began to appear on king lists and administrative documents of various city states. It remains unknown as to the origin of Akkad, where it was precisely situated and how it rose to prominence. Its people spoke [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]], an [[East Semitic language]].<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.worldhistory.org/akkad/|title=Akkad|encyclopedia=World History Encyclopedia|access-date=18 August 2017}}</ref>
 
Between the 29th and 24th centuries BC, a number of kingdoms and city states within Iraq began to have Akkadian speaking dynasties; including [[Assyria]], [[Ekallatum]], [[Isin]] and [[Larsa]].
 
However, the Sumerians remained generally dominant until the rise of the [[Akkadian Empire]] (2335–2124 BC), based in the city of [[Akkad (city)|Akkad]] in central Iraq. [[Sargon of Akkad]], originally a [[Rabshakeh]] to a Sumerian king, founded the empire, he conquered all of the city states of southern and central Iraq, and subjugated the kings of Assyria, thus uniting the Sumerians and Akkadians in one state. He then set about expanding his empire, conquering [[Gutium]], [[Elam]] and had victories that did not result into a full conquest against the [[Amorites]] and [[Ebla]]ites of [[Ancient Syria]].
 
After the collapse of the Akkadian Empire in the late 22nd century BC, the [[Gutians]] occupied the south for a few decades, while Assyria reasserted its independence in the north. This was followed by a Sumerian renaissance in the form of the [[Neo-Sumerian Empire]]. The Sumerians under king [[Shulgi]] conquered almost all of Iraq except the northern reaches of Assyria, and asserted themselves over the [[Gutians]], [[Elamites]] and [[Amorites]], destroying the first and holding off the others.
 
An [[Elam]]ite invasion in 2004 BC brought the Sumerian revival to an end. By the mid 21st century BC, the Akkadian speaking kingdom of [[Assyria]] had risen to dominance in northern Iraq. Assyria expanded territorially into the north eastern Levant, central Iraq, and eastern Anatolia, forming the [[Old Assyrian Empire]] (circa 2035–1750 BC) under kings such as [[Puzur-Ashur I]], [[Sargon I]], [[Ilushuma]] and [[Erishum I]], the latter of whom produced the most detailed set of law yet written.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} The south broke up into a number of Akkadian speaking states, [[Isin]], [[Larsa]] and [[Eshnunna]] being the major ones.
 
During the 20th century BC, the [[Canaanite language|Canaanite]] speaking [[Amorites]] began to migrate into southern Mesopotamia. Eventually, they began to set up small petty kingdoms in the south, as well as usurping the thrones of extant city states such as [[Isin]], [[Larsa]] and [[Eshnunna]].
 
[[File:F0182 Louvre Code Hammourabi Bas-relief Sb8 rwk.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Hammurabi]], depicted as receiving his royal insignia from [[Shamash]]. Relief on the upper part of the stele of [[code of Hammurabi|Hammurabi's code of laws]].]]
One of these small Amorite kingdoms founded in 1894 BC contained the then small administrative town of [[Babylon]] within its borders. It remained insignificant for over a century, overshadowed by older and more powerful states, such as Assyria, Elam, Isin, Ehnunna and Larsa.
 
In 1792 BC, an [[Amorite]] ruler named [[Hammurabi]] came to power in this state, and immediately set about building Babylon from a minor town into a major city, declaring himself its king. Hammurabi conquered the whole of southern and central Iraq, as well as Elam to the east and Mari to the west, then engaged in a protracted war with the Assyrian king [[Ishme-Dagan]] for domination of the region, creating the short-lived [[Babylonian Empire]]. He eventually prevailed over the successor of Ishme-Dagan and subjected Assyria and its Anatolian colonies. By the middle of the eighteenth century BC, the Sumerians had lost their cultural identity and ceased to exist as a distinct people.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Wolkstein|first1=Diane|last2=Kramer|first2=Samuel Noah|title=Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer|year=1983|publisher=Harper&Row Publishers|location=New York City, New York|isbn=978-0-06-090854-6|pages=118–119}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Kramer|first1=Samuel Noah|title=The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character|url=https://archive.org/details/sumerianstheirhi00samu|url-access=registration|date=1963|publisher=University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago, Illinois|isbn=978-0-226-45238-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/sumerianstheirhi00samu/page/71 71–72]}}</ref> Genetic and cultural analysis indicates that the [[Marsh Arabs]] of southern Iraq are probably their most direct modern descendants.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=N|first1=Al-Zahery|last2=M|first2=Pala|last3=V|first3=Battaglia |last4=V|first4=Grugni|last5=MA|first5=Hamod|last6=B|first6=Hooshiar Kashani|last7=A|first7=Olivieri|last8=A|first8=Torroni|last9=AS|first9=Santachiara-Benerecetti|last10=O|first10=Semino|date=4 October 2011|title=In search of the genetic footprints of Sumerians: a survey of Y-chromosome and mtDNA variation in the Marsh Arabs of Iraq.|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=11|page=288|pmid=21970613|pmc=3215667|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-11-288}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Ghareeb|first1=Edmund|last2=Dougherty|first2=Beth|date=2004|title=Historical Dictionary of Iraq|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RIB5qT9sGnwC |series=Historical Dictionaries of Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East|volume=44|location=Lanham, Maryland|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810865686|page=156}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Kubba|first1=Sam|title=The Iraqi Marshlands and the Marsh Arabs: The Ma'dan, Their Culture and the Environment|date=2011|publisher=Itahca Press|location=Reading, England|isbn=978-0-86372-333-9|page=6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GoiR2Jy57LwC&pg=PA6}}</ref>
 
It is from the period of Hammurabi that southern Iraq came to be known as [[Babylonia]], while the north had already coalesced into [[Assyria]] hundreds of years before. However, his empire was short-lived, and rapidly collapsed after his death, with both Assyria and southern Iraq, in the form of the [[Sealand Dynasty]], falling back into native Akkadian hands. The foreign Amorites clung on to power in a once more weak and small Babylonia until it was sacked by the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] speaking [[Hittite Empire]] based in [[Anatolia]] in 1595 BC. After this, another foreign people, the [[Language Isolate]] speaking [[Kassites]], originating in the [[Zagros Mountains]] of [[Ancient Iran]], seized control of Babylonia, where they were to rule for almost 600 years, by far the longest dynasty ever to rule in Babylon.
 
Iraq was from this point divided into three polities: [[Assyria]] in the north, [[Kassite]] [[Babylonia]] in the south central region, and the [[Sealand Dynasty]] in the far south. The Sealand Dynasty was finally conquered by Kassite Babylonia circa 1380 BC.
 
The [[Middle Assyrian Empire]] (1365–1020 BC) saw Assyria rise to be the most powerful nation in the known world. Beginning with the campaigns of [[Ashur-uballit I]], Assyria destroyed the rival [[Hurrian]]-[[Mitanni]] Empire, annexed huge swathes of the [[Hittite Empire]] for itself, annexed northern Babylonia from the Kassites, forced the [[Egyptian Empire]] from the region, and defeated the [[Elamites]], [[Phrygians]], [[Canaanites]], [[Phoenicians]], [[Cilicians]], [[Gutians]], [[Dilmun]]ites and [[Arameans]]. At its height, the [[Middle Assyrian Empire]] stretched from [[The Caucasus]] to [[Dilmun]] (modern [[Bahrain]]), and from the [[Mediterranean]] coasts of [[Phoenicia]] to the [[Zagros Mountains]] of [[Iran]]. In 1235 BC, [[Tukulti-Ninurta I]] of Assyria took the throne of [[Babylon]], thus becoming the first ''native Mesopotamian'' to rule the state.
 
[[File:Jehu-Obelisk-cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Jehu]], king of [[Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)|Israel]], bows before Shalmaneser III of [[Assyria]], 825 BC.]]
During the [[Bronze Age collapse]] (1200–900 BC), Babylonia was in a state of chaos, dominated for long periods by Assyria and [[Elam]]. The Kassites were driven from power by Assyria and Elam, allowing native south Mesopotamian kings to rule Babylonia for the first time, although often subject to Assyrian or Elamite rulers. However, these [[East Semitic languages|East Semitic]] Akkadian kings, were unable to prevent new waves of [[West Semitic languages|West Semitic]] migrants entering southern Iraq, and during the 11th century BC [[Arameans]] and [[Suteans]] entered Babylonia from [[The Levant]], and these were followed in the late 10th to early 9th century BC by the migrant [[Chaldea]]ns who were closely related to the earlier [[Arameans]].
 
==== Iron Age ====
After a period of comparative decline in Assyria, it once more began to expand with the [[Neo Assyrian Empire]] (935–605 BC). This was to be the largest empire the region had yet seen, and under rulers such as [[Adad-Nirari II]], [[Ashurnasirpal I|Ashurnasirpal]], [[Shalmaneser III]], [[Semiramis]], [[Tiglath-pileser III]], [[Sargon II]], [[Sennacherib]], [[Esarhaddon]] and [[Ashurbanipal]], Iraq became the centre of an empire stretching from [[Persia]], [[Parthia]] and [[Elam]] in the east, to [[Cyprus]] and [[Antioch]] in the west, and from [[The Caucasus]] in the north to [[Egypt]], [[Nubia]] and [[Arabia]] in the south.
 
The [[Arab people|Arabs]] and the [[Chaldea]]ns are first mentioned in written history (circa 850 BC) in the annals of [[Shalmaneser III]].
 
It was during this period that an Akkadian influenced form of [[Eastern Aramaic]] was adopted by the Assyrians as the [[lingua franca]] of their vast empire, and Mesopotamian Aramaic began to supplant Akkadian as the spoken language of the general populace of both Assyria and Babylonia. The descendant dialects of this tongue survive amongst the [[Mandaeans]] of southern Iraq and [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] of northern Iraq to this day.
 
[[File:Loewenjagd -645-635 Niniveh.JPG|thumb|Relief showing a [[Lion hunting|lion hunt]], from the north palace of [[Nineveh]], 645–635 BC.]]
In the late 7th century BC, the Assyrian Empire tore itself apart with a series of brutal civil wars, weakening itself to such a degree that a coalition of its former subjects; the [[Babylonians]], [[Chaldea]]ns, [[Medes]], [[Persian people|Persians]], [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]], [[Scythians]] and [[Cimmerians]], were able to attack Assyria, finally bringing its empire down by 605 BC.<ref>Georges Roux – Ancient Iraq</ref>
 
==== Babylonian and Persian periods ====
The short-lived [[Neo-Babylonian Empire]] (620–539 BC) succeeded that of Assyria. It failed to attain the size, power or longevity of its predecessor; however, it came to dominate [[The Levant]], [[Canaan]], [[Arabia]], [[Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)|Israel]] and [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]], and to defeat [[Egypt]]. Initially, Babylon was ruled by yet another foreign dynasty, that of the [[Chaldea]]ns, who had migrated to the region in the late 10th or early 9th century BC. Its greatest king, [[Nebuchadnezzar II]], rivalled another non native ruler, the ethnically unrelated [[Amorite]] king [[Hammurabi]], as the greatest king of Babylon. However, by 556 BC, the Chaldeans had been deposed from power by the Assyrian born [[Nabonidus]] and his son and regent [[Belshazzar]].
 
In the 6th century BC, [[Cyrus the Great]] of neighbouring [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]] defeated the [[Neo-Babylonian Empire]] at the [[Battle of Opis]] and Iraq was subsumed into the [[Achaemenid Empire]] for nearly two centuries. The Achaemenids made [[Babylon]] their main capital. The Chaldeans and Chaldea disappeared at around this time, though both Assyria and Babylonia endured and thrived under Achaemenid rule (see [[Achaemenid Assyria]]). Little changed under the Persians, having spent three centuries under Assyrian rule, their kings saw themselves as successors to Ashurbanipal, and they retained Assyrian Imperial Aramaic as the language of empire, together with the Assyrian imperial infrastructure, and an Assyrian style of art and architecture.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}
 
[[File:Diadochen1.png|thumb|left|The Greek-ruled [[Seleucid Empire]] (in yellow) with capital in [[Seleucia]] on the Tigris, north of Babylon.]]
In the late 4th century BC, [[Alexander the Great]] conquered the region, putting it under [[Hellenistic civilization|Hellenistic]] [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucid]] rule for over two centuries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lsa.umich.edu/kelsey/research/past-field-projects/seleucia-tigris-iraq-1927-32-1936-37.html |title=Seleucia on the Tigris |publisher=Umich.edu |date=29 December 1927 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> The Seleucids introduced the [[Indo-Anatolian]] and [[Greek language|Greek]] term ''Syria'' to the region. This name had for many centuries been the Indo-European word for ''Assyria'' and specifically and only meant Assyria; however, the Seleucids also applied it to [[The Levant]] ([[Aramea]], causing both the Assyria and the Assyrians of Iraq and the [[Arameans]] and The Levant to be called Syria and Syrians/Syriacs in the [[Greco-Roman]] world.<ref>Rollinger, Robert (2006). "The terms "Assyria" and "Syria" again" (PDF). Journal of Near Eastern Studies 65 (4): 284–287. {{doi|10.1086/511103}}.</ref>
 
[[File:Hatra ruins.jpg|thumb|Flourished in the 2nd century, the strongly fortified Parthian city of [[Hatra]] shows a unique blend of both [[Classical architecture|Classical]] and [[Iranian architecture|Persian]] architecture and art.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=hatra|title=The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, HATRA Iraq.|website=www.perseus.tufts.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/hatra|title=HATRA – Encyclopaedia Iranica|last=electricpulp.com}}</ref>]]
The [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]] (247 BC – 224 AD) from Persia conquered the region during the reign of [[Mithridates I of Parthia]] (r. 171–138 BC). From [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]], the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] invaded western parts of the region [[Roman-Parthian Wars|several times]], briefly founding ''Assyria Provincia'' in Assyria. [[Christianity]] began to take hold in Iraq (particularly in [[Assyria]]) between the 1st and 3rd centuries, and Assyria became a centre of [[Syriac Christianity]], the [[Church of the East]] and [[Syriac literature]]. A number of independent states evolved in the north during the Parthian era, such as [[Adiabene]], [[Assur]], [[Osroene]] and [[Hatra]].
 
The [[Sassanid dynasty|Sassanids]] of Persia under [[Ardashir I]] destroyed the Parthian Empire and conquered the region in 224 AD. During the 240s and 250's AD, the Sassanids gradually conquered the independent states, culminating with Assur in 256 AD. The region was thus a province of the [[Sassanid Empire]] for over four centuries, and became the frontier and battle ground between the Sassanid Empire and [[Byzantine Empire]], with both empires weakening each other, paving the way for the [[Arab]]-[[Muslim conquest of Persia]] in the mid-7th century.
 
===Middle Ages===
[[File:Abbasids850.png|thumb|left|upright=1.35|The [[Abbasid Caliphate]] at its greatest extent, c. 850.]]
The Arab Islamic conquest in the mid-7th century AD established [[Islam]] in Iraq and saw a large influx of [[Arabs]]. Under the [[Rashidun Caliphate]], the prophet [[Muhammad]]'s cousin and son-in-law, [[Ali]], moved his capital to [[Kufa]] when he became the fourth [[caliph]]. The [[Umayyad Caliphate]] ruled the province of Iraq from [[Damascus]] in the 7th century. (However, eventually there was a separate, independent [[Caliphate of Córdoba]] in Iberia.)
 
The [[Abbasid Caliphate]] built the city of [[Baghdad]] along the Tigris in the 8th century as its capital, and the city became the leading metropolis of the [[Arab world|Arab]] and [[Muslim world]] for five centuries. Baghdad was the largest [[multiculturalism|multicultural]] [[city]] of the [[Middle Ages]], peaking at a population of more than a million,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm |title=Largest Cities Through History |publisher= Geography.about.com |date=6 April 2011 |access-date= 19 June 2011}}</ref> and was the centre of learning during the [[Islamic Golden Age]]. The [[Mongol Empire|Mongols]] destroyed the city and burned its library during the [[Siege of Baghdad (1258)|siege of Baghdad]] in the 13th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/learning/conclusion.html |title=The Islamic World to 1600: The Arts, Learning, and Knowledge (Conclusion) |publisher=Acs.ucalgary.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815080358/http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/learning/conclusion.html |archive-date=15 August 2009 }}</ref>
 
In 1257, [[Hulagu Khan]] amassed an unusually large army, a significant portion of the Mongol Empire's forces, for the purpose of conquering Baghdad. When they arrived at the Islamic capital, Hulagu Khan demanded its surrender, but the last Abbasid Caliph [[Al-Musta'sim]] refused. This angered Hulagu, and, consistent with Mongol strategy of discouraging resistance, he [[Siege of Baghdad (1258)|besieged Baghdad]], sacked the city and massacred many of the inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Battuta's_Trip_Three.html |title=Battuta's Travels: Part Three – Persia and Iraq |publisher=Sfusd.k12.ca.us |access-date=21 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423014420/http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Battuta%27s_Trip_Three.html |archive-date=23 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Estimates of the number of dead range from 200,000 to a million.<ref>{{cite magazine|last= Frazier |first= Ian |url= https://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/04/25/050425fa_fact4?currentPage=4 |title= Annals of history: Invaders: Destroying Baghdad |magazine= The New Yorker |date= 25 April 2005 |page= 4 |access-date=25 January 2013}}</ref>
[[File:Bagdad1258.jpg|thumb|The [[Siege of Baghdad (1258)|sack of Baghdad]] by the Mongols.]]
The Mongols destroyed the Abbasid Caliphate and Baghdad's [[House of Wisdom]], which contained countless precious and historical documents. The city has never regained its previous pre-eminence as a major centre of culture and influence. Some historians believe that the Mongol invasion destroyed much of the [[irrigation]] infrastructure that had sustained Mesopotamia for millennia. Other historians point to [[soil salination]] as the culprit in the decline in agriculture.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Hy-La/Irrigation-Systems-Ancient.html |title= Irrigation Systems, Ancient |publisher= Waterencyclopedia.com |date=11 January 2009 |access-date=21 April 2010}}</ref>
 
The mid-14th-century [[Black Death]] ravaged much of the [[Islamic world]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/mongols/blackDeath.html |title=The Islamic World to 1600: The Mongol Invasions (The Black Death) |publisher=The University of Calgary |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131180742/http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/islam/mongols/blackDeath.html |archive-date=31 January 2009 }}</ref> The best estimate for the Middle East is a death rate of roughly one-third.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kathryn Jean Lopez |url=http://old.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/kelly200509140843.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216075334/http://old.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/kelly200509140843.asp|archive-date=16 February 2012 |url-status=dead|title=Q&A with John Kelly on The Great Mortality on National Review Online |publisher=Nationalreview.com |date=14 September 2005 |access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref>
 
In 1401, a warlord of Mongol descent, [[Tamerlane]] (Timur Lenk), invaded Iraq. After the capture of Baghdad, 20,000 of its citizens were massacred.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/TimurProf.htm |title= Tamerlane – Timur the Lame Biography |publisher= Asianhistory.about.com |date= 15 February 2010 |access-date=21 April 2010}}</ref> Timur ordered that every soldier should return with at least two severed human heads to show him (many warriors were so scared they killed prisoners captured earlier in the campaign just to ensure they had heads to present to Timur).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mertsahinoglu.com/research/14th-century-annihilation-of-iraq |title= 14th century annihilation of Iraq |publisher= Mert Sahinoglu |access-date= 19 June 2011}}</ref> Timur also conducted massacres of the indigenous [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] [[Christians|Christian]] population, hitherto still the majority population in northern Mesopotamia, and it was during this time that the ancient Assyrian city of [[Assur]] was finally abandoned.<ref>
^ Nestorians, or Ancient Church of the East at Encyclopædia Britannica
</ref>
 
===Ottoman Iraq===
{{main|Ottoman Iraq|Mamluk dynasty of Iraq}}
[[File:Cedid Atlas (Middle East) 1803.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|The 1803 [[Cedid Atlas]], showing the area today known as Iraq divided between "[[Upper Mesopotamia|Al Jazira]]" (pink), "[[Kurdistan]]" (blue), "Iraq" (green), and "[[Al Sham]]" (yellow).]]
During the late 14th and early 15th centuries, the [[Black Sheep Turkmen]] ruled the area now known as Iraq. In 1466, the [[White Sheep Turkmen]] defeated the Black Sheep and took control. From the earliest 16th century, in 1508, as with all territories of the former White Sheep Turkmen, Iraq fell into the hands of the Iranian [[Safavids]]. Owing to the century long Turco-Iranian rivalry between the Safavids and the neighbouring [[Ottoman Turks]], Iraq would be contested between the two for more than a hundred years during the frequent [[Ottoman-Persian Wars]].
 
With the [[Treaty of Zuhab]] in 1639, most of the territory of present-day Iraq eventually came under the control of Ottoman Empire as the [[eyalet of Baghdad]] as a result of [[Ottoman-Persian Wars|wars]] with the neighbouring rival, [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid Iran]]. Throughout most of the period of Ottoman rule (1533–1918), the territory of present-day Iraq was a battle zone between the rival regional empires and tribal alliances.
 
By the 17th century, the frequent conflicts with the Safavids had sapped the strength of the Ottoman Empire and had weakened its control over its provinces. The nomadic population swelled with the influx of [[bedouin]]s from [[Najd]], in the Arabian Peninsula. Bedouin raids on settled areas became impossible to curb.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://countrystudies.us/iraq/18.htm |title=Iraq – The Ottoman Period, 1534–1918 |publisher=Countrystudies.us |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref>
 
[[File:Layard Nineveh.jpg|thumb|English archaeologist [[Austen Henry Layard]] in the ancient [[Assyria]]n city of [[Nineveh]], 1852.]]
During the years 1747–1831, Iraq was ruled by a [[Mamluk dynasty of Iraq|Mamluk dynasty]] of [[Georgian people|Georgian]]<ref name="bbs">{{cite book|author=Reidar Visser|title=Basra, the Failed Gulf State: Separatism And Nationalism in Southern Iraq|url={{Google books|pCC4ffbOv_YC|page=PA19|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2005|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-8258-8799-5|page=19|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref> origin who succeeded in obtaining autonomy from the [[Ottoman Porte]], suppressed tribal revolts, curbed the power of the Janissaries, restored order and introduced a programme of modernisation of economy and military. In 1831, the Ottomans managed to overthrow the Mamluk regime and imposed their direct control over Iraq. The population of Iraq, estimated at 30 million in 800 AD, was only 5 million at the start of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.valerieyule.com.au/poprus.htm |title=Population crises and cycles in history A review of the book ''Population Crises and Population cycles'' by Claire Russell and W.M.S. Russell. |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-9504066-5-7 |publisher=valerieyule.com.au |access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
 
During [[World War I]], the Ottomans sided with [[Germany]] and the [[Central Powers]]. In the [[Mesopotamian campaign]] against the Central Powers, [[United Kingdom|British]] forces invaded the country and initially suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Turkish army during the [[Siege of Kut]] (1915–1916). However, subsequent to this the British began to gain the upper hand, and were further aided by the support of local [[Arabs]] and [[Assyrians in Iraq|Assyrians]]. In 1916, the British and French made a plan for the post-war division of [[Western Asia]] under the [[Sykes-Picot Agreement]].<ref>[http://archive.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/LimitsinSeas/IBS094.pdf p.8] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317073736/http://archive.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/limitsinseas/IBS094.pdf |date=17 March 2016 }}</ref> British forces regrouped and [[Fall of Baghdad (1917)|captured Baghdad]] in 1917, and defeated the Ottomans. An armistice was signed in 1918. The British lost 92,000 soldiers in the Mesopotamian campaign. Ottoman losses are unknown but the British captured a total of 45,000 [[prisoner of war|prisoners of war]]. By the end of 1918, the British had deployed 410,000 men in the area, of which 112,000 were combat troops.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}
 
===Contemporary period===
 
====British administration and independent kingdom====
{{main|Mandatory Iraq|Kingdom of Iraq}}
[[File:BritsLookingOnBaghdad1941.jpg|thumb|upright|British troops in Baghdad, June 1941.]]
The country today known as Iraq was a region of the [[Ottoman Empire]] until the [[partition of the Ottoman Empire]] in the 20th century. It was made up of three provinces, called [[vilayet]]s in the [[Ottoman language]]: [[Mosul Vilayet]], [[Baghdad Vilayet]], and [[Basra Vilayet]]. These three provinces were joined into one Kingdom by the British after the region became a [[League of Nations mandate]], administered under British control, with the name "[[British Mandate of Mesopotamia|State of Iraq]]". A fourth province ([[Zor Sanjak]]), which [[Iraqi nationalism|Iraqi nationalists]] considered part of [[Upper Mesopotamia]] was ultimately [[Occupation of Zor|added to Syria]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=جدلية|first=Jadaliyya-|title='Lines Drawn on an Empty Map': Iraq's Borders and the Legend of the Artificial State (Part 1)|url=https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/32140|access-date=17 June 2020|website=Jadaliyya – جدلية|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=جدلية|first=Jadaliyya-|title='Lines Drawn on an Empty Map': Iraq's Borders and the Legend of the Artificial State (Part 2)|url=https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/32153|access-date=17 June 2020|website=Jadaliyya – جدلية|language=en}}</ref> In line with their "[[Sharifian Solution]]" policy, the British established the [[Hashemites|Hashemite]] king, [[Faisal I of Iraq]], who had been forced out of [[Syria]] by the French, as their client ruler. Likewise, British authorities selected [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] Arab elites from the region for appointments to government and ministry offices.<!-- in Iraq or Iraq and its neighbouring regions? -->{{Specify|date=April 2007}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Tripp|first=Charles|title=A History of Iraq|url={{Google books|WR-Cnw1UCJEC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2002|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-52900-6|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>{{page needed|date=February 2013}}<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Oxford University Press| isbn = 978-0-19-517632-2| last = Luedke| first = Tilman| title = Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World| chapter = Iraq| access-date = 13 June 2018| date = 2008| chapter-url = http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195176322.001.0001/acref-9780195176322-e-797| doi = 10.1093/acref/9780195176322.001.0001}}</ref>
 
Faced with spiraling costs and influenced by the public protestations of the war hero [[T. E. Lawrence]]<ref>
{{cite book|first1=Jeremy |last1=Wilson |author-link=Jeremy Wilson |title=Lawrence of Arabia: The Authorised Biography of T. E. Lawrence|date=1998|publisher=Sutton|location=Stroud|isbn=978-0750918770|url={{Google books|OsEhAQAAIAAJ|page=|keywords=%22Lawrence of Arabia%22|text=|plainurl=yes}}|quote=The exploits of T.E. Lawrence as British liaison officer in the Arab Revolt, recounted in his work Seven Pillars of Wisdom, made him one of the most famous Englishmen of his generation. This biography explores his life and career including his correspondence with writers, artists and politicians.}}</ref> in ''[[The Times]]'', Britain replaced [[Arnold Wilson]] in October 1920 with a new Civil Commissioner, [[Percy Zachariah Cox|Sir Percy Cox]].<ref>{{Cite ODNB|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-32604|title=Cox, Sir Percy Zachariah (1864–1937), diplomatist and colonial administrator|year=2004|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/32604}}</ref> Cox managed to quell a rebellion, yet was also responsible for implementing the fateful policy of close co-operation with Iraq's Sunni minority.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Liam Anderson|author2=Gareth Stansfield|title=The Future of Iraq: Dictatorship, Democracy, Or Division?|url={{Google books|4JMHAI1C91gC|page=PA6|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2005|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1-4039-7144-9|page=6|quote=Sunni control over the levels of power and the distribution of the spoils of office has had predictable consequences- a simmering resentment on the part of the Shi'a...}}</ref> The institution of [[slavery]] was abolished in the 1920s.<ref name="zanj"/>
 
Britain granted independence to the [[Kingdom of Iraq]] in 1932,<ref>Ongsotto et.al. ''Asian History Module-based Learning Ii' 2003 Ed''. p69. [https://books.google.com/books?id=KE6f6Ni5lrsC&pg=PR7&lpg=PR7#v=onepage&q=asian%20history%20module%20based%20learning]</ref> on the urging of [[Faisal I of Iraq|King Faisal]], though the British retained [[military base]]s, local militia in the form of [[Assyrian Levies]], and transit rights for their forces. King [[Ghazi of Iraq|Ghazi]] ruled as a figurehead after King Faisal's death in 1933, while undermined by attempted military [[coup d'état|coups]], until his death in 1939. Ghazi was followed by his underage son, [[Faisal II of Iraq|Faisal II]]. [['Abd al-Ilah]] served as [[Regent]] during Faisal's minority.
 
On 1 April 1941, [[Rashid Ali al-Gaylani]] and members of the [[Golden Square (Iraq)|Golden Square]] staged a [[1941 Iraqi coup d'état|coup d'état and overthrew the government of 'Abd al-Ilah]]. During the subsequent [[Anglo-Iraqi War]], the [[United Kingdom]] (which still maintained air bases in Iraq) invaded Iraq for fear that the Rashid Ali government might cut oil supplies to Western nations because of his links to the [[Axis powers]]. The war started on 2 May, and the British, together with loyal [[Assyrian Levies]],<ref>Lyman, p.23</ref> defeated the forces of Al-Gaylani, forcing an armistice on 31 May.
 
A [[military occupation]] followed the restoration of the pre-coup government of the [[Hashemites|Hashemite]] monarchy. The occupation ended on 26 October 1947, although Britain was to retain military bases in Iraq until 1954, after which the Assyrian militias were disbanded. The rulers during the occupation and the remainder of the Hashemite monarchy were [[Nuri as-Said]], the autocratic Prime Minister, who also ruled from 1930 to 1932, and 'Abd al-Ilah, the former Regent who now served as an adviser to King Faisal II.
 
====Republic and Ba'athist Iraq====
{{main|Iraqi Republic (1958–1968)|Ba'athist Iraq|Iran–Iraq War}}
[[File:1958 revolution in Iraq.jpg|thumb|The [[14 July Revolution]] in 1958.]]
In 1958, a coup d'état known as the [[14 July Revolution]] was led by the Brigadier General [[Abd al-Karim Qasim]]. This revolt was strongly anti-imperial and anti-monarchical in nature and had strong socialist elements. Numerous people were killed in the coup, including King [[Faysal II]], Prince [[Abd al-Ilah]], and [[Nuri al-Sa'id]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cleveland|first1=William|title=A History of the Modern Middle East|date=2016|publisher=Westview Press|location=Boulder, CO}}</ref> Qasim controlled Iraq through military rule and in 1958 he began a process of forcibly reducing the surplus amounts of land owned by a few citizens and having the state redistribute the land. He was overthrown by Colonel [[Abdul Salam Arif]] in a [[Ramadan Revolution|February 1963 coup]]. After the latter's death in 1966, he was succeeded by his brother, [[Abdul Rahman Arif]], who was [[17 July Revolution|overthrown]] by the [[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region|Ba'ath Party]] in 1968. [[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] became the first Ba'ath [[President of Iraq]] but then the movement gradually came under the control of [[Saddam Hussein]], who acceded to the presidency and control of the [[Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council|Revolutionary Command Council]] (RCC), then Iraq's supreme executive body, in July 1979.
 
In 1979, the [[Iranian Revolution]] took place. Following months of cross-border raids between the two countries, Saddam declared war on Iran in September 1980, initiating the [[Iran–Iraq War]] (or First Persian Gulf War). Taking advantage of the post-revolution chaos in Iran, Iraq captured some territories in southwest of Iran, but Iran recaptured all of the lost territories within two years, and for the next six years Iran was on the offensive.<ref>{{cite book|last=Karsh|first=Efraim|title=The Iran–Iraq War, 1980–1988|year=2002|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Oxford, Oxfordshire|isbn=978-1841763712}}</ref>{{page needed|date=July 2014}} The war, which ended in [[stalemate]] in 1988, had cost the lives of between half a million and 1.5 million people.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hardy |first=Roger |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4260420.stm |title=The Iran–Iraq war: 25 years on |work=BBC News |date=22 September 2005 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> In 1981, Israeli aircraft [[Operation Opera|bombed an Iraqi nuclear materials testing reactor at Osirak]] and was widely criticised at the United Nations.<ref>S-RES-487(1981) Security Council Resolution 487 (1981)". United Nations. Retrieved 19 June 2011., {{cite web|url=http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/6c57312cc8bd93ca852560df00653995?OpenDocument |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621231947/http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/6c57312cc8bd93ca852560df00653995?OpenDocument |archive-date=21 June 2011 }}</ref><ref>Jonathan Steele (7 June 2002). "The Bush doctrine makes nonsense of the UN charter". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 November 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/jun/07/britainand911.usa</ref> During the eight-year war with Iran, Saddam Hussein extensively used [[Iraqi chemical weapons program|chemical weapons]] against Iranians.<ref>Tyler, Patrick E. [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/18/world/officers-say-us-aided-iraq-in-war-despite-use-of-gas.html "Officers Say U.S. Aided Iraq in War Despite Use of Gas"] ''New York Times'' 18 August 2002.</ref> In the final stages of the Iran–Iraq War, the Ba'athist Iraqi regime led the [[Al-Anfal Campaign]], a [[genocidal]]<ref name="hrw.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2006/08/14/genocide-iraq-anfal-campaign-against-kurds |title=The Anfal Campaign Against the Kurds A Middle East Watch Report |publisher=Human Rights Watch |date=14 August 2006 |access-date=25 January 2013}}</ref> campaign that targeted Iraqi Kurds,<ref>{{cite book |last=Black |first=George|title=Genocide in Iraq: The Anfal Campaign against the Kurds / Western Asia Watch |orig-year=1993 |url=http://hrw.org/reports/1993/iraqanfal/|access-date=10 February 2007 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |location=New York • Washington • Los Angeles • London|isbn=978-1-56432-108-4 |date=July 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Hiltermann |first=Joost R. |title=Bureaucracy of Repression: The Iraqi Government in Its Own Words / Western Asia Watch |orig-year=1994 |url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/1994/iraq/TEXT.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028211739/http://www.hrw.org/reports/1994/iraq/TEXT.htm |archive-date=28 October 2006 |access-date=10 February 2007 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |isbn=978-1-56432-127-5 |date=February 1994 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.institutkurde.org/en/afp/archives/070108093217.hrifbdh6.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101055802/http://www.institutkurde.org/en/afp/archives/070108093217.hrifbdh6.html |archive-date=1 January 2009 |title=Charges against Saddam dropped as genocide trial resumes |publisher=Agence France-Presse |date=8 January 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and led to the killing of 50,000–100,000 civilians.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hiltermann|first=J. R.|title=A Poisonous Affair: America, Iraq, and the Gassing of Halabja|year=2007|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-87686-5|pages=134–135|url={{Google books|5JGldonhk6wC|page=PA134|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Saddam Hussein and Hassan al-Bakr 1978.jpg|thumb|Ba'athist era presidents Hassan al-Bakr and Saddam Hussein in 1978.]]
In August 1990, [[Invasion of Kuwait|Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait]]. This subsequently led to [[Gulf War|military intervention]] by [[United States]]-led forces in the First [[Gulf War]]. The coalition forces proceeded with a bombing campaign targeting military targets<ref name=Crusade>{{cite book|author=Rick Atkinson|title=Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War|url={{Google books|TVVwADcYOcgC|page=PA284|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1993|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0-395-71083-8|pages=284–285|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref><ref name=Arbuthnot>{{cite web|url=http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m30603&hd=&size=1&l=e |title=The Ameriya Shelter – St. Valentine's Day Massacre |publisher=Uruknet.de |access-date=19 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716220215/http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m30603&hd=&size=1&l=e |archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref><ref name=CSM2002>{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1022/p01s01-wosc.htm |title='Smarter' bombs still hit civilians |work=Christian Science Monitor |date=22 October 2002 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> and then launched a 100-hour-long ground assault against Iraqi forces in Southern Iraq and those occupying Kuwait.
 
Iraq's armed forces were devastated during the war. Shortly after it ended in 1991, [[Kurds in Iraq|Kurdish Iraqis]] led [[1991 uprisings in Iraq|several uprisings]] against Saddam Hussein's regime, but these were successfully repressed using the Iraqi security forces and chemical weapons. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 people, including many civilians were killed.<ref>{{cite news|author=Ian Black |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/aug/22/iraq.ianblack |title='Chemical Ali' |work=The Guardian |date=22 August 2007|access-date=19 June 2011 |location=London}}</ref> During the uprisings the US, UK, France and Turkey, claiming authority under [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 688|UNSCR 688]], established the [[Iraqi no-fly zones]] to protect Kurdish population from attacks by the Saddam regime's fixed-wing aircraft (but not helicopters).
 
Iraq was ordered to destroy its chemical and biological weapons and the UN attempted to compel Saddam's government to disarm and agree to a ceasefire by imposing additional sanctions on the country in addition to the initial sanctions imposed following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The Iraqi Government's failure to disarm and agree to a ceasefire resulted in [[Iraq sanctions|sanctions]] which remained in place until 2003. The effects of the sanctions on the civilian population of Iraq have been disputed.<ref name=unicef99>[http://www.unicef.org/newsline/99pr29.htm Iraq surveys show 'humanitarian emergency'] [[UNICEF]] Newsline 12 August 1999</ref><ref name="Rubin">{{cite journal|last=Rubin |first=Michael |title=Sanctions on Iraq: A Valid Anti-American Grievance? |publisher=[[Middle East Review of International Affairs]] |volume=5 |issue=4 |url=http://www.iraqwatch.org/perspectives/meria-rubin-sanctions-1201.htm |pages=100–115 |date=December 2001 |author-link=Michael Rubin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028003924/http://www.iraqwatch.org/perspectives/meria-rubin-sanctions-1201.htm |archive-date=28 October 2012 }}</ref> Whereas it was widely believed that the sanctions caused a major rise in child mortality, recent research has shown that commonly cited data were fabricated by the Iraqi government and that "there was no major rise in child mortality in Iraq after 1990 and during the period of the sanctions."<ref name=Spagat>{{cite web |url=http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhte/014/Truth%20and%20Death.pdf |title=Truth and death in Iraq under sanctions |first=Michael |last=Spagat |date=September 2010 |publisher=[[Significance (journal)|Significance]] |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711190050/http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhte/014/Truth%20and%20Death.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Dyson|first1=Tim|last2=Cetorelli|first2=Valeria|date=1 July 2017|title=Changing views on child mortality and economic sanctions in Iraq: a history of lies, damned lies and statistics|journal=BMJ Global Health|language=en|volume=2|issue=2|pages=e000311|doi=10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000311|pmid=29225933|pmc=5717930|issn=2059-7908}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/08/04/saddam-hussein-said-sanctions-killed-500000-children-that-was-a-spectacular-lie/|title=Saddam Hussein said sanctions killed 500,000 children. That was 'a spectacular lie.'|website=Washington Post|access-date=4 August 2017}}</ref> An [[oil for food program]] was established in 1996 to ease the effects of sanctions.
 
Following the [[September 11 attacks]], the [[Presidency of George W. Bush|George W. Bush administration]] began planning the overthrow of Saddam's government and in October 2002, the US Congress passed the [[Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq]]. In November 2002, the UN Security Council passed [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441|UNSCR 1441]] and in March 2003 the US and its allies invaded Iraq.
 
====21st century====
=====2003–2007: Invasion and occupation=====
[[File:SaddamStatue.jpg|thumb|upright|right|The April 2003 toppling of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s statue by US Army troops in [[Firdos Square]] in [[Baghdad]] shortly after the [[Iraq War]] invasion.]]
{{Main|2003 invasion of Iraq|History of Iraq (2003–11)|Iraq War}}
On 20 March 2003, a United States-organized coalition [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invaded Iraq]], under the pretext that Iraq had failed to abandon its [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction program]] in violation of [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 687|UN Resolution 687]]. This claim was based on documents provided by the [[CIA]] and the British government that were later [[Duelfer Report|found to be unreliable]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.factcheck.org/bushs_16_words_on_iraq_uranium.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305071446/http://www.factcheck.org/bushs_16_words_on_iraq_uranium.html |archive-date=5 March 2010 |title=Bush's "16 Words" on Iraq & Uranium: He May Have Been Wrong But He Wasn't Lying |publisher=FactCheck.org |date=26 July 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/07/usa.iraq1 |title=There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq |access-date=28 April 2008 |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=7 October 2004 |publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]] |work=[[guardian.co.uk]] |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=John Simpson: 'The Iraq memories I can't rid myself of'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21829269|work=BBC News|access-date=19 March 2013|date=19 March 2013}}</ref>
 
Following the invasion, the United States established the [[Coalition Provisional Authority]] to govern Iraq. In May 2003 [[L. Paul Bremer]], the chief executive of the CPA, issued orders to [[De-Ba'athification|exclude Baath Party members]] from the new Iraqi government (CPA Order 1) and to disband the Iraqi Army ([[Coalition Provisional Authority Order 2|CPA Order 2]]).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Pfiffner|first=James|title=US Blunders in Iraq: De-Baathification and Disbanding the Army|journal=Intelligence and National Security|date=February 2010|volume=25|issue=1|pages=76–85|doi=10.1080/02684521003588120|s2cid=153595453|url=http://pfiffner.gmu.edu/files/pdfs/Articles/CPA%20Orders,%20Iraq%20PDF.pdf|access-date=16 December 2013}}</ref> The decision dissolved the largely Sunni Iraqi Army and excluded many of the country's former government officials from participating in the country's governance,<ref>{{cite news|title=Fateful Choice on Iraq Army Bypassed Debate|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/world/middleeast/17bremer.html|newspaper=New York Times|date=17 March 2008|first=Michael R.|last=Gordon}}</ref> including 40,000 school teachers who had joined the Baath Party simply to keep their jobs,<ref>[http://pfiffner.gmu.edu/files/pdfs/Articles/CPA%20Orders,%20Iraq%20PDF.pdf " US Blunders in Iraq" ] "Intelligence and National Security Vol. 25, No. 1, 76–85, February 2010"</ref> helping to bring about a chaotic post-invasion environment.<ref>{{cite news|title=Can the joy last?|url=http://www.economist.com/node/21528299|work=The Economist|date=3 September 2011}}</ref>
 
[[Iraqi insurgency (2003–06)|An insurgency]] against the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|US-led coalition]]-rule of Iraq began in summer 2003 within elements of the former Iraqi secret police and army, who formed guerrilla units. In fall 2003, self-entitled '[[jihad]]ist' groups began targeting coalition forces. Various Sunni militias were created in 2003, for example [[Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad]] led by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]]. The insurgency included intense inter-ethnic violence between Sunnis and Shias.<ref name="cnn.com">{{cite news |title=U.S. cracks down on Iraq death squads |url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/24/iraq.main/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=24 July 2006}}</ref> The [[Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse]] scandal came to light, late 2003 in reports by [[Amnesty International]] and [[Associated Press]].
 
[[File:US Navy 031016-N-3236B-043 A marine patrols the streets of Al Faw, Iraq.jpg|thumb|[[United States Marine Corps|US Marines]] patrol the streets of [[Al Faw]], October 2003.]]
The [[Mahdi Army]]—a Shia militia created in the summer of 2003 by [[Muqtada al-Sadr]]—began to fight Coalition forces in April 2004.<ref name=mehdi>{{cite news|title=Who are Iraq's Mehdi Army?|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3604393.stm|work=BBC News|access-date=4 March 2013|date=30 May 2007|first=Patrick|last=Jackson}}</ref> 2004 saw Sunni and Shia militants fighting against each other and against the new [[Iraqi Interim Government]] installed in June 2004, and against Coalition forces, as well as the [[First Battle of Fallujah]] in April and [[Second Battle of Fallujah]] in November.  The Madhi army would kidnap Sunni civilians as part of  a genocide that occurred against them.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0320/p09s01-coop.html|title=Al Qaeda's hand in tipping Iraq toward civil war|journal=Christian Science Monitor|date=20 March 2006}}</ref>
 
In January 2005, the [[Iraqi parliamentary election, January 2005|first elections]] since the invasion took place and in October a [[Constitution of Iraq|new Constitution]] was approved,<ref name=Constitution/> which was followed by [[Iraqi parliamentary election, December 2005|parliamentary elections]] in December. However, insurgent attacks were common and increased to 34,131 in 2005 from 26,496 in 2004.<ref>Thomas Ricks (2006) ''Fiasco'': 414</ref>
 
During 2006, fighting continued and reached its highest levels of violence, more [[Haditha killings|war crimes scandals]] were made public, [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]] the leader of [[Al-Qaeda in Iraq]] was killed by US forces and Iraq's former dictator [[Saddam Hussein]] was sentenced to death for [[crimes against humanity]] and hanged.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6219861.stm|title=Saddam death 'ends dark chapter'|work=BBC News|date=30 December 2006|access-date = 18 August 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=adlWxYxfI4bE |title=Saddam Hussein's Two Co-Defendants Hanged in Iraq |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |date=15 January 2007 |access-date=18 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930043806/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=adlWxYxfI4bE |archive-date=30 September 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2965027 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070323194534/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2965027 |archive-date=23 March 2007 |title=Saddam's Former Deputy Hanged in Iraq |author=Qassim Abdul-Zahra |date=20 March 2007 |publisher=Abcnews.go.com |access-date=23 March 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In late 2006, the US government's [[Iraq Study Group]] recommended that the US begin focusing on training Iraqi military personnel and in January 2007 US President George W. Bush announced a [[Iraq War troop surge of 2007|"Surge"]] in the number of US troops deployed to the country.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ferguson |first=Barbara |title=Petraeus Says Iraq Troop Surge Working |work=Arab News |date=11 September 2007 |url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=101078&d=11&m=9&y=2007 |access-date=26 December 2009}}</ref>
 
In May 2007, Iraq's Parliament called on the United States to set a timetable for withdrawal and US coalition partners such as the UK and Denmark began withdrawing their forces from the country.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271210,00.html Iraq Bill Demands U.S.&nbsp;Troop Withdraw] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514040204/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C271210%2C00.html |date=14 May 2013 }} Associated Press, ''[[Fox News]]'', 10 May 2007</ref><ref>BBC NEWS 21 February 2007, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6380933.stm ''Blair announces Iraq troops cut'']</ref><ref>[[Al-Jazeera]] ENGLISH, 22 February 2007, [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2007/02/200852513931496402.html Blair announces Iraq troop pullout]</ref> The war in Iraq has resulted in [[Casualties of the Iraq War|between 151,000 and 1.2 million Iraqis being killed]].<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jan/10/iraq.iraqtimeline 151,000 civilians killed since Iraq invasion]". ''[[The Guardian]]''. 10 January 2008.</ref><ref>"[https://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/14/world/fg-iraq14 Civilian deaths may top 1 million, poll data indicate]". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. 14 September 2007.</ref>
 
=====2008–2018: Instability and ISIS=====
{{main|Category:2010s in Iraq|l1=2010s in Iraq}}
{{See also|War in Iraq (2013–2017)|American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present)|2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict|Iraqi insurgency (2017–present)
}}
}}
In 2008, [[Iraq spring fighting of 2008|fighting continued]] and Iraq's newly trained armed forces launched attacks against militants. The Iraqi government signed the [[US–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement]], which required US forces to withdraw from Iraqi cities by 30 June 2009 and to withdraw completely from Iraq by 31 December 2011.
'''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]].
 
US troops handed over security duties to Iraqi forces in June 2009, though they continued to work with Iraqi forces after the pullout.<ref>{{cite news |title=US soldiers leave Iraq's cities|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8125547.stm|work=BBC News|date=30 June 2009|access-date=30 June 2009}}</ref> On the morning of 18 December 2011, the final contingent of US troops to be withdrawn ceremonially exited over the border to [[Kuwait]].<ref name="cnn-dec11" /> Crime and violence initially spiked in the months following [[U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement|the US withdrawal from cities in mid-2009]]<ref name="The Associated Press and Yahoo.com">{{cite news|title=After years of war, Iraqis hit by frenzy of crime|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32955876|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Violence Grows in Iraq as American troops withdraw|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/09/violence-grows-iraq-american-troops-withdraw/|publisher=Fox News |date=9 May 2009}}</ref> but despite the initial increase in violence, in November 2009, Iraqi [[Ministry of Interior (Iraq)|Interior Ministry]] officials reported that the civilian death toll in Iraq fell to its lowest level since the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 invasion]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Iraqi civilian deaths drop to lowest level of war |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-toll-idUSTRE5AT3ZE20091130|work=Reuters |date=30 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208083627/http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/11/30/us-iraq-toll-idUSTRE5AT3ZE20091130|archive-date=8 February 2013}}</ref>
 
[[File:Islamic State Militant Activity In Iraq Syria and Lebanon VOA.png|thumb|Military situation in 2015]]
Following the [[Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq (2007–2011)|withdrawal of US troops]] in 2011, the insurgency continued and Iraq suffered from political instability. In February 2011, the [[Arab Spring]] protests [[2011 Iraqi protests|spread to Iraq]];<ref>{{cite news |title=Egyptian revolution sparks protest movement in democratic Iraq |first=Liz |last=Sly |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/12/AR2011021202100.html |work=The Washington Post |date=12 February 2011 |access-date=12 February 2011}}</ref> but the initial protests did not topple the government. The [[Iraqi National Movement]], reportedly representing the majority of Iraqi Sunnis, boycotted Parliament for several weeks in late 2011 and early 2012, claiming that the Shiite-dominated government was striving to sideline Sunnis.
 
In 2012 and 2013, levels of violence increased and armed groups inside Iraq were increasingly galvanised by the [[Syrian Civil War]]. Both Sunnis and Shias crossed the border to fight in Syria.<ref name=Kurd-Shiite-Sunni-Split>{{cite web|last=Salem|first=Paul|title=INSIGHT: Iraq's Tensions Heightened by Syria Conflict|url=http://middleeastvoices.voanews.com/2012/11/insight-iraqs-tensions-heightened-by-syria-conflict-96791/|publisher=Middle East Voices ([[Voice of America]])|access-date=3 November 2012|date=29 November 2012}}</ref> In December 2012, Sunni Arabs [[2012–2013 Iraqi protests|protested]] against the government, whom they claimed marginalised them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Iraq Sunni protests in Anbar against Nouri al-Maliki|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20860647|access-date=22 March 2013|work=BBC News|date=28 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Protests engulf west Iraq as Anbar rises against Maliki|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20887739|access-date=22 March 2013|work=BBC News|date=2 January 2013}}</ref>
 
During 2013, Sunni militant groups stepped up attacks targeting the Iraq's population in an attempt to undermine confidence in the [[Nouri al-Maliki]]-led government.<ref name=latimes2701>{{cite news|title=Suicide bomber kills 32 at Baghdad funeral march|url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/01/27/car-bombing-kills-26-in-baghdad/|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Fox News|access-date=22 April 2012|date=27 January 2012}}</ref> In 2014, Sunni insurgents belonging to the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) terrorist group seized control of large swathes of land including several major Iraqi cities, like [[Tikrit]], [[Fallujah]] and [[Mosul]] creating hundreds of thousands of [[internally displaced persons]] amid reports of atrocities by ISIL fighters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Iraq crisis: Battle grips vital Baiji oil refinery|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27897648|access-date=18 June 2014|agency=BBC}}</ref>
 
After an inconclusive election in April 2014, Nouri al-Maliki served as caretaker-Prime-Minister.<ref name=guar11-8-14>{{cite web|author=Spencer Ackerman and agencies|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/11/us-iraqi-maliki-accuses-president|title=Kerry slaps down Maliki after he accuses Iraqi president of violating constitution|work=The Guardian|date=11 August 2014|access-date=15 November 2014}}</ref>
 
On 11 August, Iraq's highest court ruled that PM Maliki's bloc was the largest in parliament, meaning Maliki could stay Prime Minister.<ref name=guar11-8-14 /> By 13 August, however, the Iraqi president had tasked [[Haider al-Abadi]] with forming a new government, and the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and some Iraqi politicians expressed their wish for a new leadership in Iraq, for example from [[Haider al-Abadi]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Salama|first=Vivian|url=http://www.stripes.com/tensions-high-in-iraq-as-support-for-new-pm-grows-1.297997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813212654/http://www.stripes.com/tensions-high-in-iraq-as-support-for-new-pm-grows-1.297997|archive-date=13 August 2014|title=Tensions high in Iraq as support for new PM grows|work=Stripes|date=13 August 2014|access-date=15 November 2014}}</ref> On 14 August, Maliki stepped down as PM to support Mr al-Abadi and to "safeguard the high interests of the country". The US government welcomed this as "another major step forward" in uniting Iraq.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/middleeast/iraq/article4177222.ece|title=White House hails al-Maliki departure as 'major step forward'|newspaper=The Times|date=15 August 2014|access-date=15 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/08/15/iraq-al-maliki-backs-new-prime-minister/|title=Iraq's new prime minister-designate vows to fight corruption, terrorism|publisher=Fox News|date=15 August 2014|access-date=18 August 2014}}</ref> On 9 September 2014, [[Haider al-Abadi]] had formed a new government and became the new prime minister.{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}} Intermittent conflict between Sunni, [[Shiite]] and Kurdish factions has led to increasing debate about the splitting of Iraq into three autonomous regions, including Sunni Kurdistan in the northeast, a [[Sunnistan]] in the west and a Shiastan in the southeast.<ref>''The Revenge of Geography'', p 353, Robert D. Kaplan – 2012</ref>


In response to rapid territorial gains made by the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) during the first half of 2014, and its universally-condemned [[Killing of captives by ISIL|executions]] and reported [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant#Human rights abuses|human rights abuses]], many states [[International military intervention against ISIL|began to intervene]] against it in the [[Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)]]. Since the airstrikes started, ISIL has been losing ground in both Iraq and Syria.<ref>{{cite news|date=1 June 2016|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/report-isil-gaining-ground-libya-160601045240672.html|publisher=Al Jazeera|title=Report: ISIL losing in Iraq, Syria; gaining in Libya|access-date=26 September 2016}}</ref> Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in Iraq in ISIL-linked violence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/19/middleeast/iraq-civilian-death-toll/ |title=Nearly 19,000 civilians killed in Iraq in 21-month period, report says |publisher=CNN |date=19 January 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022084819/http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/19/middleeast/iraq-civilian-death-toll/ |archive-date=22 October 2016 }}</ref><ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/west-mosul-mass-civilian-casualties-death-isis-iraq-us-coalition-aleppo-russia-a7853586.html The world's lack of outrage over tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Mosul is shameful]". [[The Independent]]. 21 July 2017.</ref> The [[genocide of Yazidis by ISIL]] has led to the expulsion, flight and effective exile of the [[Yazidis]] from their ancestral lands in northern Iraq.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.svoboda.org/content/article/26909669.html|title=The UN has blamed "Islamic State" in the genocide of the Yazidis|date=19 March 2015|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]}}</ref> The [[2016 Karrada bombing]] killed nearly 400 civilians and injured hundreds more.<ref>"[https://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/12/world/iraq-terrorism-faceless-victims/index.html In Iraq, terrorism's victims go unnamed]". CNN. 12 January 2017.</ref> On 17 March 2017, a US-led coalition [[2017 Mosul airstrike|airstrike in Mosul]] killed more than 200 civilians.<ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-air-strike-mosul-200-civilians-killed-isis-northern-iraq-pentagon-central-command-islamic-state-a7651451.html US admits it conducted Mosul air strike 'at location' where '200' civilians died] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401144628/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-air-strike-mosul-200-civilians-killed-isis-northern-iraq-pentagon-central-command-islamic-state-a7651451.html |date=1 April 2017}}". ''The Independent.'' 26 March 2017.</ref>
Iraq has been known by the [[Greek language|Greek]] name [[Mesopotamia]] which means ''(Land between the rivers)'' and has been home to continuous [[wikt:successive|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 dynasty|Safavid]], and [[Afsharid dynasty|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.


Since 2015, ISIL lost territory in Iraq, including [[Tikrit]] in March and April 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/31/middleeast/iraq-isis-tikrit/|title=Iraq: Parts of Tikrit taken back from ISIS|last1=Alkhshali|first1=Hamdi|last2=Karadsheh|first2=Jomana|date=31 March 2015|publisher=CNN}}</ref> [[Baiji, Iraq|Baiji]] in October 2015,<ref name="US praise">{{cite web|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/10/us-praises-role-of-iranian-backed-shiite-militias-in-baiji-operation.php|title=US praises role of Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Baiji operation|work=The Long War Journal}}</ref> [[Sinjar]] in November 2015,<ref>{{cite news|last=Arango|first=Tim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/14/world/middleeast/sinjar-iraq-kurds-isis.html|title=Sinjar Victory Bolsters Kurds, but Could Further Alienate U.S. From Iraq|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=13 November 2015}}</ref> [[Ramadi]] in December 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/iraq-claims-key-victory-over-isis-ramadi-seizes-government-complex-n486641|title=Iraq Claims a Key Victory Over ISIS in Ramadi, Seizes Government Complex|work=NBC News}}</ref> [[Fallujah]] in June 2016<ref>{{cite web|title=Iraqi commander: Fallujah 'fully liberated' from ISIS|url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/06/26/iraqi-commander-fallujah-fully-liberated-from-isis.html|website=Fox News|date=26 June 2016|publisher=Fox News Network}}</ref> and [[Mosul]] in July 2017. By December 2017, ISIL had no remaining territory in Iraq, following the [[2017 Western Iraq campaign]].<ref name="victory parade">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-parade/iraq-holds-victory-parade-after-defeating-islamic-state-idUSKBN1E407Z|title=Iraq holds victory parade after defeating Islamic State|author=Ahmed Aboulenein|work=Reuters|date=10 December 2017|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref>
The [[Kurdistan Region]] is an autonomous region. The Kurds have their own culture and speak the [[Kurdish language]].


In September 2017, a [[2017 Kurdistan Region independence referendum|referendum]] was held regarding [[Kurdish nationalism|Kurdish independence]] in Iraq. 92% of Iraqi Kurds voted in favor of independence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20170927-iraqi-kurds-vote-overwhelmingly-independence-referendum|title=92% of Iraqi Kurds back independence from Baghdad, election commission says |date=27 September 2017|publisher=France 24|access-date=14 November 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> The referendum was regarded as illegal by the federal government in Baghdad.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-kurds/iraqcourt-rules-no-region-can-secede-after-kurdish-independence-bid-idUSKBN1D617O|title=Iraq court rules no region can secede after Kurdish independence bid|date=6 November 2017|work=Reuters}}</ref> In March 2018, Turkey launched [[Operation Tigris Shield|military operations]] to eliminate the Kurdish separatist fighters in northern Iraq.<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey will drain 'terror swamp' in Iraq's Qandil, Erdogan says |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-turkey/turkey-will-drain-terror-swamp-in-iraqs-qandil-erdogan-says-idUSKBN1J71CJ |work=Reuters |date=11 June 2018}}</ref> Anti-American cleric [[Muqtada al-Sadr]]'s political coalition won [[Iraqi parliamentary election, 2018|Iraq's parliamentary election]] in May 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's bloc wins Iraq election |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-election-results/cleric-moqtada-al-sadrs-bloc-wins-iraq-election-idUSKCN1IJ2X0 |work=Reuters |date=12 May 2018}}</ref>
Ethnic Kurds make up the north’s population a majority.


=====2019–present: Civil unrest and proxy war=====
Most Iraqis are [[Shia Islam|Shia Muslims]].
{{main|Category:2020s in Iraq|l1=2020s in Iraq}}
Serious civil unrest rocked the country beginning in Baghdad and Najaf in July 2018 and spreading to other provinces in [[2018–19 Iraqi protests|late September 2019]] as rallies to protest corruption, unemployment, and public service failures turned violent.<ref>Al Jazeera and News Agencies. (5 October 2019). "Iraq protests: All the latest updates." [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/iraq-protests-latest-updates-191004085506824.html Al Jazeera website] Retrieved 5 October 2019.</ref> [[Iraqi protests (2019–present)|Protests and demonstrations started again on 1 October 2019]], against 16 years of corruption, unemployment and inefficient public services, before they escalated into calls to overthrow the administration and to stop [[Iranian intervention in Iraq (2014–present)|Iranian intervention in Iraq]]. The Iraqi government at times reacted harshly, resulting in over 500 deaths by 12 December 2019.


On 27 December 2019, the [[K-1 Air Base attack|K-1 Air Base in Iraq was attacked]] by more than 30 rockets, killing a U.S. civilian contractor and injuring others. The U.S. blamed the Iranian-backed [[Kata'ib Hezbollah]] militia. Later that month, the [[December 2019 United States airstrikes in Iraq and Syria|United States bombed five Kata'ib Hezbollah militia's positions in Iraq]] and [[Syria]], in retaliation for the presumed Kata'ib attack of 27 December. According to Iraqi sources, at least 25 militia fighters were killed. On 31 December 2019, after a funeral for [[Kata'ib Hezbollah]] militiamen killed by U.S. airstrikes, dozens of Iraqi Shia militiamen and their supporters marched into the [[Green Zone]] of [[Baghdad]] and surrounded the U.S. embassy compound (see article: [[Attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad]]). Demonstrators smashed a door of the checkpoint, set fire to the reception area, left anti-American posters and sprayed anti-American graffiti. U.S. president Trump accused Iran of orchestrating the attack.
== Politics ==
From 1968 to 2003, Iraq was run by the [[Ba'ath Party]]. [[Saddam Hussein]] was the [[President]] from 1979 until the disbandment of the [[Ba'ath Party]].


On 3 January 2020, amid [[2019–20 Persian Gulf crisis|rising tensions between the United States and Iran]], the U.S. [[2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike|launched a drone strike on a convoy traveling near Baghdad International Airport]], killing [[Qasem Soleimani]], Iranian major general and [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] (IRGC) and [[Quds Force]] commander, the second most powerful person of Iran;<ref name=nrc3Jan>{{in lang|nl}} [https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2020/01/03/vs-doden-topgeneraal-iran-vrees-voor-escalatie-groeit-a3985625#/handelsblad/2020/01/03/#101 'VS doden topgeneraal Iran, vrees voor escalatie groeit' (US kill top general Iran, fear for escalation grows)]. ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', 3 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.</ref> [[Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis]], deputy commander of Iraq's [[Popular Mobilization Forces]] (PMF or PMU), four senior Iranian officers; and four Iraqi officers.
After the 1990 [[invasion of Kuwait]] many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy, Pakistan, and others fought to free Kuwait. Later, some agents believed to be sent by Saddam Hussein tried to kill former President George H. W. Bush with a truck bomb in Kuwait.


Following months of protests that broke out across Iraq in October 2019 and the resignation of Prime Minister [[Adil Abdul-Mahdi|Adel Abdul Mahdi]] and his cabinet, Mustafa Al Kadhimi became a leading contender for the Premiership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/iraqi-spy-chief-mustafa-al-kadhimi-rumoured-to-be-prime-ministerial-contender-1.957356|title=Iraqi spy chief Mustafa Al Kadhimi rumoured to be prime ministerial contender|website=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)]]|language=en|access-date=31 January 2020}}</ref> On 9 April 2020, he was named by [[president of Iraq|President]] [[Barham Salih]] as [[prime minister-designate]], the third person tapped to lead the country in just 10 weeks as it struggled to replace a government that fell the year prior after months of [[2019–20 Iraqi protests|protests]]. Kadhimi was nominated by President Barham Salih, state television reported, shortly after the previous designated [[prime minister of Iraq|prime minister]], [[Adnan al-Zurfi]], announced he was withdrawing having failed to secure enough support to pass a [[government of Iraq|government]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN21R18Z|title=Iraq names its third prime minister in 10 weeks|website=[[Reuters]]|date=9 April 2020|language=en|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>
The Kurdistan Region gained autonomy in the 1990s. Kurdistan region has its own parliament.


==Geography==
The March [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] was led by [[United States|American]], [[British]], Australian, Danish and Polish forces. They forced the Ba'ath Party to surrender. The publicly stated reason for the invasion was that Saddam Hussein refused to let United Nations inspectors look for suspected nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. In the past, Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons to kill the Kurds. Iraq had done research in making biological and nuclear weapons.
[[File:Iraq.A2003060.0750.500m.jpg|thumb|upright|Satellite map of Iraq.]]
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map IRQ present.svg|thumb|Iraq [[Köppen climate classification]] map.]]<!-- [[File:|thumb|Iraq's climate map]] -->
{{main|Geography of Iraq|Governorates of Iraq}}
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2014}}
Iraq lies between latitudes [[29th parallel north|29°]] and [[38th parallel north|38° N]], and longitudes [[39th meridian east|39°]] and [[49th meridian east|49° E]] (a small area lies west of 39°). Spanning {{convert|437072|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}}, it is the 58th-largest country in the world. It is comparable in size to the US state of [[California]], and somewhat larger than [[Paraguay]].


Iraq mainly consists of [[desert]], but near the two major rivers ([[Euphrates]] and [[Tigris]]) are fertile [[alluvial plains]], as the rivers carry about {{convert|60000000|m3|cuyd|0|abbr=on}} of [[silt]] annually to the [[River delta|delta]]. The north of the country is mostly composed of mountains; the highest point being at {{convert|3611|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} point, unnamed on the map opposite, but known locally as [[Cheekah Dar]] (black tent). Iraq has a small coastline measuring {{convert|58|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} along the [[Persian Gulf]]. Close to the coast and along the [[Shatt al-Arab]] (known as ''arvandrūd'': اروندرود among Iranians) there used to be marshlands, but many were drained in the 1990s.
The country was initially split into 3 zones, the American zone, the British zone, and the Polish zone similar to the way Germany was divided in 1945. Forces from Denmark controlled areas in the British zone. A new temporary government was formed on June 28, 2004. The coalition forces were in the country.


Iraq is home to seven terrestrial ecoregions: [[Zagros Mountains forest steppe]], [[Syrian xeric grasslands and shrublands]], [[Tigris-Euphrates alluvial salt marsh]], [[Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests]], [[Arabian Desert]], [[Mesopotamian shrub desert]], and [[South Iran Nubo-Sindian desert and semi-desert]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287}}</ref>
There were many U.S., British and multi-national troops in the country until December 15, 2011 when the [[Iraq War]] had ended. Tensions between religious groups ([[Shia]] and [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]s, as well as [[Christian]]s) lead to a great deal of [[instability]] in the country.


===Climate===
== Geography ==
{{main|Geography of Iraq#Climate}}
[[File:Iraqi Governorates (numbered).png|left|thumb|The [[provinces of Iraq]]]]
The country area lies between two rivers; for this reason the area was called [[Mesopotamia]] in ancient ages. The rivers [[Euphrates]] and [[Tigris]] bound what is called the [[Fertile Crescent]]. Iraq also has a small coastline along the Persian Gulf, and this coastline was considered the heart of the [[petroleum]] trade in Iraq before the [[First Gulf War]]. The weather is extremely hot and dry because Iraq is far from seas and [[ocean]]s and even the close ones are blocked by mountains so that the rainy wind can not reach the inlands. This region has fertile land because of the two rivers.


Most of Iraq has a hot [[arid]] climate with [[subtropical]] influence. Summer temperatures average above {{convert|40|°C}} for most of the country and frequently exceed {{convert|48|°C|1}}. Winter temperatures infrequently exceed {{convert|21|°C|1}} with maxima roughly {{convert|15|to|19|°C|°F|1}} and night-time lows {{convert|2|to|5|°C|°F|1}}. Typically, precipitation is low; most places receive less than {{convert|250|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} annually, with maximum rainfall occurring during the winter months. Rainfall during the summer is extremely rare, except in the far north of the country. The northern mountainous regions have cold winters with occasional heavy snows, sometimes causing extensive flooding.
Iraq is divided into 18 provinces (''muhafazah'').


[[Climate change in Iraq]] is leading to increasing temperatures, reduced precipitation, and increasing [[water scarcity]] which will likely have serious implications for the country for years to come.<ref>{{Cite web|last=[[USAID]]|title=Climate Risk Profile: Iraq|url=https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-change-risk-profile-iraq|access-date=10 August 2019|website=Climatelinks|language=en}}</ref>
{| align="center"
|-----
|
# [[Baghdad Province|Baghdād]] (بغداد)
# [[Salah ad Din Province|Salāh ad-Dīn]] (صلاح الدين)
# [[Diyala Province|Diyālā]] (ديالى)
# [[Wasit Province|Wāsit]] (واسط)
# [[Maysan Province|Maysān]] (ميسان)
# [[Basra Province|Al-Basrah]] (البصرة)
# [[Dhi Qar Province|Dhī Qār]] (ذي قار)
# [[Al Muthanna Province|Al-Muthannā]] (المثنى)
# [[Al-Qādisiyyah Province|Al-Qādisiyyah]] (القادسية)
|
<ol start=10>
<li>[[Babil Province|Bābil]] (بابل)
<li>[[Karbala Province|Al-Karbalā']] (كربلاء)
<li>[[Najaf Province|An-Najaf]] (النجف)
<li>[[Al Anbar Province|Al-Anbar]] (الأنبار)
<li>[[Ninawa Province|Nīnawā]] (نينوى)
<li>[[Dahuk Province|Dahūk]] (دهوك)
<li>[[Arbil Province|Arbīl]] (أربيل)
<li>[[Kirkuk Province|Kirkuk]] (كركوك)
<li>[[As Sulaymaniyah Province|As-Sulaymāniyyah]] (السليمانية)
</ol>
|}


==Government and politics==
== Economy ==
{{main|Politics of Iraq}}
Iraq has a large amount of [[petroleum|oil]]. Iraq is the world's number four in petroleum production and the world's number two in petroleum reserves. In the past, Iraq sold much of this oil to other countries. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in August [[1990]], the [[United Nations]] stopped Iraq from selling the oil. The United Nations later allowed Iraq to sell some oil to buy food, clothes, and medicine so the people would not suffer as much. This was called the "[[Oil-for-Food]]" program.
[[File:Baghdad Convention Center inside.jpg|thumb|Baghdad Convention Center, the current meeting place of the [[Council of Representatives of Iraq]].]]
The [[federal government of Iraq]] is defined under the current [[Constitution of Iraq|Constitution]] as a [[Representative democracy|democratic]], [[Federation|federal]] [[parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[republic]]. The federal government is composed of the [[executive branch|executive]], [[legislative branch|legislative]], and [[judicial branch|judicial]] branches, as well as numerous independent commissions. Aside from the federal government, there are regions (made of one or more governorates), governorates, and districts within Iraq with jurisdiction over various matters as defined by law.<ref name=Constitution/>


The [[National Alliance (Iraq)|National Alliance]] is the main Shia parliamentary bloc, and was established as a result of a merger of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's [[State of Law Coalition]] and the [[Iraqi National Alliance]].<ref name=bbc-gpi/> The [[Iraqi National Movement]] is led by [[Iyad Allawi]], a secular Shia widely supported by Sunnis. The party has a more consistent anti-sectarian perspective than most of its rivals.<ref name=bbc-gpi/> The [[Kurdistan List]] is dominated by two parties, the [[Kurdistan Democratic Party (Iraq)|Kurdistan Democratic Party]] led by [[Masood Barzani]] and the [[Patriotic Union of Kurdistan]] headed by [[Jalal Talabani]]. Both parties are secular and enjoy close ties with the West.<ref name=bbc-gpi>{{cite news|title=Guide to political groups in Iraq|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11730332|work=BBC News|date=11 November 2010}}</ref>
==Related pages==
 
* [[Iraq at the Olympics]]
In 2008, according to the [[List of countries by Failed States Index|Failed States Index]], Iraq was the world's eleventh most politically unstable country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundforpeace.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=452&Itemid=908 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628005435/http://www.fundforpeace.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=452&Itemid=908 |archive-date=28 June 2010 |title=Failed States Index Scores 2018|work=fundforpeace.org |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/06/21/2010_failed_states_index_interactive_map_and_rankings |title=The Failed States Index 2010 |work=fundforpeace.org}}</ref> The concentration of power in the hands of Prime Minister [[Nouri al-Maliki]] and growing pressure on the opposition led to growing concern about the future of political rights in Iraq.<ref name=fh13>{{cite web|title=Freedom in the World 2013|url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/FIW%202013%20Booklet%20-%20for%20Web.pdf|publisher=Freedom House|page=21|year=2013|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref> Nevertheless, progress was made and the country had risen to 11th place by 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ffp.statesindex.org/rankings-2013-sortable |title=The Failed States Index 2013 |work=fundforpeace.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206052056/http://ffp.statesindex.org/rankings-2013-sortable |archive-date=6 February 2015 }}</ref> In August 2014, al-Maliki's reign came to an end. He announced on 14 August 2014 that he would stand aside so that [[Haider Al-Abadi]], who had been nominated just days earlier by newly installed President [[Fuad Masum]], could take over. Until that point, al-Maliki had clung to power even asking the federal court to veto the president's nomination describing it as a violation of the constitution.<ref name="NewPM">{{cite news|title=Iraq's Incumbent PM Nouri Al-Maliki Grows More Isolated As He Clings To Power |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/iraq-maliki-isolated_n_5671154.html |date=13 August 2014 |access-date=14 August 2014 |work=Huffington Post |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813210044/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/iraq-maliki-isolated_n_5671154.html |archive-date=13 August 2014 }}</ref>
* [[Iraq national football team]]
 
* [[List of rivers of Iraq]]
Transparency International ranks Iraq's government as the eighth-most-corrupt government in the world. Government payroll have increased from 1 million employees under [[Saddam Hussein]] to around 7 million employees in 2016. In combination with decreased oil prices, the government budget deficit is near 25% of GDP {{as of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21696954-two-new-governments-month-abadi-agonistes|title=Abadi agonistes|newspaper=The Economist|issn=0013-0613|access-date=21 April 2016}}</ref>
 
[[File:Pre-referendum, pro-Kurdistan, pro-independence rally in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq 25.jpg|thumb|Pro-independence rally in [[Kurdistan Region]] in September 2017]]
Since the establishment of the [[Iraqi no-fly zones|no–fly zones]] following the [[Gulf War]] of 1990–1991, the Kurds established their own [[autonomous area|autonomous region]].{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}
 
===Law===
{{main|Law of Iraq}}
In October 2005, the new [[Constitution of Iraq]] was approved in a referendum with a 78% overall majority, although the percentage of support varying widely between the country's territories.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1248677 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218133809/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1248677 |archive-date=18 February 2006 |title=Iraq's Constitution Adopted by Voters |author=Wagner, Thomas |work=ABC News |date=25 October 2005 |access-date=25 January 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The new constitution was backed by the Shia and Kurdish communities, but was rejected by Arab Sunnis. Under the terms of the constitution, the country conducted [[Iraqi parliamentary election, December 2005|fresh nationwide parliamentary elections]] on 15 December 2005. All three major [[ethnic groups in Iraq]] voted along ethnic lines, as did Assyrian and Turcoman minorities.
 
Law no. 188 of the year 1959 (Personal Status Law)<ref>{{cite web|title=Iraq Personal Status Law of 1959 (ABA Translation)|url=http://apps.americanbar.org/rol/publications/iraq_personal_status_law_1959_english_translation.pdf|publisher=American Bar Association|access-date=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714055355/http://apps.americanbar.org/rol/publications/iraq_personal_status_law_1959_english_translation.pdf|archive-date=14 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> made polygamy extremely difficult, granted child custody to the mother in case of divorce, prohibited repudiation and marriage under the age of 16.<ref name="unesco1">{{cite web|title=Women In Personal Status Laws: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria|url=http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/SHS/pdf/Women_in_Personal_Status_Laws.pdf|work=SHS Papers in Women's Studies/ Gender Research, No. 4|publisher=UNESCO|date=July 2005}}</ref> Article 1 of Civil Code also identifies Islamic law as a formal source of law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/iraq.htm |title=Iraq, Republic of |publisher=Law.emory.edu |date=16 March 1983 |access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref> Iraq had no Sharia courts but civil courts used Sharia for issues of personal status including marriage and divorce. In 1995 Iraq introduced Sharia punishment for certain types of criminal offences.<ref>{{cite book|author=Fox, Jonathan |title=A World Survey of Religion and the State|url={{Google books|rE0NcgxNaKEC|page=PA238|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2008|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-47259-3|page=238|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref> The code is based on French civil law as well as Sunni and Jafari ([[Shi'ite]]) interpretations of Sharia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.islamopediaonline.org/country-profile/iraq/islam-and-legal-system/religion-law-and-iraq%E2%80%99s-personal-status-code |title=Religion, Law, and Iraq's Personal Status Code |publisher=Islamopedia Online |access-date=17 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530225211/http://www.islamopediaonline.org/country-profile/iraq/islam-and-legal-system/religion-law-and-iraq%E2%80%99s-personal-status-code |archive-date=30 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
In 2004, the [[Coalition Provisional Authority|CPA]] chief executive L. Paul Bremer said he would veto any constitutional draft stating that sharia is the principal basis of law.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bremer will reject Islam as source for law|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4276149/|work=NBC News|access-date=21 February 2013}}</ref> The declaration enraged many local Shia clerics,<ref>{{cite web|title=Shia fume over Bremer sharia threat|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2004/02/20084916951281437.html|publisher=Al Jazeera English|access-date=21 February 2013}}</ref> and by 2005 the United States had relented, allowing a role for sharia in the constitution to help end a stalemate on the draft constitution.<ref>{{cite news|title=US relents on Islamic law to reach Iraq deal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/aug/22/iraq.rorycarroll|publisher=The Guardian, 21 August 2005 | location=London|first1=Rory|last1=Carroll|first2=Julian|last2=Borger|date=22 August 2005}}</ref>
 
The [[Iraqi Penal Code]] is the statutory law of Iraq.
 
===Military===
{{main|Iraqi Armed Forces}}
 
[[File:Iraq war map.png|thumb|left|upright|The current military control in Iraq as of 3 May 2018:<br />{{legend|#db8ca6|Controlled by [[Federal government of Iraq|Iraqi government]]}}{{legend|#d7e074|Controlled by [[Peshmerga|Iraqi Kurds]]}}]]
 
Iraqi security forces are composed of forces serving under the [[Ministry of Interior]] (which controls the [[Iraqi Police|Police]] and [[Popular Mobilization Forces]]) and the [[Ministry of Defence (Iraq)|Ministry of Defense]], as well as the Iraqi [[Counter Terrorism Bureau]], reporting directly to the [[Prime Minister of Iraq]], which oversees the [[Iraqi Special Operations Forces]]. Ministry of Defense forces include the [[Iraqi Army]], the [[Iraqi Air Force]] and the [[Iraqi Navy]]. The [[Peshmerga]] are a separate armed force loyal to the [[Kurdistan Regional Government]]. The regional government and the central government disagree as to whether they are under Baghdad's authority and to what extent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.comcast.net/~djyae/site/?/page/Iraq_Order_of_Battle/ |title=Annex H 2010 Updates |publisher=Home.comcast.net |date=January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026045154/http://home.comcast.net/~djyae/site/?%2Fpage%2FIraq_Order_of_Battle%2F |archive-date=26 October 2012 }}</ref>
 
The [[Iraqi Army]] is an objective counter-insurgency force that as of November 2009 includes 14 divisions, each division consisting of 4 brigades.<ref name="ltcolswanson-040308">Swanson, Daniel M. (3 April 2008) [http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/BloggerAssets/2008-04/04030817225620080403_LtColSwanson_transcript.pdf Coalition team assists in building combat force] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123014704/http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/BloggerAssets/2008-04/04030817225620080403_LtColSwanson_transcript.pdf |date=23 November 2009 }}, U.S. Department of Defense.</ref> It is described as the most important element of the counter-insurgency fight.<ref name="The New Iraqi Security Forces">{{cite web|url=http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718161447/http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=11 |archive-date=18 July 2006 |title=The New Iraqi Security Forces |date=20 April 2006 |access-date=25 January 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Light infantry brigades are equipped with small arms, machine guns, RPGs, body armour and light armoured vehicles. Mechanized infantry brigades are equipped with [[T-54/55]] main battle tanks and [[BMP-1]] infantry fighting vehicles.<ref name="The New Iraqi Security Forces"/> As of mid-2008, logistical problems included a maintenance crisis and ongoing supply problems.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/JulAug08/foster_iraqi_logsuccess.html |title=Fostering Iraqi Army Logistics Success |journal=Army Logistician |volume=40 |issue=4 |date=July–August 2008 |author=Magee, Thomas M. |access-date=15 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170658/http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/JulAug08/foster_iraqi_logsuccess.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Iraqi T-72 tank fires.JPG|thumb|220px|Right|Iraqi T-72 tank fires.]]
 
The [[Iraqi Air Force]] is designed to support ground forces with surveillance, reconnaissance and troop lift. Two reconnaissance squadrons use light aircraft, three helicopter squadrons are used to move troops and one air transportation squadron uses C-130 transport aircraft to move troops, equipment, and supplies. It currently has 3,000 personnel. It is planned to increase to 18,000 personnel, with 550 aircraft by 2018.<ref name="The New Iraqi Security Forces"/>
 
The [[Iraqi Navy]] is a small force with 1,500 sailors and officers, including 800 [[Marines (military)|Marines]], designed to protect shoreline and inland waterways from insurgent infiltration. The navy is also responsible for the security of offshore oil platforms. The navy will have coastal patrol squadrons, assault boat squadrons and a [[Marines (military)|marine]] battalion.<ref name="The New Iraqi Security Forces"/> The force will consist of 2,000 to 2,500 sailors by year 2010.<ref name="WSR070321">{{cite web|title=Iraq Weekly Status Report 21 March 2007|url=http://2001-2009.state.gov/documents/organization/82192.pdf|publisher=Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs US Department of State|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
 
On 4 November 2019, more than 100 [[Australian Defence Force]] personnel left [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] for the 10th rotation of Task Group [[Taji]] base in north of [[Baghdad]]. The Australian contingent mentors the Iraqi School of Infantry, where the [[Iraqi Security Forces]] are trained. However, [[Australia|Australia's]] contribution was reduced from 250 to 120 ADF personnel, which along with [[New Zealand]] had trained over 45,000 ISF members before that.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theislanderonline.com.au/story/6474585/iraqis-take-on-military-training-from-aust/|title= Iraqis take on military training from Aust|access-date=4 November 2019|website=The Islander|date= 4 November 2019}}</ref>
 
===Foreign relations===
{{main|Foreign relations of Iraq}}
[[File:Haider al-Abadi and Donald Trump in the Oval Office, March 2017.jpg|thumb|US President [[Donald Trump]] with Iraqi Prime Minister [[Haider al-Abadi]] in 2017.]]
{{expand section|date=June 2012}}
On 17 November 2008, the US and Iraq agreed to a [[Status of Forces Agreement]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/iraq/SE_SOFA.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825022056/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/iraq/SE_SOFA.pdf |archive-date=25 August 2009 |title=US-Iraq SOFA |access-date=18 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> as part of the broader [[Strategic Framework Agreement]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/11/20081127-2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414161624/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/iraq/SE_SFA.pdf |archive-date=14 April 2010 |title=Strategic Framework Agreement |access-date=16 November 2015 |format=PDF |page=8 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This agreement states "the Government of Iraq requests" US forces to temporarily remain in Iraq to "maintain security and stability" and that Iraq has jurisdiction over military contractors, and US personnel when not on US bases or on–duty.
 
On 12 February 2009, Iraq officially became the 186th State Party to the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]]. Under the provisions of this [[treaty]], Iraq is considered a party with declared [[stockpile]]s of [[chemical weapons]]. Because of their late accession, Iraq is the only State Party exempt from the existing timeline for destruction of their chemical weapons. Specific criteria is in development to address the unique nature of Iraqi accession.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opcw.org/news/article/iraq-joins-the-chemical-weapons-convention |title=Iraq Joins the Chemical Weapons Convention |publisher=The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons -Opcw.org |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref>
 
[[Iran–Iraq relations]] have flourished since 2005 by the exchange of high level visits: Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki made frequent visits to Iran, along with Jalal Talabani visiting numerous times, to help boost bilateral co-operation in all fields.{{Citation needed|date=February 2016}} A conflict occurred in December 2009, when Iraq accused Iran of seizing an oil well on the border.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-iran-idUSTRE5BH1Y920091219|title=Iran, Iraq seek diplomatic end to border dispute|author=Muhanad Mohammed|work=Reuters|date=19 December 2012|access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref>
 
[[Iraq–Turkey relations|Relationships with Turkey]] are tense, largely because of the [[Kurdistan Regional Government]], as clashes between Turkey and the [[Kurdistan Workers' Party|PKK]] continue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ipsnews.net/2007/10/turkey-relations-with-iraq-become-explosive/ |title=TURKEY:Relations with Iraq become explosive |publisher=Ipsnews.net |date= 30 October 2007}}</ref> In October 2011, the Turkish parliament renewed a law that gives Turkish forces the ability to pursue rebels over the border in Iraq."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/19/world/meast/turkey-attack/index.html |date=19 October 2011 |title=24 soldiers killed in attack in Turkey |work=CNN}}</ref>
 
On 5 January 2020, the [[Iraqi parliament]] voted for a resolution that urges the government to work on expelling U.S. troops from Iraq. The resolution was passed two days after [[2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike|a U.S. drone strike that killed]] Iranian [[Qasem Soleimani|Major General Qasem Soleimani]] of the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] and commander of the [[Quds Force]]. The resolution specifically calls for ending of a 2014 agreement allowing Washington to help Iraq against [[Islamic State of Iraq|Islamic State groups]] by sending troops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/iraqi-parliament-votes-to-expel-us-troops-awaits-government-approval/a-51892888 |title=Iraqi parliament votes to expel US troops |publisher=Deutsche Welle |access-date=5 January 2020}}</ref> This resolution will also signify ending an agreement with Washington to station troops in Iraq as [[Iran]] vows to retaliate after the killing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/us-to-send-more-troops-to-middle-east-as-iran-vows-retaliation-after-killing-of-top-general-as-it-happened/a-51874503 |title=US to send more troops to Middle East |publisher=Deutsche Welle |access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref> On 28 September 2020, [[Washington (state)|Washington]] made preparations to withdraw diplomats from Iraq, as a result of Iranian-backed militias firing rockets at the [[Embassy of the United States, Baghdad|American Embassy in Baghdad]]. The officials said that the move was seen as an escalation of US’ confrontation with Iran.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/us/politics/pompeo-embassy-baghdad-iraq.html|title=Pompeo Threatens to Close U.S. Embassy in Iraq Unless Militias Halt Attacks|access-date=29 September 2020|website=The New York Times|date=29 September 2020|last1=Wong|first1=Edward|last2=Jakes|first2=Lara|last3=Schmitt|first3=Eric}}</ref>
 
===Human rights===
{{main|Human rights in Iraq}}
{{See also|Human rights in ISIL-controlled territory|Mass executions in ISIL occupied Mosul}}
Relations between Iraq and its [[Iraqi Kurds|Kurdish population]] have been sour in recent history, especially with [[Al-Anfal Campaign|Saddam Hussein's genocidal campaign]] against them in the 1980s. After [[1991 uprisings in Iraq|uprisings during the early 90s]], many Kurds fled their homeland and [[no-fly zone]]s were established in northern Iraq to prevent more conflicts. Despite historically poor relations, some progress has been made, and Iraq elected its first Kurdish president, [[Jalal Talabani]], in 2005. Furthermore, [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] is now an official language of Iraq alongside [[Arabic language|Arabic]] according to Article 4 of the Constitution.<ref name=Constitution/>
 
[[LGBT rights in Iraq]] remain limited. Although [[sodomy law|decriminalised]], [[homosexuality]] remains [[homophobia|stigmatised in Iraqi society]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/02/24/here-are-the-10-countries-where-homosexuality-may-be-punished-by-death/ |title=Here are the 10 countries where homosexuality may be punished by death |date=24 February 2014 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
 
===Administrative divisions===
{{main|Governorates of Iraq}}
[[File:Iraq, administrative divisions - Nmbrs - colored.svg|300px]]
Iraq is composed of nineteen [[governorate]]s (or [[province]]s) (Arabic: ''muhafadhat'' (singular ''muhafadhah''); Kurdish: پارێزگا ''Pârizgah''). The governorates are subdivided into [[Districts of Iraq|districts]] (or ''qadhas''), which are further divided into [[Nahiyah|sub-districts]] (or ''nawāḥī''). [[Kurdistan Region]] ([[Erbil Governorate|Erbil]], [[Dohuk Governorate|Dohuk]], [[As Sulaymaniyah Governorate|Sulaymaniyah]] and [[Halabja Governorate|Halabja]]) is the only legally defined region within Iraq, with its own [[Kurdistan Regional Government|government]] and quasi-official army [[Peshmerga]].
 
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em
|# [[Dohuk Governorate|Dohuk]]
# [[Nineveh Governorate|Nineveh]]
# [[Erbil Governorate|Erbil]]
# [[Kirkuk Governorate|Kirkuk]]
# [[Sulaymaniyah Governorate|Sulaymaniyah]]
# [[Saladin Governorate|Saladin]]
# [[Al Anbar Governorate|Al Anbar]]
# [[Baghdad Governorate|Baghdad]]
# [[Diyala Governorate|Diyala]]
# [[Karbala Governorate|Karbala]]
# [[Babil Governorate|Babil]]
# [[Wasit Governorate|Wasit]]
# [[Najaf Governorate|Najaf]]
# [[Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate|Al-Qādisiyyah]]
# [[Maysan Governorate|Maysan]]
# [[Muthanna Governorate|Muthanna]]
# [[Dhi Qar Governorate|Dhi Qar]]
# [[Basra Governorate|Basra]]
# [[Halabja Governorate|Halabja]] (not shown)
}}
 
==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Iraq}}
[[File:Iraq GDP per capita 1950-2008.png|thumb|left|GNP per capita in Iraq from 1950 to 2008.|alt=Graph of Iraqi GNP, showing highest GNP in 1980]]
[[File:2006Iraqi exports.PNG|thumb|left|Global distribution of Iraqi exports in 2006.]]
Iraq's economy is dominated by the [[Petroleum|oil]] sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. The lack of development in other sectors has resulted in 18%–30% unemployed and a per capita GDP of $4,000.<ref name=cia>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ |title=Iraq |work=[[The World Factbook]]}}</ref> Public sector employment accounted for nearly 60% of full-time employment in 2011.<ref name=usaid11>{{cite web|title=Unemployment Threatens Democracy in Iraq|url=https://www.inma-iraq.com/sites/default/files/10_unemployment_threatens_democracy_2011jan00.pdf|publisher=USAID Iraq|date=January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511015353/https://www.inma-iraq.com/sites/default/files/10_unemployment_threatens_democracy_2011jan00.pdf|archive-date=11 May 2013}}</ref> The oil export industry, which dominates the Iraqi economy, generates very little employment.<ref name=usaid11/> Currently only a modest percentage of women (the highest estimate for 2011 was 22%) participate in the labour force.<ref name=usaid11/>
 
Prior to US occupation, Iraq's [[Planned economy#Central planning|centrally planned economy]] prohibited foreign ownership of Iraqi businesses, ran most large industries as state-owned enterprises, and imposed large [[tariff]]s to keep out foreign goods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reliefweb.int/report/iraq/iraqs-economy-past-present-future |title=Iraq's economy: Past, present, future |publisher=Reliefweb.int |date=3 June 2003 |access-date=7 January 2013}}</ref> After the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], the [[Coalition Provisional Authority]] quickly began issuing many binding orders [[Privatization|privatising]] Iraq's economy and opening it up to [[Foreign direct investment|foreign investment]].
[[File:Iraqi Kurdish villagers in field near Turkish border.jpg|thumb|upright|Agriculture is the main occupation of the people.]]
 
On 20 November 2004, the [[Paris Club]] of creditor nations agreed to write off 80% ($33 billion) of Iraq's $42 billion debt to Club members. Iraq's total external debt was around $120 billion at the time of the 2003 invasion, and had grown another $5 billion by 2004. The [[debt relief]] will be implemented in three stages: two of 30% each and one of 20%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6874713 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041121210518/https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6874713 |archive-date=21 November 2004 |title=G7, Paris Club Agree on Iraq Debt Relief |date=21 November 2004 |access-date=19 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
The official currency in Iraq is the [[Iraqi dinar]]. The [[Coalition Provisional Authority]] issued new dinar coins and notes, with the notes printed by [[De La Rue]] using modern anti-forgery techniques.<ref>{{cite web|author=Coalition Provisional Authority |url=http://www.cpa-iraq.org/budget/IraqCurrencyExchange.html |title=Iraq Currency Exchange |access-date=28 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515093736/http://www.cpa-iraq.org/budget/IraqCurrencyExchange.html |archive-date=15 May 2007 |url-status=dead |author-link=Coalition Provisional Authority }}</ref> [[Jim Cramer]]'s 20 October 2009 endorsement of the [[Iraqi dinar]] on [[CNBC]] has further piqued interest in the investment.<ref name="Jim Cramer on the Iraqi Dinar">Odio, Sam. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100724214847/http://dinarprofits.com/iraqi_dinar_information/jim_cramer_mad_money/ Jim Cramer on the Iraqi Dinar]. dinarprofits.com</ref>
 
Five years after the invasion, an estimated 2.4 million people were [[Internally displaced person|internally displaced]] (with a further two million refugees outside Iraq), four million Iraqis were considered food-insecure (a quarter of children were chronically malnourished) and only a third of Iraqi children had access to safe drinking water.<ref name=ODI1>{{cite web|url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=1089&title=humanitarian-action-iraq |title=Humanitarian action in Iraq: putting the pieces together |author=Sarah Bailey and Rachel Atkinson |publisher=Overseas Development Institute |date=19 November 2012 |access-date=25 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515071043/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=1089&title=humanitarian-action-iraq |archive-date=15 May 2012 }}</ref>
 
According to the [[Overseas Development Institute]], [[International non-governmental organization|international NGOs]] face challenges in carrying out their mission, leaving their assistance "piecemeal and largely conducted undercover, hindered by insecurity, a lack of coordinated funding, limited operational capacity and patchy information".<ref name=ODI1/> International NGOs have been targeted and during the first 5 years, 94 aid workers were killed, 248 injured, 24 arrested or detained and 89 kidnapped or abducted.<ref name=ODI1/>
 
===Oil and energy===
{{main|Oil reserves in Iraq|Energy in Iraq}}
[[File:Tankers at the Iraqi Al Basra Oil Terminal in the Northern Arabian Gulf.jpg|thumb|Tankers at the [[Al Başrah Oil Terminal]].]]
With its {{convert|143.1|Goilbbl|m3}} of proved oil reserves, Iraq ranks third in the world behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia in the amount of [[oil reserves]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/reserves.html |title=World Proved Reserves of Oil and Natural Gas, Most Recent Estimates |publisher=Energy Information Administration |date=3 March 2009 |access-date=25 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/10/04/iraq.oil.reserves/index.html | work=CNN | title=Iraqi oil reserves estimated at 143B barrels | date=4 October 2010}}</ref> Oil production levels reached 3.4 million barrels per day by December 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/3/iraqs-flood-of-cheap-oil-could-rock-world-markets-/?page=all |title=Iraq's flood of 'cheap oil' could rock world markets |newspaper=The Washington Times |date=3 February 2013 |access-date=7 February 2013}}</ref> Only about 2,000 [[oil well]]s have been drilled in Iraq, compared with about 1 million wells in [[Texas]] alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat6p3.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109035129/http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat6p3.html |archive-date=9 November 2010 |title=U.S. Electricity Imports from and Electricity Exports to Canada and Mexico Data for 2008 |date=26 July 2010 |access-date=25 January 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Iraq was one of the founding members of [[OPEC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/164.htm |title=Iraq facts and figures |publisher=OPEC |access-date=7 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iraqidinar123.com/opec-announces-it-will-absorb/ |title=OPEC Announces it Will Absorb The Increase in Iraq's |publisher=Iraqidinar123 |access-date=29 January 2014}}</ref>
 
During the 1970s Iraq produced up to 3.5 million [[Barrel (unit)|barrels per day]], but [[Sanctions against Iraq|sanctions imposed against Iraq]] after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990 crippled the country's oil sector. The sanctions prohibited Iraq from exporting oil until 1996 and Iraq's output declined by 85% in the years following the First [[Gulf War]]. The sanctions were lifted in 2003 after the US-led invasion removed Saddam Hussein from power, but development of Iraq's oil resources has been hampered by the ongoing conflict.<ref name=atlantic />
 
{{As of|2010}}, despite improved security and billions of dollars in oil revenue, Iraq still generates about half the electricity that customers demand, leading to protests during the hot summer months.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128000162|title=Iraqi Minister Resigns Over Electricity Shortages|access-date=23 July 2010|date=22 June 2010}}</ref>
 
The [[Iraq oil law (2007)|Iraq oil law]], a proposed piece of legislation submitted to the [[Council of Representatives of Iraq]] in 2007, has failed to gain approval due to disagreements among Iraq's various political blocs.<ref>Lionel Beehner and Greg Bruno, [https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/why-iraqis-cannot-agree-oil-law Backgrounder: Why Iraqis Cannot Agree on an Oil Law], Council on Foreign Relations (last updated 22 February 2008).</ref><ref>Ahmed Rasheed, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-oil-law/iraq-oil-law-deal-festers-as-crisis-drags-on-idUSTRE80P0S720120126 Iraq oil law deal festers as crisis drags on], Reuters (26 January 2012).</ref>
 
According to a US Study from May 2007, between {{convert|100000|oilbbl/d|m3/d}} and {{convert|300000|oilbbl/d|m3/d}} of Iraq's declared oil production over the past four years could have been siphoned off through corruption or smuggling.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2007/0512billionsoil.htm | title=Billions in Oil Missing in Iraq, US Study Says | newspaper=New York Times | author=Glanz, James |date=12 May 2007}}</ref> In 2008, Al Jazeera reported $13 billion of Iraqi oil revenues in US care was improperly accounted for, of which $2.6 billion is totally unaccounted for.<ref>{{cite web |author=AlJazeeraEnglish |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noT9auswz0A |title=Inside Story – Iraq's missing billions |publisher=YouTube |date=29 July 2010 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> Some reports that the government has reduced corruption in public procurement of oil; however, reliable reports of bribery and kickbacks to government officials persist.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iraq Country Profile|url=http://www.business-anti-corruption.com/country-profiles/iraq|publisher=Business Anti-Corruption Portal}}</ref>
 
In June 2008, the [[Ministry of Oil (Iraq)|Iraqi Oil Ministry]] announced plans to go ahead with small one- or two-year [[Multisourcing#Sole sourcing|no-bid contracts]] to [[ExxonMobil]], [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]], [[Total S.A.|Total]] and [[BP]]—once partners in the [[Iraq Petroleum Company]]—along with [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]] and smaller firms to service Iraq's largest fields.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html |title=Deals With Iraq Are Set to Bring Oil Giants Back |first=Andrew E. |last=Kramer |newspaper=The New York Times |date=19 June 2008}}</ref> These plans were cancelled in September because negotiations had stalled for so long that the work could not be completed within the time frame, according to Iraqi oil minister [[Hussain al-Shahristani]]. Several United States senators had also criticised the deal, arguing it was hindering efforts to pass the hydrocarbon law.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html |title=Iraq Cancels Six No-Bid Oil Contracts |first=Andrew E. |last=Kramer |newspaper=The New York Times |date=10 September 2008}}</ref>
 
On 30 June and 11 December 2009, the [[Ministry of Oil (Iraq)|Iraqi ministry of oil]] awarded service contracts to international oil companies for some of Iraq's many oil fields.<ref name="aljazeera091211">{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/12/200912117243440687.html |title=Oil firms awarded Iraq contracts|publisher=English.aljazeera.net |date=11 December 2009 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref><ref name="aljazeera090630">{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/200963093615637434.html |title="BP group wins Iraq oil contract", Al Jazeera English, 30 June 2009 |publisher=English.aljazeera.net |date=30 June 2009 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> Oil fields contracted include the "super-giant" [[Majnoon oil field]], [[Halfaya Field]], [[West Qurna Field]] and [[Rumaila oil field|Rumaila Field]].<ref name="aljazeera090630"/> [[BP]] and [[China National Petroleum Corporation]] won a deal to develop Rumaila, the largest Iraqi oil field.<ref>Wong, Edward (28 June 2011) [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/world/asia/29chinairaq.html "China Opens Oil Field in Iraq"]. The New York Times.</ref><ref>Iraq123 News (1 October 2013) [http://www.iraqidinar123.com/export-of-iraq/ "Development is Main Dependent on Export of Iraq"]. Iraq123 News.</ref>
 
On 14 March 2014, the [[International Energy Agency]] said Iraq's oil output jumped by half a million barrels a day in February to average 3.6 million barrels a day. The country had not pumped that much oil since 1979, when Saddam Hussein rose to power.<ref>The Wall Street Journal(14 March 2014) [https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304914904579438860227481506 "Iraq's Oil Output Surges to Highest Level in Over 30 Years"]. The Wall Street Journal.</ref> However, on 14 July 2014, as sectarian strife had taken hold, [[Kurdistan Regional Government]] forces seized control of the Bai Hassan and [[Kirkuk Field|Kirkuk]] oilfields in the north of the country, taking them from Iraq's control. Baghdad condemned the seizure and threatened "dire consequences" if the fields were not returned.<ref name="KurdsOilfields">{{cite news|title=Tensions mount between Baghdad and Kurdish region as Kurds seize oil fields|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/tensions-mount-between-baghdad-and-iraqs-kurds/2014/07/11/7baeea5e-2bfe-4d07-942b-1653af3d60a3_story.html|access-date=11 July 2014|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref>
 
The UN estimates that oil accounts for 99% of Iraq's revenue.<ref name=atlantic>{{Cite news| issn = 1072-7825| last = Calamur| first = Krishnadev| title = Oil Was Supposed to Rebuild Iraq| work = The Atlantic| access-date = 20 March 2018| date = 19 March 2018| url = https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/03/iraq-oil/555827/}}</ref>
 
===Water supply and sanitation===
[[File:20160104-Lake in Samawa desert Iraq 0356.jpg|thumb|A reservoir in the [[Samawah]] desert Southern Iraq]]
{{Main|Water supply and sanitation in Iraq}}
[[Water supply]] and [[sanitation]] in Iraq is characterized by poor [[Water quality|water]] and service quality. Three decades of war, combined with limited environmental awareness, have destroyed Iraq's [[Water resource management|water resources management]] system.
Access to potable water differs significantly among governorates and between urban and rural areas.
91% of the entire population has access to potable water. But in rural areas, only 77% of the population has access to improved drinking water sources compared to 98% in urban areas.<ref name="UNWater">{{cite web|url=http://www.iraqicivilsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Water-Factsheet.pdf|title=Water in Iraq Factsheet|access-date=3 February 2018|date=March 2013|author=UN Iraq Joint Analysis and Policy Unit}}</ref>
Large amounts of water are wasted during production.<ref name="UNWater" />
 
===Infrastructure===
[[File:Mosul Dam USACE NWD.jpg|thumb|[[Mosul Dam]].]]
Although many infrastructure projects are underway, Iraq remains in deep housing crisis, with the war-ravaged country likely to complete only 5 percent of the 2.5 million homes it needs to build by 2016 to keep up with demand, the Minister for Construction and Housing said in September 2013.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/iraq-housing-idUSL5N0HC2GD20130916 | work=Reuters | first=Matt | last=Smith | title=Iraq faces chronic housing shortage, needs foreign investment -minister | date=16 September 2013}}</ref>
* In 2009, the IBBC was established ([https://web.archive.org/web/20100128121731/http://www.webuildiraq.org/ Iraq Britain Business Council]). The council was established by [[Emma Nicholson, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne]].
* In August 2009, two American firms reached a deal with the [[Federal government of Iraq|Iraqi Government]] to build [[Basra Sports City]], a new sports complex.
* In October 2012, the Emirati property firm, [[Emaar Properties]] reached a deal with the Iraqi Ministry of Construction and Housing to build and develop housing and commercial projects in Iraq.
* In January 2013, the Emirati property firm, [[Nakheel Properties]] signed a deal to build Al Nakheel City, a future town in [[Basra]], Iraq.
 
==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Iraq}}
{{further|Iraqis}}
{{Historical populations
|source = <ref name="Issawi1988">{{cite book|author=Charles Philip Issawi|title=The Fertile Crescent, 1800–1914: A Documentary Economic History|url={{Google books|F2TGkO7G43oC|page=PA17|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1988|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-504951-0|page=17|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population Census|url=http://cosit.gov.iq/AAS/AAS2012/section_2/test.htm|publisher=Central Organization for Statistics|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population Of Iraq For The Years 1977 – 2011 (000)|url=http://cosit.gov.iq/AAS/AAS2012/section_2/1.htm|publisher=Central Organization for Statistics|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
|title = Historical populations in millions
|percentages = pagr
|1878 |2.0
|1947 |4.8
|1957 |6.3
|1977 |12.0
|1987 |16.3
|1997 |22.0
|2009 |31.6
|2016 |37.2
}}
[[File:Bevölkerungsstruktur Irak 2014.jpg|thumb|Population pyramid]]
The {{UN_Population|Year}} estimate of the total Iraqi population is {{UN_Population|Iraq}}.{{UN_Population|ref}} Iraq's population was estimated to be 2 million in 1878.<ref name="Issawi1988"/> In 2013 Iraq's population reached 35 million amid a post-war population boom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.aswataliraq.info/(S(s0hfzsnuvqwhq445fuqqwg55))/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=153148&l=1 |title=Iraqi population reaches about 35 million |publisher=Aswat Al Iraq |date=27 April 2013 |access-date=1 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114203319/http://en.aswataliraq.info/%28S%28j2xgdq450hsdyz455nf0n125%29%29/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=153148&l=1 |archive-date=14 January 2015 }}</ref>
 
===Ethnic groups===
Iraq's native population is predominantly [[Arabs|Arab]], but also includes other ethnic groups such as [[Kurds]], [[Iraqi Turkmen|Turkmens]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Yazidis]], [[Shabaks]], [[Armenians in Iraq|Armenians]], [[Mandaeans|Sabian-Mandaeans]], [[Circassians]], and [[Kawliya]].
 
A report by the [[European Parliamentary Research Service]] suggests that, in 2015, there were 24 million Arabs (14 million [[Shia]] and 9 million [[Sunni]]); 4.7 million Sunni [[Kurds]] (plus 500,000 [[Faili Kurds]] and 200,000 [[Kaka'i]]); 3 million (mostly Sunni [[Iraqi Turkmens|Iraqi Turkmen]]); 1 million [[Black Iraqis]]; 500,000 [[Christians]] (including [[Chaldean Catholics|Chaldeans]], [[Syriac Orthodox Church|Syriacs]], [[Assyrians in Iraq|Assyrians]] and [[Armenians in Iraq|Armenians]]); 500,000 [[Yazidis]]; 250,000 [[Shabaks]]; 50,000 [[Gypsies in Iraq|Roma]]; 3,000 [[Mandaeans|Sabian-Mandaeans]]; 2,000 [[Circassians in Iraq|Circassians]]; 1,000 of the [[Baháʼí Faith]]; and a few dozen [[History of the Jews in Iraq|Jews]].<ref name="EPRS">{{cite web|year=2015|title=Minorities in Iraq Pushed to the brink of existence|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf|access-date=19 June 2018|publisher=[[European Parliamentary Research Service]]|pages=3–4}}</ref>
 
According to the [[The World Factbook|CIA World Factbook]], citing a 1987 Iraqi government estimate,<ref name="cia" /> the population of Iraq is 75–80% [[Arabs|Arab]] followed by 15% [[Kurds in Iraq|Kurds]].<ref name="cia" /> In addition, the estimate claims that other minorities form 5% of the country's population, including the [[Iraqi Turkmens|Turkmen/Turcoman]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Yezidis]], [[Shabak people|Shabak]], [[Kaka'i]], [[Bedouins]], [[Gypsies in Iraq|Roma]], [[Circassians in Iraq|Circassians]], Sabian-Mandaeans, and [[Ajam of Iraq|Persians]].<ref name="cia" /> However, the [[International Crisis Group]] points out that figures from the 1987 census, as well as the 1967, 1977, and 1997 censuses, "are all considered highly problematic, due to suspicions of regime manipulation" because Iraqi citizens were only allowed to indicate belonging to either the Arab or Kurdish ethnic groups;<ref name="ICG">{{cite web|year=2008|title=Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds: Conflict or Cooperation?|url=http://www.genocidewatch.org/images/Iraq_08_11_13_Turkey_and_Iraqi_Kurds_Conflict_or_Cooperation.pdf|publisher=[[International Crisis Group]]|page=16|access-date=19 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808043240/http://www.genocidewatch.org/images/Iraq_08_11_13_Turkey_and_Iraqi_Kurds_Conflict_or_Cooperation.pdf|archive-date=8 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> consequently, this skewed the number of other ethnic minorities, such as Iraq's third largest ethnic group – the Turkmens.<ref name="ICG" />
 
Around 20,000 [[Marsh Arabs]] live in southern Iraq.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2807821.stm|title=BBC News – Iraq's 'devastated' Marsh Arabs|date=3 March 2003|access-date = 1 May 2008 | first=Heather | last=Sharp}}</ref>
 
Iraq has a community of 2,500 [[Chechen people|Chechens]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/12785/chechens_in_the_middle_east.html |title=Chechens in the Middle East: Between Original and Host Cultures |publisher=Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs |date=18 September 2002 |access-date=21 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722061015/http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/12785/chechens_in_the_middle_east.html |archive-date=22 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In southern Iraq, [[Afro Iraqis|there is a community of Iraqis of African]] descent, a legacy of the [[slavery]] practised in the Islamic Caliphate beginning before the [[Zanj Rebellion]] of the 9th century, and [[Basra]]'s role as a key port.<ref name="zanj">{{cite news|last=Williams|first=Timothy|title=In Iraq's African Enclave, Color Is Plainly Seen|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/world/middleeast/03basra.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2 December 2009}}</ref> It is the most populous country in the [[Arabian Plate]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=McCoy|first1=John|title=Geo-data: the world geographical encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/geodata00john|url-access=registration|date=2003|page=[https://archive.org/details/geodata00john/page/281 281]|isbn=9780787655815}}</ref>
 
===Languages===
{{main|Languages of Iraq}}
[[File:Children puppy sulaimania.jpg|thumb|[[Kurdish people|Kurdish]] children in [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
The main languages spoken in Iraq are [[Mesopotamian Arabic language|Mesopotamian Arabic]] and [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]], followed by the [[Iraqi Turkmens#Language|Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman dialect]] of [[Turkish language|Turkish]], and the [[Neo-Aramaic]] languages (specifically [[Chaldean Neo-Aramaic|Chaldean]] and [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic|Assyrian]]).<ref>{{citation |last=Jastrow|first=Otto O.|year=2006|chapter=Iraq|title=Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics|volume=2|page=414|editor1-last=Versteegh|editor1-first=Kees|editor2-last=Eid|editor2-first=Mushira|editor3-last=Elgibali|editor3-first=Alaa|editor4-last=Woidich|editor4-first=Manfred|editor5-last=Zaborski|editor5-first=Andrzej|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|isbn=978-90-04-14474-3 }}</ref> Arabic and Kurdish are written with versions of the [[Arabic script]]. Since 2005, the Turkmen/Turkoman have switched from the Arabic script to the [[Turkish alphabet]].<ref name="Shanks 2016 loc=57">{{citation|last=Shanks|first=Kelsey|year=2016|title=Education and Ethno-Politics: Defending Identity in Iraq|page=57|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=978-1-317-52043-6}}</ref> In addition, the Neo-Aramaic languages use the [[Syriac script]].
 
Other smaller minority languages include [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]], [[Shabaki language|Shabaki]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]], [[Circassian language|Circassian]] and [[Persian language|Persian]].
 
Prior to the invasion in 2003, [[Arabic language|Arabic]] was the sole official language. Since the new [[Constitution of Iraq]] was approved in 2005, both Arabic and [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] are recognized (Article 4) as official languages of Iraq, while three other languages: [[Iraqi Turkmens#Language|Turkmen]], [[Syriac language|Syriac]] and [[Armenian language|Armenian]], are also recognized as [[minority languages]]. In addition, any region or province may declare other languages official if a majority of the population approves in a general referendum.<ref name=Constitution/>
 
According to the [[Constitution of Iraq]] (Article 4):
:The Arabic language and the Kurdish language are the two official languages of Iraq. The right of Iraqis to educate their children in their mother tongue, such as Turkmen, Syriac, and Armenian shall be guaranteed in government educational institutions in accordance with educational guidelines, or in any other language in private educational institutions.<ref name=Constitution/>
 
===Urban areas===
{{Main|List of cities in Iraq}}
 
{{Largest cities of Iraq}}
 
===Religion===
{{Main|Religion in Iraq|Islam in Iraq|Christianity in Iraq}}
{{Bar box
| title=Religion in Iraq, 2021<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/|title=Iraq – the World Factbook}}</ref>
| titlebar=#ddd
| float=right
| bars=
{{Bar percent|[[Sunni Islam]]|lime|34}}
{{Bar percent|[[Shia Islam]]|green|64}}
{{Bar percent|Other religions|orange|2}}
}}
[[File:ImamAliMosqueNajafIraq.JPG|thumb|[[Imam Ali Mosque]] in Najaf.]]
[[File:Mor-mattai.png|thumb|right|[[Mar Mattai Monastery]] near [[Bartella]].]]
Religions in Iraq are dominantly [[Abrahamic religions]] with the CIA World Factbook (2021) stating; that 95–98% were Muslim (Shia 64–69%, Sunni 29–34%), Christian <0.1%, Yazidi <0.1%, Sabian-Mandaean <0.1%, Baháʼí <0.1%, Zoroastrian <0.1%, Hindu <0.1%, Buddhist <0.1%, ''Jewish'' <0.1%, folk religion <0.1, unaffiliated 0.1%, other <0.1%<ref name=cia /> It has a mixed [[Shia Islam|Shia]] and [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] population. An older 2011 Pew Research Center estimates that 47~51% of Muslims in Iraq see themselves as Shia, 42% are Sunni, while 5% identify themselves as "Just a Muslim".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/06/18/the-sunni-shia-divide-where-they-live-what-they-believe-and-how-they-view-each-other/|title=Iraq's unique place in the Sunni-Shia divide – Pew Research Center|date=18 June 2014|work=Pew Research Center}}</ref>
 
The Sunni population complains of facing discrimination in almost all aspects of life by the government. However, former Prime Minister [[Nouri al-Maliki]] denied that such discrimination occurs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Shias dominate Sunnis in the new Iraq|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/shias-dominate-sunnis-in-the-new-iraq-1.1269416|publisher=CBC news World|access-date=10 April 2014}}</ref>
 
Christianity in Iraq has its roots from the conception of the [[Church of the East]] in the 5th century AD, predating the existence of Islam in the region. Christians in Iraq are predominantly native [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] belonging to the [[Ancient Church of the East]], [[Assyrian Church of the East]], [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], [[Syriac Catholic Church]] and [[Syriac Orthodox Church]]. There is also a significant population of [[Armenian Christians]] in Iraq who had fled [[Turkey]] during the [[Armenian genocide]]. Christians numbered over 1.4 million in 1987 or 8% of the estimated population of 16.3 million and 550,000 in 1947 or 12% of the population of 4.6 millions.<ref>{{cite web|title=IRAQ: Christians live in fear of death squads|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report/61897/iraq-christians-live-in-fear-of-death-squads|work=IRIN Middle East|publisher=IRIN|access-date=21 October 2013|date=19 October 2006}}</ref> After the 2003 [[invasion of Iraq]], violence against Christians rose, with reports of abduction, torture, bombings, and killings.<ref name=besieged>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7295145.stm | title = Christians besieged in Iraq | last = Harrison | first = Frances |date = 13 March 2008 | work = [[BBC]] | access-date = 31 October 2010}}</ref> The post-2003 [[Iraq War]] have displaced much of the [[Assyrian exodus from Iraq|remaining Christian community from their homeland]] as a result of ethnic and religious persecution at the hands of [[Islamic extremism|Islamic extremists]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28686998|title=Iraq Christians flee as Islamic State takes Qaraqosh|work=BBC News|access-date=5 March 2015|date=7 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/05/A453003E-DEC4-491A-9069-81255C27A7FA.html2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907133733/http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/05/A453003E-DEC4-491A-9069-81255C27A7FA.html2006 |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 September 2012 |title=Population 'under attack', Radio Free Europe |publisher=Rferl.org |access-date=18 June 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/dec/24/iraq-minorities-assyrians|title=The desperate plight of Iraq's Assyrians and other minorities|author=Mardean Isaac|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=5 March 2015|date=24 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3529364.stm |work=BBC News |title=Analysis: Iraq's Christians under attack |date=2 August 2004 |access-date=25 April 2010}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|last1=Bowcott |first1=Owen |last2=Jones |first2=Sam|date=8 August 2014|title=Isis persecution of Iraqi Christians has become genocide, says religious leaders|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/08/isis-persecution-iraqi-christians-genocide-asylum|newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809003137/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/08/isis-persecution-iraqi-christians-genocide-asylum|archive-date=9 August 2014 |access-date=8 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Telegraph-1">{{cite news|last=McQuade|first=Romsin|date=30 July 2014|title=Iraq's persecuted Assyrian Christians are in limbo|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11000168/Iraqs-persecuted-Assyrian-Christians-are-in-limbo.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809003145/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11000168/Iraqs-persecuted-Assyrian-Christians-are-in-limbo.html |archive-date=9 August 2014 |access-date=8 August 2014}}</ref>
 
There are also small [[ethno-religious]] minority populations of [[Mandaeans|Sabian-Mandaeans]], [[Shabaks]], [[Yarsan]] and [[Yezidi]]s remaining. Prior to 2003 their numbers together may have been 2 million, the majority Yarsan, a non-Islamic religion with roots in pre-Islamic and pre-Christian religion. The [[Iraqi Jewish]] community, numbering around 150,000 in 1941, has almost entirely left the country.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stone |first=Andrea |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-07-27-iraq-jews-usat_x.htm |title=Embattled Jewish community down to last survivors |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=27 July 2003 |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref>
 
Iraq is home to two of the world's holiest places among Shias that contain graves: [[Najaf]] and [[Karbala]].<ref>On Point: The United States Army In Operation Iraqi Freedom – Page 265, Gregory Fontenot – 2004</ref> This led to the reputation that Shias are grave worshippers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chiite.fr/en/shirk_05.html|title = Grave Worship}}</ref>
 
===Diaspora and refugees===
{{main|Refugees of Iraq|Assyrian exodus from Iraq}}
The dispersion of native Iraqis to other countries is known as the [[Iraqi diaspora]]. The [[UN High Commission for Refugees]] has estimated that nearly two million Iraqis fled the country after the [[Multi-National Force – Iraq|multinational]] invasion of Iraq in 2003, mostly to [[Syria]] and [[Jordan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6286129.stm|title=Warnings of Iraq refugee crisis|work=BBC News|date=22 January 2007|access-date = 18 August 2007}}</ref> The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimated in 2007 that an additional 1.9 million were displaced within the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internal-displacement.org/middle-east-and-north-africa/iraq/2007/iraq-a-displacement-crisis/|title=A displacement crisis|date=30 March 2007|access-date=13 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117030941/http://www.internal-displacement.org/middle-east-and-north-africa/iraq/2007/iraq-a-displacement-crisis/|archive-date=17 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
In 2007, the UN said that about 40% of Iraq's middle class was believed to have fled and that most had fled systematic persecution and had no desire to return.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/16/MNG2MNJBIS1.DTL|title=40% of middle class believed to have fled crumbling nation | work=The San Francisco Chronicle | first=Carolyn | last=Lochhead | date=16 January 2007}}</ref> Refugees are mired in poverty as they are generally barred from working in their host countries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6293807.stm|title=Doors closing on fleeing Iraqis | work=BBC News | date=24 January 2007 | access-date=5 January 2010 | first=Jon | last=Leyne}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/feature/2007/06/17/plight-refugees-worsens-syria-jordan-impose-restrictions|title=Plight of refugees worsens as Syria, Jordan impose restrictions|date=17 June 2007|website=The New Humanitarian}}</ref>
Subsequently, the diaspora seemed to be returning, as security improved; the Iraqi government claimed that 46,000 refugees returned to their homes in October 2007 alone.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/Iraq/Story/0,,2214918,00.html|title=Iraqi refugees start to head home|format=PDF | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Ian | last=Black | date=22 November 2007 | access-date=5 May 2010}}</ref>
 
{{As of|2011}}, nearly 3 million Iraqis had been displaced, with 1.3 million within Iraq and 1.6 million in neighbouring countries, mainly Jordan and Syria.<ref>{{cite news|title=Will Iraq's 1.3 million refugees ever be able to go home? |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=16 December 2011 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/will-iraqs-13-million-refugees-ever-be-able-to-go-home-6277667.html |location=London}}</ref> More than half of Iraqi Christians had fled the country since the 2003 US-led invasion.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11724378 | title = Christian areas targeted in Baghdad attacks | date = 10 November 2010 | work = [[BBC]] | access-date = 10 November 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-22-christians-iraq_N.htm|title=Christians, targeted and suffering, flee Iraq |newspaper=USA Today|date=23 March 2007|first1=Zaid|last1=Sabah|first2=Rick|last2=Jervis}}</ref> According to official [[United States Citizenship and Immigration Services]] statistics, 58,811 Iraqis had been granted refugee-status citizenship {{as of|2011|May|25|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextoid=df4c47c9de5ba110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD |title=USCIS – Iraqi Refugee ProcessingFact Sheet |publisher=Uscis.gov |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref>
 
After the start of the [[Syrian Civil War]] in 2011, numerous Iraqi refugees in Syria returned to their native country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iraqi refugees flee war-torn Syria and seek safety back home|url=http://www.unhcr.org/51c0399c9.html|publisher=UNHCR|date=18 June 2013}}</ref> To escape the civil war, over 160,000 [[Refugees of the Syrian civil war|Syrian refugees]] of varying ethnicities have fled to Iraq since 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Demographic Data of Registered Population|url=http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=103|publisher=UNHCR|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
 
===Health===
{{main|Health in Iraq}}
In 2010, spending on healthcare accounted for 6.84% of the country's GDP. In 2008, there were 6.96 physicians and 13.92 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web|title=Health|url=http://www.sesrtcic.org/oic-member-countries-infigures.php?c_code=24&cat_code=8|publisher=SESRIC|access-date=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214323/http://www.sesrtcic.org/oic-member-countries-infigures.php?c_code=24&cat_code=8|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The life expectancy at birth was 68.49 years in 2010, or 65.13 years for males and 72.01 years for females.<ref>{{cite web|title=Demography|url=http://www.sesrtcic.org/oic-member-countries-infigures.php?c_code=24&cat_code=7|publisher=SESRIC|access-date=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215053/http://www.sesrtcic.org/oic-member-countries-infigures.php?c_code=24&cat_code=7|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> This is down from a peak life expectancy of 71.31 years in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|title=Life expectancy at birth, total (Iraq)|url=http://www.sesrtcic.org/oic-member-countries-linecharts.php?ind_code=12&c_code=24|publisher=SESRIC|access-date=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000400/http://www.sesrtcic.org/oic-member-countries-linecharts.php?ind_code=12&c_code=24|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Iraq had developed a centralised free health care system in the 1970s using a hospital based, capital-intensive model of [[curative care]]. The country depended on large-scale imports of medicines, medical equipment and even nurses, paid for with oil export income, according to a "Watching Brief" report issued jointly by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2003. Unlike other poorer countries, which focused on mass health care using primary care practitioners, Iraq developed a Westernized system of sophisticated hospitals with advanced medical procedures, provided by specialist physicians. The UNICEF/WHO report noted that prior to 1990, 97% of the urban dwellers and 71% of the rural population had access to free primary health care; just 2% of hospital beds were privately managed.<ref name=corpwatch>{{cite web|title=High-Tech Healthcare in Iraq, Minus the Healthcare |url=http://www.warprofiteers.com/article.php?id=14290 |publisher=CorpWatch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717084814/http://www.warprofiteers.com/article.php?id=14290 |archive-date=17 July 2007 |date=8 January 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
===Education===
{{main|Education in Iraq}}
{{more citations needed section|date=October 2017}}
Before Iraq faced economic sanctions from the UN, it already had an advanced and successful Arab education system.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal|last=de Santisteban|first=Agustin Velloso|date=2005|title=Sanctions, War, Occupation and the De-Development of Education in Iraq|journal=International Review of Education|volume=51|issue=1|pages=59–71|doi=10.1007/s11159-005-0587-8|bibcode=2005IREdu..51...59S|s2cid=144395039}}</ref> However, it has now been “de-developing” in its educational success.<ref name=":02" /> Some say that the sanctions, whether intentionally or not, hurt the education system because of how it affected the children.<ref name=":02" /> Whether or not this is true, UNICEF's statistics and numbers show how Iraq's education system has room for improvement.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=THE COST AND BENEFITS OF EDUCATION IN IRAQ |url=https://www.unicef.org/iraq/TheCostOfEducationInIraq-EN.pdf |website=www.unicef.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804182022/https://www.unicef.org/iraq/TheCostOfEducationInIraq-EN.pdf |archive-date=4 August 2018}}</ref>
 
At the turn of the millennium, many countries, including Iraq, attempted to take part in the Millennium Development Goals as a way to help underdeveloped countries prosper. In Iraq, one of the goals was for education to be universally available for both boys and girls at the primary level. UNICEF collected several pieces of data that indicate whether or not, Iraq has been accomplishing this goal.<ref name=":1" />
 
In general, the education of Iraq has been improving since the MDGs were implemented.<ref name=":1" /> For example, enrollment numbers nearly doubled from 2000 to 2012.<ref name=":1" /> It went from 3.6 million to six million.<ref name=":1" /> The latest statistic from 2015 to 2016 showed that almost 9.2 million children were in school.<ref name=":1" /> Enrollment rates continue to be on a steady increase at about 4.1% each year.<ref name=":1" /> The sheer increase in numbers shows that there are clearly improvements of children in Iraq having access to education.
 
However, the dramatic increase of the number of students in primary education has had some negative and straining effects for the education system.<ref name=":1" /> The budget for education makes up about only 5.7% of government spending and continues to stay at or below this percentage.<ref name=":1" /> Investments for schools has also been on the decline.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, the country now ranks at the bottom of Middle East countries in terms of education.<ref name=":1" /> The little funding for education makes it more difficult to improve the quality and resources for education.<ref name=":1" />
 
At the same time, UNICEF investigated portions of spending for education and found that some of the money has gone to waste.<ref name=":1" /> They found that dropout rates are increasing as well as repetition rates for children.<ref name=":1" /> In both Iraq Centre and KRI, the rates for dropouts are about 1.5% to 2.5%.<ref name=":1" /> Within these dropout rates, there is also an uneven number among boys and girls who dropout.<ref name=":1" /> While the rate for dropouts for boys was around 16.5%, girls were at 20.1% where it could be due to economic or family reasons.<ref name=":1" /> For repetition rates, percentages have almost reached 17% among all students.<ref name=":1" /> To put the money loss in perspective, about $1,100 is spent on each student.<ref name=":1" /> For each student who drops out or repeats a grade, $1,100 is lost.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, almost 20% of the funding for education was lost to dropouts and repetition for the year 2014–2015.<ref name=":1" />
 
Many of those people who dropout or have to repeat a grade do not see the economic cost for long term results.<ref name=":1" /> UNICEF takes note of how staying in school can in fact, increase wealth for the person and their family.<ref name=":1" /> While it may put a strain on the education system, it will also hinder the chances of a person receiving higher earnings in whatever career they go into.<ref name=":1" />
 
Other statistics show that regional differences can attribute to lower or higher enrollment rates for children in primary education.<ref name=":1" /> For example, UNICEF found that areas with conflict like Salah al-Din have “more than 90% of school-age children” not in the education system.<ref name=":1" /> In addition, some schools were converted into refugee shelters or military bases in 2014 as conflict began to increase.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/09/11/347627615/unesco-director-concerned-about-new-school-year-in-iraq|title=UNESCO Director Concerned About New School Year in Iraq|last=Hodges|first=Lauren|date=11 September 2014|work=NPR|access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref> The resources for education become more strained and make it harder for children to go to school and finish receiving their education.<ref name=":2" /> However, in 2017, there were efforts being made to open up 47 schools that had previously been closed.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/05/iraq-invest-education-secure-future-170527103925684.html|title=Iraq must invest in education to secure its future|last=Hawkins|first=Peter|date=27 May 2017|work=Al Jazeera|access-date=18 October 2018}}</ref> There has been more success in Mosul where over 380,000 are going to school again.<ref name=":3" /> Depending on where children live, they may or may not have the same access to education as other children.
 
There are also the differing enrollment rates between boys and girls.<ref name=":1" /> UNICEF found that in 2013–2014, enrollment numbers for boys was at about five million while girls were at about 4.2 million.<ref name=":1" /> While the out-of-school rate for girls is at about 11%, boys are at less than half of that.<ref name=":1" /> There is still a gap between boys and girls in terms of educational opportunities.<ref name=":1" /> However, the rate of enrollments for girls has been increasing at a higher rate than for boys.<ref name=":1" /> In 2015–2016, the enrollment numbers for girls increased by 400,000 from the previous year where a large number of them were located in Iraq Centre.<ref name=":1" /> Not only that, UNICEF found that the increase of girls going to school was across all levels of education.<ref name=":1" /> Therefore, the unequal enrollment numbers between boys and girls could potentially change so that universal education can be achieved by all at equal rates.
 
Although the numbers suggest a dramatic increase of enrollment rates for primary education in total, a large number of children still remain out of the education system.<ref name=":1" /> Many of these children fall under the category of internally displaced children due to the conflict in Syria and the takeover by ISIL.<ref name=":1" /> This causes a disruption for children who are attempting to go to school and holds them back from completing their education, no matter what level they are at.<ref name=":1" /> Internally displaced children are specifically recorded to track children who have been forced to move within their country due to these types of conflicts. About 355,000 of internally displaced children are not in the education system.<ref name=":1" /> 330,000 of those children live in Iraq Centre.<ref name=":1" /> The rates among internally displaced children continue to remain higher in Iraq Centre than other areas such as the KRI.<ref name=":1" />
 
With the overall increase of enrollment rates, there continues to be a large strain on the resources for education.<ref name=":1" /> UNICEF notes that without an increase on expenditures for education, the quality of education will continue to decrease.<ref name=":1" /> Early in the 2000s, the UNESCO International Bureau of Education found that the education system in Iraq had issues with standard-built school buildings, having enough teachers, implementing a standardized curricula, textbooks and technologies that are needed to help reach its educational goals.<ref name=":02" /> Teachers are important resources that are starting to become more and more strained with the rising number of students.<ref name=":1" /> Iraq Centre has a faster enrollment growth rate than teacher growth.<ref name=":1" /> Teachers begin to have to take in more and more students which can produce a bigger strain on the teacher and quality of education the children receive.<ref name=":1" /> Another large resource for education is libraries that can increase literacy and create a reading culture.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Johnson|first=Ian|date=2016|title=International Assistance and National and Individual Contributions in the Development of Education for Library, Information and Archival Studies: Some Evidence from a Case Study |journal=Libri |volume=66|pages=3–10|hdl=10059/1611 |doi=10.1515/libri-2015-0110|s2cid=147693908|hdl-access=free}}</ref> However, this can only be improved through a restructuring of the education system.<ref name=":4" />
 
UNICEF provides more details, regarding the actions needed to help Iraq reach its MDG goal of education being attainable by all children at the primary level.<ref name=":1" /> Much of it has to do with the restructuring of the education system, research into improving the quality of education, and discovering ways on how to better suit the needs of girls and children with disabilities in the education system.<ref name=":1" /> [[File:Iraqi medical students at Basra University College of Medicine (2010).JPG|thumb|Students at the college of medicine of the [[University of Basrah]], 2010.]]
The CIA World Factbook estimates that, in 2000, the adult [[literacy rate]] was 84% for males and 64% for females, with UN figures suggesting a small fall in literacy of Iraqis aged 15–24 between 2000 and 2008, from 84.8% to 82.4%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mdg/SeriesDetail.aspx?srid=656|work=[[Millennium Development Goals]] Indicators|title=Literacy rates of 15–24 years old, both sexes, percentage|publisher=[[United Nations]]|access-date=30 January 2011}}</ref> The [[Coalition Provisional Authority]] undertook a complete reform of Iraq's education system: [[Baathist]] ideology was removed from curricula and there were substantial increases in teacher salaries and training programs, which the [[Saddam Hussein|Hussein]] regime neglected in the 1990s.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} In 2003, an estimated 80% of Iraq's 15,000 school buildings needed rehabilitation and lacked basic sanitary facilities, and most schools lacked libraries and laboratories.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}
 
Education is mandatory only through to the sixth grade, after which a national examination determines the possibility of continuing into the upper grades.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} Although a vocational track is available to those who do not pass the exam, few students elect that option because of its poor quality.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} Boys and girls generally attend separate schools beginning with seventh grade.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}
 
In 2005, obstacles to further reform were poor security conditions in many areas, a centralised system that lacked accountability for teachers and administrators, and the isolation in which the system functioned for the previous 30 years.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} Few private schools exist.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} Prior to the invasion of 2003, some 240,000 persons were enrolled in institutions of [[higher education]].{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}
 
According to the [[Webometrics Ranking of World Universities]], the top-ranking universities in the country are the [[University of Dohuk]] (1717th worldwide), the [[University of Baghdad]] (3160th) and [[Babylon University]] (3946th).<ref>{{cite web|title=Iraq|url=http://www.webometrics.info/en/aw/Iraq|publisher=Ranking Web of Universities|access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref>
 
==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Iraq}}
{{See also|Tourism in Iraq}}
[[Public holidays in Iraq]] include [[Republic Day]] on 14 July and the [[National Day]] on 3 October.
 
===Music===
{{main|Music of Iraq}}
[[File:Al-Qubanchi.jpg|thumb|upright|Iraqi [[Maqam al-iraqi|maqam]] performer Muhammad al-Qubbanchi.]]
Iraq is known primarily for its rich [[Arabian maqam|maqam]] heritage which has been passed down orally by the masters of the maqam in an unbroken chain of transmission leading up to the present. The [[maqam al-Iraqi]] is considered to be the most noble and perfect form of maqam. Al-maqam al-Iraqi is the collection of sung poems written either in one of the sixteen meters of classical Arabic or in Iraqi dialect (Zuhayri).<ref>{{cite book |last=Touma |first=Habib Hassan |author-link=Habib Hassan Touma |title=The Music of the Arabs |isbn=978-1574670813 |year=1996 |publisher=Amadeus Press}}</ref> This form of art is recognised by UNESCO as "an intangible heritage of humanity".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/home|title=UNESCO - Intangible Heritage Home|website=ich.unesco.org}}</ref>
 
Early in the 20th century, many of the most prominent musicians in Iraq were [[Jew]]ish.<ref name="Kojaman">{{cite web |title=Jewish Role in Iraqi Music |last=Kojaman |url=http://www.dangoor.com/72page42.html |access-date=9 September 2007}}</ref> In 1936, [[Iraq Radio]] was established with an ensemble made up entirely of [[Jews]], with the exception of the percussion player. At the nightclubs of Baghdad, ensembles consisted of oud, qanun and two percussionists, while the same format with a [[ney]] and [[cello]] were used on the radio.<ref name="Kojaman"/>
 
The most famous singer of the 1930s–1940s was perhaps the Jew [[Salima Pasha]] (later Salima Murad).<ref name="Kojaman"/><ref name="Manasseh">{{cite news|last=Manasseh |first=Sara |date=February 2004 |title=An Iraqi samai of Salim Al-Nur |periodical=Newsletter |location=London |publisher=Arts and Humanities Research Board Research Centre for Cross-Cultural Music and Dance Performance |issue=3 |page=7 |url=http://www.soas.ac.uk/ahrbmusicanddance/newsletter/musicanddance3.pdf |access-date=9 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051202084829/http://www.soas.ac.uk/ahrbmusicanddance/newsletter/musicanddance3.pdf |archive-date=2 December 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The respect and adoration for Pasha were unusual at the time since public performance by women was considered shameful, and most female singers were recruited from brothels.<ref name="Kojaman"/>
 
The most famous early composer from Iraq was [[Ezra Aharon]], an [[oud]] player, while the most prominent instrumentalist was [[Saleh and Daoud Al-Kuwaity|Daoud Al-Kuwaiti]].{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} Daoud and his brother [[Saleh and Daoud Al-Kuwaity|Saleh]] formed the official ensemble for the Iraqi radio station and were responsible for introducing the cello and ney into the traditional ensemble.<ref name="Kojaman"/>
 
===Art and architecture===
{{main|Architecture of Mesopotamia|Iraqi art}}
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2017}}
[[File:Ancient ziggurat at Ali Air Base Iraq 2005.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Great Ziggurat of Ur]] near [[Nasiriyah]].]]
Important cultural institutions in the capital include the [[Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra]] – rehearsals and performances were briefly interrupted during the [[History of Iraq (2003–2011)|Occupation of Iraq]] but have since returned to normal. The National Theatre of Iraq was looted during the 2003 invasion, but efforts are underway to restore it. The live theatre scene received a boost during the 1990s when UN sanctions limited the import of foreign films. As many as 30 cinemas were reported to have been converted to live stages, producing a wide range of comedies and dramatic productions.
 
Institutions offering cultural education in Baghdad include the Academy of Music, Institute of Fine Arts and the [[Music and Ballet school Baghdad]]. Baghdad also features a number of museums including the [[National Museum of Iraq]] – which houses the world's largest and finest collection of artefacts and relics of [[Ancient Iraq]]i civilisations; some of which were [[Archaeological looting in Iraq|stolen]] during the [[History of Iraq (2003–2011)|Occupation of Iraq]].
[[File:Hatra-109728.jpg|thumb|Facade of Temple at Hatra, declared [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]] in 1985.]]
The capital, Ninus or [[Nineveh]], was taken by the [[Medes]] under [[Cyaxares]], and some 200 years after [[Xenophon]] passed over its site, then mere mounds of earth. It remained buried until 1845, when Botta and Layard discovered the ruins of the Assyrian cities. The principal remains are those of [[Khorsabad]], {{convert|10|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} N.E. of [[Mosul]]; of Nimroud, supposed to be the ancient Calah; and of Kouyunjik, in all probability the ancient Nineveh. In these cities are found fragments of several great buildings which seem to have been palace-temples. They were constructed chiefly of [[mudbrick|sun-dried bricks]], and all that remains of them is the lower part of the walls, decorated with sculpture and paintings, portions of the pavements, a few indications of the elevation, and some interesting works connected with the drainage.
 
===Media===
{{main|Media of Iraq}}
After the end of the full state control in 2003, there were a period of significant growth in the broadcast media in Iraq. Immediately, and the ban on satellite dishes is no longer in place, and by mid-2003, according to a [[BBC]] report, there were 20 radio stations from 0.15 to 17 television stations owned by Iraqis, and 200 Iraqi newspapers owned and operated. Significantly, there have been many of these newspapers in numbers disproportionate to the population of their locations. For example, in [[Najaf]], which has a population of 300,000, is being published more than 30 newspapers and distributed.
 
Iraqi media expert and author of a number of reports on this subject, Ibrahim Al Marashi, identifies four stages of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 where they had been taking the steps that have significant effects on the way for the later of the Iraqi media since then. Stages are: pre-invasion preparation, and the war and the actual choice of targets, the first post-war period, and a growing insurgency and hand over power to the Iraqi Interim Government (IIG) and Prime Minister [[Iyad Allawi]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Al-Marashi|first=Ibrahim|title=Toward an Understanding of Media Policy and Media Systems in Iraq|year=2007|series=Center for Global Communications Studies, Occasional Paper Series|url=http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1058&context=asc_papers|access-date=17 August 2016}}</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2013}}
 
===Cuisine===
{{main|Iraqi cuisine}}
[[File:Masgouf.jpg|thumb|[[Masgouf]], a popular Iraqi dish.]]
Iraqi cuisine can be traced back some 10,000 years – to the [[Sumer]]ians, [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadians]], [[Babylonia]]ns, [[Assyria]]ns and [[Achaemenid Empire|Ancient Persians]].<ref name="Salloum">{{cite web|url=http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/3592 |title=Foods of Iraq: Enshrined With A Long History |publisher=ThingsAsian |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> [[Clay tablet|Tablets]] found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals – the first cookbooks in the world.<ref name="Salloum" /> [[Ancient Iraq]], or ''[[Mesopotamia]]'', was home to many sophisticated and highly advanced civilisations, in all fields of knowledge – including the culinary arts.<ref name="Salloum" /> However, it was in the [[Islamic Golden Age|medieval era]] when Baghdad was the capital of the [[Abbasid Caliphate]] that the Iraqi kitchen reached its zenith.<ref name="Salloum" /> Today the cuisine of Iraq reflects this rich inheritance as well as strong influences from the culinary traditions of neighbouring [[Turkey]], [[Iran]] and the [[Greater Syria]] area.<ref name="Salloum" />
 
Some characteristic ingredients of Iraqi cuisine include – vegetables such as [[aubergine]], [[tomato]], [[okra]], [[onion]], [[potato]], [[courgette]], [[garlic]], [[Bell pepper|peppers]] and [[chili pepper|chilli]], cereals such as [[rice]], [[bulgur]] [[wheat]] and [[barley]], pulses and legumes such as [[lentils]], [[chickpeas]] and [[Cannellini#White beans|cannellini]], fruits such as [[Date Palm#Dates|dates]], [[raisin]]s, [[apricot]]s, [[Common fig|figs]], [[grape]]s, [[melon]], [[pomegranate]] and [[citrus|citrus fruits]], especially [[lemon]] and [[lime (fruit)|lime]].<ref name="Salloum" />
 
Similarly with other countries of [[Western Asia]], chicken and especially lamb are the favourite meats. Most dishes are served with rice – usually [[Basmati]], grown in the [[Mesopotamian Marshes|marshes]] of southern Iraq.<ref name="Salloum" /> [[Bulgur]] [[wheat]] is used in many dishes – having been a staple in the country since the days of the [[Assyria|Ancient Assyrians]].<ref name="Salloum" />
 
===Sport===
[[File:Younis Mahmoud 2011.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Younis Mahmoud]] is Iraq's all-time most capped player in international matches, having played in 148 official games.]]
{{main|Sport in Iraq}}
[[Association football|Football]] is the most popular sport in Iraq. Football is a considerable uniting factor in Iraq following years of war and unrest. [[Basketball]], [[swimming (sport)|swimming]], [[Olympic weightlifting|weightlifting]], [[bodybuilding]], [[boxing]], [[kick boxing]] and [[tennis]] are also popular sports.
 
The [[Iraqi Football Association]] is the governing body of football in Iraq, controlling the [[Iraq national football team]] and the [[Iraqi Premier League]]. It was founded in 1948, and has been a member of [[FIFA]] since 1950 and the [[Asian Football Confederation]] since 1971. Iraq were the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]] champions after defeating [[Saudi Arabia]] in the final by 1–0 thanks to a goal by captain [[Younis Mahmoud]] and they have participated in two [[FIFA]] competitions (the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]] and the [[2009 FIFA Confederations Cup]]).
 
==Technology==
===Mobile phones===
Despite the existence of mobile phones in the Middle East since 1995, Iraqis were only able to use them after 2003, as mobile phones were banned under [[Saddam Hussein]]'s rule.
In 2013, it was reported that 78% of Iraqis owned a mobile phone.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21752819 BBC News – Iraq 10 years on: In numbers]. Bbc.co.uk (20 March 2013). Retrieved on 8 December 2013.</ref>
 
===Satellite===
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Communication, Iraq is now in the second phase of building and launching a multipurpose strategic satellite.<ref>[http://onehappyiraq.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/iraq-to-build-and-launch-a-600-million-strategic-satellite-into-space/ Iraq to build and launch a $600 million strategic satellite into space | (-: One Happy Iraq :-)]. Onehappyiraq.wordpress.com (2 October 2013). Retrieved on 8 December 2013.</ref>
 
A project which expected to cost $600 million is ongoing in co-operation with market leaders such as [[Astrium]] and [[Arianespace]].
 
===Undersea cable===
On 18 January 2012, Iraq was connected to the undersea communications network for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globalcurrencyreset.net/iraq/undersea-cable-aids-iraqs-slow-development/|title=FT – Undersea Cable Aids Iraq's Slow Development|website=globalcurrencyreset.net|language=en-US|access-date=5 April 2017}}</ref>
 
This had an immense impact on internet speed, availability and usage in Iraq.
 
In October 2013, the Iraqi Minister for Communication ordered internet prices to be lowered by a third. This is an attempt to boost usage and comes as a result of significant improvements in Internet infrastructure in the country.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131006033130/http://www.moc.gov.iq/demo/index.php?t=news&n=214 Ministry of Communications]. Moc.gov.iq (4 February 2013). Retrieved on 15 November 2015.</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[Outline of Iraq]]
* [[Index of Iraq-related articles]]
{{portalbar|Iraq|Kurdistan|Asia}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{reflist}}
 
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite encyclopedia | title = ʿERĀQ-E ʿAJAM(Ī) | encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. VIII, Fasc. 5 | page = 538 | last = Bosworth | first = C. E. | author-link = C. E. Bosworth | url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/eraq-e-ajami | date = 1998 }}
* Shadid, Anthony 2005. ''Night Draws Near''. Henry Holt and Co., [[New York City|NY]], US {{ISBN|0-8050-7602-6}}
* Hanna Batatu, "The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq", Princeton: [[Princeton University Press]], 1978
* [[Charles Glass]], "The Northern Front: A Wartime Diary"' Saqi Books, London, 2004, {{ISBN|0-86356-770-3}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050525231213/http://fax.libs.uga.edu/ds49x2xm465d/ A Dweller in Mesopotamia], being the adventures of an official artist in the garden of Eden, by Donald Maxwell, 1921. ''(a searchable facsimile at the University of Georgia Libraries; [[DjVu]] & [https://web.archive.org/web/20050906055955/http://fax.libs.uga.edu/DS49x2xM465D/1f/dweller_in_mesopotamia.pdf layered PDF] format)''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050402090804/http://fax.libs.uga.edu/DS49x2xW684B/ By Desert Ways to Baghdad], by Louisa Jebb (Mrs. Roland Wilkins) With illustrations and a map, 1908 (1909 ed). ''(a searchable facsimile at the University of Georgia Libraries; [[DjVu]] & [https://web.archive.org/web/20050906060015/http://fax.libs.uga.edu/DS49x2xW684B/1f/desert_ways_to_baghdad.pdf layered PDF] format)''
* {{cite web|title=Iraqi Constitution|url=http://www.iraqinationality.gov.iq/attach/iraqi_constitution.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Interior – General Directorate For Nationality|access-date=18 February 2013|date=30 January 2006|ref={{harvid|Iraqi Constitution}}|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128152712/http://www.iraqinationality.gov.iq/attach/iraqi_constitution.pdf|archive-date=28 November 2016}}
* Benjamin Busch, "'Today is Better than Tomorrow'. A Marine returns to a divided Iraq", ''[[Harper's Magazine]]'', October 2014, pp.&nbsp;29–44.
* [https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/notes/2009/N3248.pdf Global Arms Exports to Iraq 1960–1990, Rand Research report]
{{refend}}
 
==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|author-link=Charles R. H. Tripp|last=Tripp|first=Charles R. H.|title=A History of Iraq |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|year=2002|isbn=978-0-521-87823-4}}
{{refend}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{external links|date=June 2021}}
{{commons-inline|Iraq}}
{{Sister project links|Iraq|auto=Q796}}{{EB1911 poster|Iraq}}
'''Government'''
* [http://presidency.iq/ Presidency of Iraq]
* [http://www.cabinet.iq/default.aspx Cabinet of Iraq]


'''General information'''
{{asia}}
*[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ Iraq]. ''[[The World Factbook]]''. [[Central Intelligence Agency]].
{{Middle East}}
* {{Wikiatlas|Iraq}}
* {{GovPubs|iraq}}
*{{Wikivoyage-inline}}
*{{Osmrelation-inline|304934}}
* {{curlie|Regional/Middle_East/Iraq}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14542954 Iraq profile] from the [[BBC News]]
 
{{Iraq topics}}
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[[Category:Mesopotamia]]
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Latest revision as of 15:03, 16 October 2022

Republic of Iraq
  • جمهورية العراق (Arabic)
  • کۆماری عێراق (Kurdish)
Flag of Iraq
Flag
Coat of arms of Iraq
Coat of arms
Motto: الله أكبر (Arabic)
"Allahu Akbar" (transliteration)
"God is the Greatest"
Anthem: "Mawtini"
"موطني"
(English: "My Homeland")
Location of Iraq
Location of Iraq
Capital
and largest city
Baghdad
33°20′N 44°26′E / 33.333°N 44.433°E / 33.333; 44.433
Official languages
Religion
Islam
DemonymIraqi
GovernmentFederal parliamentary republic
• President
Latif Rashid
Mohammed Al Sudani
Mohamed al-Halbousi
Medhat al-Mahmoud
LegislatureCouncil of Representatives
Independence from the United Kingdom
• Kingdom
3 October 1932 (1932-10-03)
14 July 1958
15 October 2005
Area
• Total
437,072 km2 (168,754 sq mi) (58th)
• Water (%)
1.1
Population
• 2018 estimate
38,433,600[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 inequality
HDI (2017)Increase 0.685[5]
medium (120th)
CurrencyIraqi dinar (IQD)
Time zoneUTC+3 (AST)
Calling code+964
ISO 3166 codeIQ
Internet TLD.iq
  1. Constitution of Iraq, Article 4 (1st).

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.

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.

The Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region. The Kurds have their own culture and speak the Kurdish language.

Ethnic Kurds make up the north’s population a majority.

Most Iraqis are Shia Muslims.

Politics[edit | edit source]

From 1968 to 2003, Iraq was run by the Ba'ath Party. Saddam Hussein was the President from 1979 until the disbandment of the Ba'ath Party.

After the 1990 invasion of Kuwait many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy, Pakistan, and others fought to free Kuwait. Later, some agents believed to be sent by Saddam Hussein tried to kill former President George H. W. Bush with a truck bomb in Kuwait.

The Kurdistan Region gained autonomy in the 1990s. Kurdistan region has its own parliament.

The March 2003 invasion of Iraq was led by American, British, Australian, Danish and Polish forces. They forced the Ba'ath Party to surrender. The publicly stated reason for the invasion was that Saddam Hussein refused to let United Nations inspectors look for suspected nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. In the past, Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons to kill the Kurds. Iraq had done research in making biological and nuclear weapons.

The country was initially split into 3 zones, the American zone, the British zone, and the Polish zone similar to the way Germany was divided in 1945. Forces from Denmark controlled areas in the British zone. A new temporary government was formed on June 28, 2004. The coalition forces were in the country.

There were many U.S., British and multi-national troops in the country until December 15, 2011 when the Iraq War had ended. Tensions between religious groups (Shia and Sunni Muslims, as well as Christians) lead to a great deal of instability in the country.

Geography[edit | edit source]

The provinces of Iraq

The country area lies between two rivers; for this reason the area was called Mesopotamia in ancient ages. The rivers Euphrates and Tigris bound what is called the Fertile Crescent. Iraq also has a small coastline along the Persian Gulf, and this coastline was considered the heart of the petroleum trade in Iraq before the First Gulf War. The weather is extremely hot and dry because Iraq is far from seas and oceans and even the close ones are blocked by mountains so that the rainy wind can not reach the inlands. This region has fertile land because of the two rivers.

Iraq is divided into 18 provinces (muhafazah).

  1. Baghdād (بغداد)
  2. Salāh ad-Dīn (صلاح الدين)
  3. Diyālā (ديالى)
  4. Wāsit (واسط)
  5. Maysān (ميسان)
  6. Al-Basrah (البصرة)
  7. Dhī Qār (ذي قار)
  8. Al-Muthannā (المثنى)
  9. Al-Qādisiyyah (القادسية)
  1. Bābil (بابل)
  2. Al-Karbalā' (كربلاء)
  3. An-Najaf (النجف)
  4. Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
  5. Nīnawā (نينوى)
  6. Dahūk (دهوك)
  7. Arbīl (أربيل)
  8. Kirkuk (كركوك)
  9. As-Sulaymāniyyah (السليمانية)

Economy[edit | edit source]

Iraq has a large amount of oil. Iraq is the world's number four in petroleum production and the world's number two in petroleum reserves. In the past, Iraq sold much of this oil to other countries. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the United Nations stopped Iraq from selling the oil. The United Nations later allowed Iraq to sell some oil to buy food, clothes, and medicine so the people would not suffer as much. This was called the "Oil-for-Food" program.

Related pages[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ ""World Population prospects – Population division"". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  2. ↑ ""Overall total population" – World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision" (xslx). population.un.org (custom data acquired via website). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Iraq". International Monetary Fund.
  4. ↑ "World Bank GINI index". Data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  5. ↑ "2018 Human Development Report" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 2015. p. 9. Retrieved December 14, 2015.

External links[edit | edit source]

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