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IRAQ
Vacations and Sightseeing

Basic information
Official languageArabic, Kurdish
CapitalBagdad
Area438.317 kmĀ²
Population41,729,935  (2021)
CurrencyIraqi dinar  (IRD)
Web.iq
Code.IRQ
Tel.+964

Cities in IRAQ

Baghdad

Vacations and Sightseeing

Iraq has long been at the centre of the battlefield between the US and the Islamists. As a tourist, extreme vigilance is required and in almost all cases travel is currently advised against. In any case, consult the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before travelling. For better times, here are some highlights of Iraq's civilisation.

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and the governorate of the same name. A famous museum is the National Museum of Iraq with an invaluable collection. Thousands of ancient manuscripts in the Royal Library were lost before and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Al Kadhimain, built in 1515 is one of the most important religious places in Iraq. One of the oldest buildings is the 12th century palace of the Abbasids. It is located in the historical core of the city, close to other historical buildings such as the Saray building and the Al-Mustansiriyah School (also from the Abbasid period). Other attractions include the Baghdad Tower, now the Ma'amoon Telecommunications Centre Tower. There is a revolving restaurant with a panoramic view at the top of the tower. Also worth visiting are the Khan Murjan and Sahat Al Tahrir (Liberation Square) in the centre of Baghdad, Al-Zawra'a Park. A famous market is the souq Saray (Saray market). Hatra is one of the few stone ruins in Iraq. It is a beautiful, well-preserved city and perhaps the most outstanding archaeological site in Iraq. Hatra was the capital of the first Arab Kingdom in Mesopatamia and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Babylon was the capital of the Babylonian Empire for about 1,000 years. It played an important role in a number of Biblical stories and is associated with the Tower of Babel. It was also home to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. The city was a small town until around 1900 BC, when Emperor Hammurabi unified much of Mesopotamia and made Babylon his capital. Babylon is also the place where Alexander the Great died around 300 B.C. The archaeological site is about 100 km south of Baghdad.


Sources

Elmar Landeninformatie

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated February 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info