Iraq Guide
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Iraq Info
ADMINISTRATIVE / COMMERCIAL CAPITAL: Baghdad
GEOGRAPHY
Iraq is bounded by Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Spanning an area of 437,072 km2 , Iraq mainly consists of deserts and mostly composed of mountains in the north of the country.
DEMOGRAPHY
A population of close to 30.3 Million. Muslims account for about 97% of the population.
CLIMATE
Hot and subtropical. In most parts of the country summer temperatures average above 40 °C (104 °F) and winter temperatures ranges between 15 °C to 19 °C (59 °F to 66.2 °F).
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
Arabic and Kurdish are the two official languages. Syriac and Azeri are widely used as well.
LOCAL TIME
GMT+3 hrs throughout the year
BUSINESS HOURS
Government: 8 AM to 2 PM
General: 8 AM to 5 PM
(Saturday to Wednesday are the working days of the week. Thursday & Friday are considered as weekends)
HOLIDAYS
National Day: October 3rd
May Day: May 1st
Republic Day: July 14th
Christmas Day: December 25th
Muslim Festivals (Based on the lunar calandar):
Id-ul-Fitr
Id-ul-Adha
Milad-un-Nabi
Islamic New Year
CURRENCY
Iraqi Dinar
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Police/ Emergencies: 104/122
Fire: 115
Introduction to Iraq
Ibn Battuta joined a group of pilgrims returning to Iraq after completing his first Hajj. He left Makkah on 17th November 1326. The caravan reached the Mesopotamia basin where they were greeted by a party from the Iraqi city of Kufa. About six days later they reached al-Najaf a few miles away from the Euphrates. This entire course of journey took about 44 days.In his Rihla Ibn Batutta says "...then we travelled to Baghdad, the abode of Peace and Capital of Islam..". A very different picture from the current day Iraq!. Probably not the best place to take a holiday right now!.
Iraq has land borders with Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The area has been inhabited for over thousands of years and known as the "Cradle of Civilization". It is a country with rich culture and huge historical importance in the Muslim world.
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Latest on Iraq
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Abu Hanifah Masjid, Baghdad
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Abu Hanifah Masjid in Baghdad, capital of Iraq
The Abu Hanifah Masjid is the most prominent masjid in Baghdad. The masjid is built in the typical Islamic architecture and is one of the oldest masaajid in the city. The structure has been built around the tomb of Abū Ḥanīfah an-Nuʿmān, the founder of the Hanafi School of jurisprudence. -
Mosul Overview
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Known for the manufacture of the Muslin cloth and Mosul marble, Mosul is located in northern Iraq and is the capital of the Ninawa Governate. This is now the second largest city in Iraq. -
Baghdad Overview
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Although Baghdad is now undergoing another period of turmoil in its long history, the first name of the city was Madinat al-Salaam or "City of Peace". This is the name given to the city by its builder, Abbasid Caliph Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur, the 2nd Abbasid Caliph. He is the grand farther of the well known Caliph of… -
Basra Overview
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Situated in lower Mesopotamia, Basra is an important port city close to the border of Kuwait. It is also the second biggest city of Iraq. The city is a part of the historic area of Sumer.
