IRAQ

IRAQ

Iraq/geographyComparable in size to

CaliforniaMostly desert, mild to cool

winters with dry, hot summersTigris and Euphrates rivers

run through nation, historically major in the history of world

Home of the first known civilization = Mesopotamia

Alluvial plain between rivers became known as part of the “Fertile Crescent”

Fertile Crescent

The Tigris & Euphrates

River System

Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers”

The Tigris River is 1,100 miles long and begins in Eastern Turkey

The Euphrates River is 1,600 miles long and begins in Eastern Turkey

Three countries rely upon the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for their water; Turkey, Syria and Iraq

Live in SE IraqOnly 7 to 10 percent of the marshlands leftHalf a million in the 1950s, have dwindled to

as few as 20,000 in Iraq

Marshland and Marshland Arabs

Religion

Muhammad’s Succession

632- Muhammad dies, leaving no confirmed successor*

Who will lead? The faith- bloodline or the one most capable

Muhammad’s father-in-law Abu Bakr elected to lead the faith.

The Shia (followers of Ali) supported Ali (cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad)

Sunni and Shia an East & West vs the MiddlePopulation statistics (Sunni 90%, Shia 10%)Areas of the World where conflict between the

two exist. Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia

Holy PlacesSunni: Makkah, Medina, JerusalemShia: Najaf (Site of Ali’s Tomb), Karbala

• Makkah

• Medina

• Jerusalem• Najaf• Karbala

ReligionMuslim 97%

Shi’a 62%; Sunni 35%

Christian and others 3%.Ethnic groups:

Arab 75%, Kurd 20%, Turkmen, Yazidis, Assyrian, or others 5%

Social Groups

Nation of people without a countryLive in Iraq, Turkey, Iran and SyriaNow have an autonomous region of Iraq

Kurds

Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkoman, Assyrian, Armenian

English to Arabic

Language

Once known as MesopotamiaCradle of Civilization - birthplace of writing

and the wheel. Site of Sumerian, Babylonian, and Parthian

cultures. Muslims conquered Iraq in the seventh

century A.D. In the eighth century, the Abassid caliphate

established its capital at Baghdad. Part of Ottoman Empire early 1500s.

History

HISTORY

Iraq gained its independence as a kingdom in 1932A republic was proclaimed in 1958, but really ruled

by dictators Invaded Kuwait in 1990/US responded with

Operation Desert Storm and forced troops out of Kuwait

Saddam Hussein

Operation Iraqi FreedomConflicts with the US and Saddam Hussein led to a

2nd war which overthrew the Iraqi government and Hussein being captured

US occupational forces helped set up a new government and are leaving the country this year

The Famous Spider Hole

Parliamentary democracyExecutive, Legislative, Judicial branchesPresident is the leaderUniversal suffrage 18 yrs oldBaghdad capital

Government

Dominated by the oil sectorRanks second to Saudi Arabia in amount of Oil

reserves70% of GDP

Agriculture is 2nd-largest economic sector 12% of GDPWheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton;

cattle, sheep, poultry

Economy

Architecture

Protruding part of the buildings is a common feature in Iraqi architecture

Great Ziggurat of Ur, Sumerian temple 4100 yrs old

Minaret at the Great Mosque of Samarra

Five Pillars of IslamFaith – Allah is the one true god and Muhammad is his prophet. (Shahada)Prayer – five times a day toward Makkah, noon on Fridays at mosque. (Salat)Alms Giving. (zakat)Fasting – during Ramadan from sunrise to sunset. (Sawm)Pilgrimage - a trip to Makkah once in lifetime. (hajj)

MOSQUES: places of worship for Muslims. Typical features are domes and minarets

DOME

MINARETS

Ramadan Ramadan is an Islamic

practice during which Muslims do not eat or drink during the day, they only eat after sunset or before sunrise.

Is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God.

At the end of Ramadan, which is a month long, there is a 3 day feast called Eid al Fitr.