Iraq
Updated: Oct 1, 2022
Country Name
Iraq, or officially the Republic of Iraq.
Location
Iraq is located in Western Asia.
It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west.
Capital
Baghdad.
Reason Of Naming
The name Iraq goes back to about the sixth century AD, and it is believed that the origin of the name goes back to the Arabization of the Sumerian city of Uruk (Warka). Other researchers believe that the name derives from the Middle Persian 'Iraq, which means "low lands".
Flag
The first use of the flag was on 31 July 1963, and the most recent version
of the flag was adopted on 29 January 2008.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white, and black colors.
In the middle stripe- the white one-there is the Takbir word, Allahu Akbar,
("Allah is the greatest") in green Kufic script.
The Black color represents oppression and triumph, the white color represents a bright future and generosity, the Red color represents the blood of martyrs, and the Green color represents Islam.
*Flag Facts:
- The red-white-black flag has appeared in various Arab flags such as Syria, Egypt, Libya*, Sudan, and Yemen.
*(The flag is identical to the flag of Libya from 1969–1972.)
Language
The Arabic language and the Kurdish language are the two official languages of Iraq, followed by the Iraqi Turkmen slang of Turkish, and the Neo-Aramaic languages (specifically Chaldean and Assyrian).
Arabic and Kurdish are both written in Arabic script. Turkmen have used the Turkish alphabet instead of the Arabic letter since 2005. The Syriac script is also used by the Neo-Aramaic languages.
Mandaic, Shabaki, Armenian, Circassian, and Persian are some of the smaller minority languages.
Religion
The constitution of Iraq recognizes Islam as the official religion in the country and states that no law may be enacted that contradicts the provisions of the Islamic religion. However, it guarantees freedom of religious beliefs and practices of other non-Muslim groups. Today, Shia Islam stands as a dominant religion in Iraq. More than half of the population of Iraq are Shiite Muslims. Other religions found in Iraq include the Nestorian Christians, Jacobite Christians, Mandaeans, Shabakis, Kakais, and atheists.
Currency
Iraqi dinar (IQD)
US Dollar (USD).
Time Zone
+03:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Democratic, federal parliamentary republic.
Climate
Most of Iraq has a hot arid climate with a subtropical influence.
Summer temperatures average above 40 °C for most of the country and frequently exceed 48 °C.
Winter temperatures rarely exceed 21 °C with a max of roughly 15 to 19 °C and night-time lows of 2 to 5 °C.
As regards the temperatures, the best times to visit Iraq are spring and autumn: in the north the best months are April and from mid-October to mid-November, while in the center and south they are March and November. Sometimes, however, in these periods, it can rain, especially in the north. In May and October, the temperatures are already well above 30 °C (86 °F) and can already approach 40 °C (104 °F); on the other hand, it rarely rains.