Iraq

Geography

Main article: Geography of Iraq

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Large parts of Iraq consist of desert, but the area between the two major rivers Euphrates and Tigris is fertile, with the rivers carrying about 60 million cubic meters of silt annually to the delta. The north of the country is largely mountainous, with the highest point being Haji Ibrahim at 3,600 m. Iraq has a small coastline with the Persian Gulf (Known as the Arabian Gulf among Arabs). Close to the coast and along the Shatt al-Arab (known as arvandrūd: اروندرود among Iranians) there used to be marshlands, but many of these were drained in the 1990s.

Related Topics:
Desert - Euphrates - Tigris - Haji Ibrahim - Persian Gulf - Arabian Gulf - Shatt al-Arab - 1990s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The local climate is mostly a desert clime with mild to cool winters and dry, hot, cloudless summers. The northern mountainous regions experience cold winters with occasional heavy snows, sometimes causing extensive flooding. The capital Baghdad is situated in the centre of the country, on the banks of the Tigris. Other major cities include Basra in the south and Mosul in the north. Iraq is considered to be one of the fifteen lands that comprise the so-called "Cradle of Humanity".

Related Topics:
Climate - Baghdad - Basra - Mosul - Cradle of Humanity

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~