Iraq has famous rivers and lots of history. Take a boat ride in to learn more!
Where in the World
Iraq is in the Middle East. The country sits in southwestern Asia. It borders Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. Iraq also touches the Persian Gulf. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow through Iraq. Between those waters lies a dry
. It is called the Al-Jazirah.
History
People have been living in Iraq for thousands of years. The area was once part of Mesopotamia. Ancient people settled there. They created famous cities such as Babylon.
Tribes from Arabia took control of the area in the 630s. They brought the religion of Islam with them. The Abbasid took over in 750. During that time, some folk tales were put together. This collection included the story of Aladdin. That is now a Disney movie!
The Mongols took over Iraq in 1258. They were from Central Asia. The land became a group of small kingdoms. The Turkish Ottoman empire gained power in 1534. It held power until the 1900s. Iraq gained its independence in 1932.
In 1958, the Iraqi military overthrew the government. A group of people called the Kurds rebelled against the government in the 1970s. Nearby Iran helped the Kurds. This ended in 1975. Iraq and Iran reached an agreement.
The two nations continued to disagree though. A man named Saddam Hussein became Iraq’s president in 1979. The Iran-Iraq War began the next year. It lasted until 1988. Today, there is a structure called the Martyr Monument in Iraq. It honors the Iraqi soldiers who died in the war. (See cover.)
Iraq entered the Persian Gulf War in 1990. Iraq and Kuwait fought about oil. They also disagreed about where the nations’ borders were. The United States got involved. The U.S. led Operation Desert Storm. This forced Iraq's troops to leave Kuwait. This began a long conflict between Iraq and the United States.
The United States believed Iraq was making dangerous weapons. So, U.S. forces invaded Iraq in 2003. The Iraq War lasted until 2011.
The People and Culture
About 39 million people live in Iraq. Most Iraqis speak Arabic or Kurdish. Many people are Muslims. That means they practice the religion of Islam.
Many people work as farmers in Iraq. Workers grow crops such as rice, corn, and tomatoes. Another big part of the economy is oil. Iraq is one of the world’s top producers of that resource.
Some people consider masgouf to be the country’s national dish. Iraqis season and grill fish to make this. Some even cook the fish over an open fire.
Soccer is Iraq’s most popular sport. One of the nation’s famous players is Younis Mahmoud. He played for the country’s national team. Mahmoud helped win Iraq its first-ever AFC Asian Cup title in 2007.
Flag
The flag of Iraq has three horizontal bands of red, white, and black. There is green Arabic writing in the center. The writing is a phrase meaning “God is great.” Red stands for struggle. White represents a bright future. Black symbolizes
.
Updated February 19, 2021, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Alexa Tirapelli
