Iraq

Right now, the ancient ruins of Babylon, south of Baghdad, are part of a military base. So too are the most impressive remains of the Sumerian people, who invented writing, before the Pharaohs came to power. Not leaving much for the traveller to visit at this time.

Understanding the Geography

Iraq is a country in the Middle East. It lies at the north end of the Persian Gulf and has a small (58 km) coastline in the southeast of the country. It is surrounded by Iran to the east, Kuwait to the south, Saudi Arabia to the southwest, Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, and Turkey to the north.

The geography of Iraq is diverse. The country slopes from mountains over 3,000 meters (10,000 ft) above sea level along the border with Iran and Turkey to the remnants of reedy marshes in the southeast. So-called "Marsh Arabs" have migrated through this region into modern-day Kuwait for centuries. Much of Iraqi territory is desert or wasteland, especially in the southwest and central provinces along the borders with Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The mountains in the northeast are an extension of the alpine system that runs eastward from the Balkans into southern Turkey, northern Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, terminating in the Himalayas.

Regions of Iraq

• Baghdad
• Salah ad Din
• Diyala
• Wasit Maysan
• Al Basrah
• Dhi Qar
• Al Muthanna
• Al Qadisyah
• Babil
• Al Karbala
• An Najaf
• Al Anbar
• Ninawa
• Dahuk
• Arbil
• At Ta'mim
• As Sulaymaniyah

Cities of Iraq

• Arbil
• Baghdad
• Basra
• Dahuk
• Fallujah
• Karbala
• Kirkuk
• Mosul
• Najaf
• Nassiriya
• Osiraq
• Samarra
• Ar Ramadi
• Ar Rutba
• As Sulaymaniyah
• Tikrit
• Umm Qasr

Climate conditions

Average temperatures range from higher than 48 °C (120 °F) in July and August to below freezing in January. Most of the rainfall occurs from December through April and averages between 100 and 180 millimetres annually. The mountainous region of northern Iraq receives appreciably more precipitation than the central or southern desert region.