Iraq

1. Iraq What government and economic systems are employed by the Islamic Parliamentary Democratic Republic of Iraq? What are the geographical features and climates found in Iraq? What are some major events in Iraq’s history?

2. Location Iraq is located in SW Asia. Iraq is located west of Iran. Iraq is located south of Turkey. Iraq is located northwest of Saudi Arabia. Iraq shares a border with Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and Turkey.

3. Geography Nearly all of Iraq is covered by desertand river valleys. Both the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow through Iraq. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers provide Iraqi citizens with freshwater and fertilefarmland.

4. Climate Iraq has a desert (arid)climate.

5. History Iraq is home to the ancient land known as Mesopotamiaor the Fertile Crescent. Mesopotamia was located on the fertile lands between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Mesopotamia was the home for many empires including the Sumerians and Akkadians.

6. History Iraq was a part of the Ottoman Empire until World War I. The British Empire controlled Iraq until 1932. The Kingdom of Iraq was established in 1932. Iraq became a republic in the 1950s, but this republic was overthrown by the Baath Partyin 1968. Saddam Hussein, the leader of the Baath Party, came to power in 1979 and created an autocratic dictatorship.

7. History---Saddam Hussein Controlled the media and the government. Killed those who opposed him, mainly Shia Muslims and Kurds. Murdered thousands of Kurds in Iraq using chemical weapons. Led Iraq into three disastrous wars. Was overthrown and executed in 2003.

8. History---Iran/Iraq War War with Iran (1980s). Invaded Iran in an attempt to gain control of oil and freshwater resources near countries’ border with one another. No one won the war. Destroyed both nations economies.

9. History---Persian Gulf War Iraq invaded its neighbor Kuwait in order to gain control of its ports and oil wealth. Saudi Arabia, also Iraq’s neighbor feared Iraq would attack them next. Saudi Arabia asks the United Nations and the United States for help. Iraq is told to leave Kuwait, but refuses.

10. History---Persian Gulf War United States leads a force of 34 nations to attack and liberate Kuwait from Iraqi invaders. Kuwait is liberated in less than 100 hours. The Iraqi army retreats back into Iraq. The war is over. Nearly 30,000 Iraqi soldiers are killed. The US and its allies lose less than 150 people. Iraq is placed under economic sanctions(limits and/or stoppages of trade).

14. History---Invasion of Iraq In 2002, the United States and Britain demanded that Iraq allow UN weapons inspectorsinto Iraq. The US and Britain believed Iraq possessed chemical, biological, and nuclearweapons. Iraq’s government refused to allow inspectors into Iraq and the US and Britain declared war on Iraq in 2003.

15. History---Invasion of Iraq US and British forces lead multinational force into Iraq in March of 2003. Iraqi army is defeated by May of 2003 and Saddam Husseinis deposed by American and British forces. Leads to occupation of Iraq by mostly American and British forces. Occupation continues today. Iraq left unstable after war. Ethnic conflict erupts as well as religious strifebetween Sunni and Shia Muslims within the country. Terrorism also a concern

16. History---Occupied or Modern Iraq Iraq has been occupied since 2003. Shortly after the occupation began, the Iraqi National Congress was given the task of writing a new constitution and creating a new government. A new democraticgovernment was created by Iraq’s new constitution. The government was installed in 2005. The occupation is planned to end in December 2011.

21. Religion Almost all of Iraq’s people (97%) practice Islam. 35% are Sunni Muslims and 65% are Shia Muslims. There is tension between Sunni and Shia Muslims living in Iraq that dates back to Saddam’s control of the nation. During this time, Sunni Muslims received better treatment than Shia Muslims.

22. Ethnic Groups Nearly 80% of the population is Arab. The second largest ethnic group are the Kurds (15%). The Kurds were treated poorly and sometimes murdered during Saddam’s rule. Now they enjoy the same rights as Iraq’s Arabs and other ethnic groups.

23. Government Iraq’s government is currently defined as an Islamic Democratic Parliamentary Republic. Iraq’s government is led by Iraq’s prime minister. He is the most powerful leader in the government. The Prime Minister of Iraq is Nouri al-Maliki. The current President and head of state of Iraq is JalalTalabani. The President of Iraq has less power than the Prime Minister. Talabani is a Kurd, and he is the first non-Arab leader of Iraq since the 1930s. All Iraqi citizens over the age of 18 can votefor the Prime Minister of Iraq and other regional leaders.

24. Economy Iraq has a mixedeconomy. Iraq’s economy has suffered from years of war and occupations. Iraq has also suffered from economic sanctions and embargoes between 1990 and 2003. During these times, Iraq was not able to produce the amount of oil necessary for sustaining their economy.

25. Economy The majority of Iraq’s oil is located near the Persian Gulf. Iraq’s economy is based on petroleum production. Nearly 96% of Iraq’s economy is based on petroleum production

26. Economy Under Iraq’s new economic system, private citizens have some control of the economy. Entrepreneurs, people who start businesses or invest money, are a growing part of Iraq’s economy.