Iraq

Republic of Iraq جمهورية العراق (Arabic) كؤماری عێراق‎ (Kurdish)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: الله أكبر   (Arabic) "Allahu Akbar"  (transliteration) "God is [the] Greatest"
Anthem:  موطني‎ Mawtini  (My Homeland)
Capital (and largest city)		Baghdad 33°20′N 44°26′E
Official language(s)		Arabic, Kurdish
Demonym		Iraqi
Government		Federal parliamentary republic
-	President	Jalal Talabani
-	Prime Minister	Nouri al-Maliki
Independence
-	from theOttoman Empire	1 October 1919
-	from theUnited 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	$111.5 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 (ⁱ /ɪˈrɑːk/ or /ɪˈræk/, Arabic: العراق al-ʿIrāq); officially the Republic of Iraq (الجمهورية العراقية  listen (help·info) al-Ǧumhūriyyah l-ʿIrāqiyyah, Kurdish: كؤماری عێراق, Komara Îraqê) 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.

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 desert landscape that covers most of Western Asia.

Historically, 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 thecradle of civilization and the birthplace of writing and the wheel. Throughout its history, Iraq has been the center of the Akkadian, Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Hellenistic,Parthian, Sassanid and Abbasid empires, and part of the Achaemenid, Roman, Rashidun,Umayyad, Mongol, Safavid, Afsharid, Ottoman and British empires.

Iraq's modern borders were created in 1920 by League of Nations mandate when the Ottoman Empire was divided by the Treaty of Sèvres and Iraq was placed under British control, known as the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. A monarchy was established in 1921 and the Kingdom of Iraq gained independence from Britain in 1932. In 1958, the monarchy was overthrown and the Republic of Iraq was created. Iraq was controlled by theArab Socialist Ba'ath Party from 1968 until 2003. After an invasion led by American andBritish forces, the Ba'ath Party was removed from power and Iraq came under a military occupation by a multinational coalition. Sovereignty was transferred to the Iraqi Interim Government in June 2004. A new constitution was then approved by referendum and a newGovernment of Iraq was elected. Foreign troops remained in Iraq after the establishment of a new government due to an insurgency that developed shortly after the invasion, with violence peaking in mid 2007. In August 2010 the U.S. became the last member of the coalition to cease combat operations in Iraq. 50,000 US troops remain in the country in an advisory role; their full withdrawal mandated by 31 December 2011.