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Table of Contents
Iraq, known officially as the Republic of Iraq, is a country with an autonomous region, called Iraqi Kurdistan, in Western Asia. In Arabic, Iraq means “fertile”, “deeply rooted” and “watered well”.
See the fact file below for more information on the Iraq or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Iraq worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Geography
- To the north of Iraq is Turkey; to the south, Saudi Arabia; to the east, Iran; to the west, Syria; to the southeast, Kuwait; and to the southwest, Jordan.
- Along the northern part of the Persian Gulf, Iraq has a 58-kilometer stretch of coastline.
- Running south through Iraq is the Tigris – Euphrates river system which descends into the Persian Gulf.
- Situated within that river system was Mesopotamia, the world’s earliest civilization. It is called “the cradle of civilization.”
- Mesopotamia was also called “Al-Jazirah” meaning “island” and is now modern-day Iraq.
- Most of Iraq is rough deserts and northern mountainous areas. The dominant climate is hot and arid. Plains along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are considered the most livable.
- Iraq’s highest point is Haji Ibrahim (11,834 feet). Its lowest point is sea level along the Persian Gulf.
Historical Background
- Iraq was the center of many empires and early civilizations. The Akkadian, Assyrian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Hellenistic, Roman, Mongol, and Ottoman empires first rose in the region.
- The first civilization, around 3000 B.C., was the Sumerian empire. This empire developed the first writing system called cuneiform. Cuneiform means “wedge shaped”.
- The second civilization that rose, around 2000 B.C., was the Babylonian civilization. King Hammurabi of this empire was responsible for the first code of law, known as Code of Hammurabi.
- The Persian empire came after the Babylonian in 539 B.C.
- In 646 A.D., the Arabs took over and founded Islam.
- After the Arabs, the Ottomans ruled, starting in 1534 until World War I.
- In 1920, Iraq was under British Mandate and was called Mandatory Iraq. Iraq gained independence in 1932.
- In 1958, the 14 July Revolution, otherwise known as the 1958 Iraqi coup d’état resulted in Abd al-Karim Qasim gaining control of Iraq through military power.
- In 1968, the Ba’ath party gained governance, which led to Saddam Hussein beginning his rule as both President and Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council in 1979.
- Saddam Hussein waged an eight-year war against Iran based on territorial disputes.
- Hussein also invaded Kuwait, which sparked the Persian Gulf War led by the United States in alliance with forces from 35 countries against Iraq.
- Both wars inflicted an unstable economy and years of sanctions against Iraq.
- Saddam Hussein’s government was thought to have been creating chemical and nuclear weaponry which caused the U.S. military to intervene and invade Iraq to topple its government.
- In 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured, tried, and hanged.
Nature and Economy
- Iraq has the world’s third largest supply of oil, next to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
- According to the UN, oil constitutes 99% of Iraq’s revenue.
- The commercial production of honey and licorice are two of Iraq’s major industries.
- Foreign aid is also a major contributing sector in Iraq’s economy.
- Iraq’s water resource management has been derailed because of ongoing wars.
- Before the Gulf War in 1991, Iraq was known for having one of the best educational systems and a good reputation among Arab countries. It has since then declined because of drastic changes in the Hussein regime and instabilities caused by war.
- Since the Gulf War, the number of women sold as sex slaves has been increasing.
Government
- Iraq is a founding member of the United Nations.
- Its government is a federal, Islamic parliamentary republic. It is composed of executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Society and Culture
- Iraq is a very ethnically diverse nation. The country is home to Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, Turkmen, Assyrians, Mandaeans, Shabakis, and Yazidis, among others.
- The two main ethnic groups are the Arabs and Kurds.
- Islam is the dominant religion.
- The Iraq flag is red, black, and white. The Arabic phrase “Allahu Akbar” is scripted at the center which means “God is the Greatest.”
- In memory of the soldiers who died during the Iran-Iraq war, the al-Shaheed Monument (also known as Martyr’s monument) was built in Baghdad.
- Two New Years’ Eves are celebrated by Iraqis. First is the one on December 31st; the second is called Muharram which is on the first day of the Muslim calendar.
- The hacha’a is a type of dance traditional to Iraq which is like belly dancing by women with long hair.
- The maqam is Iraq’s traditional music. It is hundreds of years old and is very slow and poetic. It is sung in religious rituals as well as in athletic houses called zurkhanes.
- The Masgouf (grilled fish) is Iraq’s national dish.
- When eating, it is considered rude to eat with the left hand because it is considered unclean.
Iraq Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Iraq across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Iraq worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Iraq, known officially as the Republic of Iraq, which is a country with an autonomous region, called Iraqi Kurdistan, in Western Asia. In Arabic, Iraq means “fertile”, “deeply rooted” and “watered well”.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Iraq Facts
- Once Upon A Mesopotamia
- Make The Map
- Prior Empires
- A Brief History
- Who’s Hussein?
- Truth or Trash
- Good News, Bad News
- Sing and Dance
- Economy Ups and Downs
- Iraq Then and Now
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Link will appear as Iraq Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 9, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.