Restless Iraq: What Makes This Country Interesting Despite the War - 24 Facts
Restless Iraq: What Makes This Country Interesting Despite the War - 24 Facts
Restless Iraq: What Makes This Country Interesting Despite the War - 24 Facts
Iraq, a country in the Middle East, is primarily known to the rest of the world for its volatile political situation. Iraq is situated on lands where great deeds were once accomplished. To this day, the modern territory of Iraq is home to countless monuments of history and architecture. However, for various reasons, not many tourists risk visiting this country to admire them firsthand.
Interesting Facts About Iraq
1. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad.
2. The population of Iraq is approximately 36 million people.
3. Iraq shares borders with Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria.
4. The country is washed by the Persian Gulf to the south.
6. Iraq is located in the so-called "Fertile Crescent" between the two legendary rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. This land became a fertile ground for the development of civilization. Throughout history, this region has been referred to by various names, such as "Al-Jazira," which translates from Arabic as "island," or "Mesopotamia," meaning "land between two rivers" in Greek.
7. In Iraq, as in many other Muslim countries, it is considered improper to use the left hand during meals, as it is considered "unclean."
8. In Iraq, it is not considered improper to eat quickly, even without using forks and spoons. On the contrary, greedy consumption of food by a guest indicates that it is indeed delicious. A guest in an Iraqi household would be deeply offended if a domestic servant suddenly appeared at the dining table.
9. Dance plays an important role in Iraqi culture for several millennia. One of the dance styles, called "hacha'a," is very similar to belly dancing, but it involves more movements of the neck and arms and fewer hip movements. Women must have long hair, as in one part of the dance, they need to swing their hair.
10. The Tower of Babel, mentioned in one of the most famous biblical parables, was allegedly located on the lands of modern-day Iraq.
11. Iraq first participated in the Olympic Games in 1948 and won only one medal in weightlifting (bronze) at the Rome Olympics. This country has never participated in the Winter Olympics.
12. Women in Iraq traditionally had more freedom than women in other countries of the region. However, after the last war, their situation is deteriorating increasingly. Religious groups are trying to force women to completely cover their faces and threaten those who wear Western-style clothing.
13. In December 2011, the last American troops were withdrawn from Iraq, marking the end of nearly nine years of war. This was the largest contingent of US troops in any country since Vietnam. However, diplomats, law development advisors, economic and agricultural development experts, security personnel, and experts in other fields continue to work in Iraq.
14. Dust and sand storms rage in Iraq for 20 to 50 days a year, especially in summer. Sandstorms can raise sand up to 15 meters high, while dust clouds can rise to heights of one to two kilometers.
15. Mountains cover 20% of Iraqi territory. The two main mountain ranges are the Taurus Mountains on the border with Turkey and the Zagros Mountains on the border with Iran. Forests in Iraq are only preserved in the mountains.
16. For thousands of years, people in Iraq have been keeping bees. Honey is one of the main sources of income for many Iraqi families.
17. Carp in Iraq can grow up to almost 140 kilograms, and sharks swim far upstream in the large Iraqi rivers.
18. The first democratic elections in Iraq in the last 50 years took place in January 2005.
19. Since 2016, the production and sale of alcohol have been completely banned in Iraq. Violators face fines ranging from $8 to $20,000.
20. Clay tablets with recipes, estimated to be about 5000 years old, have been found in Iraq.
21. Baghdad is the main city in the famous cycle of Arab tales "One Thousand and One Nights."
22. One of the mosques in Iraq houses the Quran written with Saddam Hussein's blood ink. The calligrapher of the sacred book claimed that approximately 27 liters of blood were given by the head of state for this purpose.
23. In the 1980s, German engineer Karl Esser designed one of the underground bunkers for Saddam Hussein. The grandmother of this engineer went down in history as the designer of bunkers for the needs of the Third Reich and personally for Hitler.
24. According to legend, the Persian king, marching with his armies to capture Babylon, ordered the execution of one of the rivers that stood in his way because his sacred white horse drowned in its waters. The river, which now flows through the lands of Iraq, was punished by digging countless canals to drain its waters.
