Iraq founded in 1932

Iraq

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For other uses, see Iraq (disambiguation).

Republic of Iraq جمهورية العراق Jumhūriyat Al-Irāq (Arabic)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: الله أكبر   (Arabic) “Allahu Akbar“   (transliteration) “God is [the] Greatest”
Anthem: Mawtini  (new) Ardh Alforatain   (previous)
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 language(s)		Arabic, Kurdish
Demonym		Iraqi
Government		Parliamentary republic
–	President	Jalal Talabani
–	Prime Minister	Nouri al-Maliki
Independence
–	from the Ottoman Empire	1 October 1919
–	from the United Kingdom	3 October 1932
–	Republic	14 July 1958
–	Current constitution	15 October 2005
Area
–	Total	438,317 km2 (50th) 169,234 sq mi
–	Water (%)	1.1
Population
–	2009 estimate	31,234,000[1] (39th)
–	Density	71.5/km2 (125th) 184.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2009 estimate
–	Total	$111.500 billion[1]
–	Per capita	$3,570[1]
GDP (nominal)		2009 estimate
–	Total	$65.838 billion[1]
–	Per capita	$2,108[1]
Currency		Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Time zone		GMT+3 (UTC+3)
–	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+3)
Drives on the		right
ISO 3166 code		IQ
Internet TLD		.iq
Calling code		964

Iraq (pronounced /iːˈrɑːk/ or /ɪˈræk/, Arabic: العراق Al-Irāq), officially the Republic of Iraq (Arabic: جمهورية العراق (help·info) Jumhūrīyat Al-Irāq, Kurdish: كؤماری عێراق‎, Komara Îraqê)^[2] is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.^[3]

Iraq is bordered by Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south. Iraq has a narrow section of coastline measuring 58 km (35 miles) on the northern Persian Gulf. The capital city, Baghdad is in the center-east of the country.

Two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run through the center of Iraq, flowing from northwest to southeast. These provide Iraq with agriculturally capable land and contrast with the steppe and desertWestern Asia. landscape that covers most of

Historically, the territory comprising of the land called “Iraq” was known in Europe by the Greek toponym ‘Mesopotamia‘ (Land between the rivers). Iraq has been home to continuous successive civilizations since the 6th millennium BC. The region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is identified as the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of writing and the wheel.

Throughout its long history, Iraq has been the center of the Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Hellenistic, Parthian, Sassanid and Abbasid empires, and part of the Achaemenid, Roman, Rashidun, Umayyad, Mongol, Safavid, Afsharid, Ottoman and British empires.^[4][5] The Kingdom of Iraq was founded in 1932.