Welcome To Iraqi Businessmen Association
English العربية  

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About Iraq
Official name: Republic of Iraq
Capital: Baghdad

Geography
Area: 438,317 sq. km.
Cities: Capital--Baghdad (5.7 million). Other cities--Basrah, Mosul, Kirkuk, Sulaymaniyah, Erbil.
Terrain: Mostly broad plains; reedy marshes in the south with large flooded areas; mountains along the borders with Iran and Turkey.
Climate: Desert, mostly hot and dry.



People
Nationality:--Iraqi(s).
Population: 30,399,572.
Population growth rate: 2.399%.
Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurd 15%-20%, Turkoman, others approximately 5%.
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian, Armenian.
Education: Years compulsory--primary school (age 6 through grade 6). Literacy 74.1%.

Location of Iraq
Nearly a landlocked country, Iraq is situated at the northern tip of the Arabian Gulf. Its coastline along the gulf is only 30 km long. The country is bound by Turkey on the north; by Iran on the east; by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, on the south; and on the west by Jordan and Syria.

Iraq's two largest ethnic groups are Arabs and Kurds. Other distinct groups are Turkomans, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Armenians. While Arabic is the most commonly spoken language, Kurdish is spoken in the north, and English is the most commonly spoken Western language.
Small communities of Christians, Jews, Bahais, Mandaeans, and Yezidis also exist.

Map of Iraq
The northern portion of Iraq, known as Al Jazira, is mountainous and borders with Iran and Turkey. Then it slopes down to sea level towards the southeast. Farther south, the country slopes downward to form a broad, central alluvial plain, which encompasses the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the two main rivers of Iraq.
 
Flag of Iraq
The flag of Iraq has three equal horizontal bands - red at the top, white in the middle and black at the bottom. The phrase Allahu Akbar(God is Great) in green Arabic script in the middle white horizontal line.
 
Arts and Culture in Iraq
Iraq is where the Mesopotamia Civilization that went on to influence the European and Asian civilizations grew. So as far as culture is concerned, Iraq has a rich heritage. The country is known for its poets and its painters and sculptors are among the best in the Arab world, some of them being world-class. Besides this, Iraq is also known for producing fine handicrafts, including rugs and carpets. The architecture of Iraq is best seen in the sprawling metropolis of Baghdad, where the construction is almost entirely new, with some islands of exquisite old buildings and compounds.
 
Economy
Iraq has the capacity to be a thriving, middle class country. With a long trading history, deep commercial traditions, and vast natural resources - including the world's second largest proven oil reserves; Iraq, at the crossroad of culture and commerce, has enormous potential.

Today Iraq is on the rebound. As security improves, and as oil exports and internal commerce recover, GDP has risen. GDP has grown from $57B USD in 2006 to $131B USD in 2008. GDP per capita has surpassed $3,000 USD and is forecast to exceed $4,500 USD by 2014.

Moreover, as Iraq reintegrates into the world community, a growing number of agreements will help restart the Iraqi economy An improved security environment and an initial wave of foreign investment are helping to spur economic activity, particularly in the energy, construction, and retail sectors. Broader economic improvement, long-term fiscal health, and sustained increases in the standard of living still depend on the government passing major policy reforms and on continued development of Iraq's massive oil reserves
 
 
 
 
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