Iraq

–noun a republic in SW Asia, N of Saudi Arabia and W of Iran, centering in the Tigris-Euphrates basin of Mesopotamia. 22,219,289; 172,000 sq. mi. (445,480 sq. km). Capital: Baghdad. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/iraq
 * Iraq**




 * Iraq was previously part of the Ottoman empire until Britain occupied the country during the course of World War I; later in 1920 the UK administration declared it a league of nations. By 1932 the country gained its independence as a kingdom.
 * Iraq was run by dictator Saddam Hussien untill April 9, 2003. US and Britain forces invaded and sovereignty was returned to the country on June 28, 2004
 * Iraq is located between two main rivers in the middle east the Tigris and the Euphrates. In early times Iraq was known as Mesopotamia.
 * In ancent times it was the Babylonians and the Assyrian empires.
 * The languages commonly spoken in Iraq are arabic, Kurdish, Assyrian, and Armenian.
 * About 40% of Iraq can read
 * The main religion in Iraq is Islam, followed by Sunni, and then Christianity
 * Iraq uses U.S. currency
 * Iraq, a triangle of mountains, desert, and fertile river valley, is surrounded on the east by Iran, on the north by Turkey, on the west by Syria and Jordan

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My sources Kjeilen, Tore."Iraq:History." __Encylopedia of the Orient.__1 LexicOrient. 31 Oct. 2007 .