Republic of Iraq | |
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Motto: الله أكبر (Arabic) "Allahu Akbar" (transliteration) "God is the Greatest" | |
Anthem: "Mawtini" "موطني" (English: "My Homeland") | |
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Capital and largest city | Baghdad 33°20′N 44°26′E / 33.333°N 44.433°E |
Official languages | |
Religion | Islam |
Demonym(s) | Iraqi |
Government | Federal parliamentary republic |
Latif Rashid | |
Mohammed Al Sudani | |
Mohamed al-Halbousi | |
Medhat al-Mahmoud | |
Legislature | Council of Representatives |
Independence from the United Kingdom | |
• Kingdom | 3 October 1932 |
14 July 1958 | |
15 October 2005 | |
Area | |
• Total | 437,072 km2 (168,754 sq mi) (58th) |
• Water (%) | 1.1 |
Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 43,533,592[1][2] (36th) |
• Density | 82.7/km2 (214.2/sq mi) (125th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $695 billion[3] (34th) |
• Per capita | $17,429[3] (71st) |
GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $223 billion[3] (47th) |
• Per capita | $5,601[3] (88th) |
Gini (2012) | 29.5[4] low |
HDI (2017) | ![]() medium · 120th |
Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD) |
Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +964 |
ISO 3166 code | IQ |
Internet TLD | .iq |
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Iraq 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.
Most Iraqis are Shia Muslim with a significant Sunni Muslim minority.