IRAQ > MIDDLE EAST > INDEX


This page doesn't offer and cannot offer a balanced picture of Iraq!

Republic of Iraq [ Al-Jumhuriyah Al-Iraqiyah ] in southwestern Asia encompassing the ancient region of Mesopotamia at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, it also includes southern Kurdistan.

Iraq shares borders with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the west, Syria to the north-west, Turkey to the north, and Iran to the east.

It was in Iraq where the world's first civilization arose 5000 years ago. Here the first cities were founded, the first words written, the first laws made, the first scientists tried to understand ...., the first great literature opened people's minds.

Nineveh, Basrah, Al Tamam, Wast, Maysian, Najaf, Kerbala, Al-Anbar, De Kair, Al Cadesia, Babylon

Capital City of Iraq : Baghdad


hotels, travel agencies, travel guides, transportation / traveling to iraq

links


Hotels in Iraq

 Hotels in Irak
 Al Rashid Hotel, Baghdad, Tel.: 8851000

Travel Agents / Tour Operator



Travel Guides Iraq / Related books

 Amazon.com - Booka about Iraq

The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Surviving Iraq 
By James Janega (Author)
Book Description : Don't get caught in the crossfire.... Iraq is a one of the most dangerous places in the world—yet journalists, private contractors, and soldiers still must travel there. This book has everything visitors need to know to get by, including all aspects of security, picking a translator, traffic, bribery, eating, the weather, who's in charge, important government acronyms, hotels and buying and renting houses, transportation and traffic, and much more.
Paperback: 208 pages; Publisher: Alpha (June 6, 2006); Language: English; ISBN-13: 978-1592575206
Baghdad: The Bradt City Guide - Catherine Arnold
Behind the shattered images flashed up daily on TV screens around the world, is a vibrant capital bustling with life and steeped in history. Baghdad is a beautiful city, in which the very old rubs shoulders with the new, where Ottoman villas crouch next to high-rise hotels and the crumbling splendour of the caliphate jostles for attention with designs by Le Corbusier.
While the guide contains a mass of information for those working in the city, including up-to-date maps, telephone numbers and practical advice, it will also offer a glimpse at this other face of Baghdad for those with no intention of ever visiting. The Baghdad of daily life; shops, restaurants, tennis-clubs and souqs in addition to detailed descriptions of historical sites.
A 50 page history section, divided into small, easily digestible chunks, provides a backdrop to the current situation, for anyone interested in putting the news into an historical context: From the founding of Baghdad in 762AD to the 2004 handover with a focus on the last 100 years -- including the last attempt to install a democracy at the beginning of the 20th century.
Paperback 208 pages (June 1, 2004); Publisher: BRADT Travel Guides; Language: English; ISBN: 1841620971.

Transport / How to travel to Iraq

 Baghdad International Airport [ BIAP ] - former Saddam Airport
Located approximately 16 kilometers West of Baghdad. The airfield is a joint civil-military airport, with a civil international terminal on one side and a smaller military ramp on the other.
 Basrah International Airport

Major air bases are located at Al Sahra, Al Taqaddum, Amara New, Baghdad/Muthenna, Balad Southeast, Irbil, Injanah, Jalibah, Karbale Northeast, Kirkuk, Mosul, Najaf, Qayyarah, Rasheed, Safwan, Salman Pak, Salum, Samarra East, Shaibah, Shayka Mazhar, Sabakhu, Tallil, and Ubaydah Bin al Jarrah. In addition, there are 73 other airports of varying sizes scattered around the country.

 Air Iraq / Iraqi Airways
 Royal Jordanian ???

 Tickets / Flights

 Train line between Baghdad, Mosul and Basra.

 Orange and cream taxis are in service on routes between towns and cities. Taxis can be shared or hired individually.

 Online Map of Iraq [ Uni Texas - Perry-Castañeda Library - Map Collection ]
 Map of Iraq


Links 

 Travel Insurance

 Iraq Tourism Board - official site
Transportation, religious tourism, historical tourism, accommodation, etc.

 Iraqi Interim Government
Here you will be able to see information about the activities of the Iraqi Government.
The site is divided into sections about the President, Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers' Secretariat and links to Ministries.

 Baghdad - Capital City of Iraq  - Mayoralty of Baghdad

 Al Anbar Muhafazah [ Province ]
 Al Basrah
 Al Muthanna
 Al Qadisiyah
 An Najaf
 Arbil
 As Sulaymaniyah
 At Ta'mim
 Babil
 Baghdad [ Province ]
 Dahuk
 Dhi Qar
 Diyala
 Karbala'
 Maysan
 Ninawa
 Salah ad Din
 Wasit

 Zone Central South - under Polish command
With the cities Al-Kut, Diwaniya, Hillah, Hindiya, Kerbala, Najaf,
 Zone North-Central - under US command
With the cities Arbil, Bagdad, Bashur, Dohuk, Kifri, Kirkuk, Mosul en Tikrit
 Zone Southeast - under British command
With the cities As Samawah, Basra, Khidr, Nassiriya, Rumaytha, Shaibah, Talli, Umm Qasrl

 Basra - Iraq's second largest city and main seaport
Originally intended as a military base, the city was founded in AD637 by Caliph Omar. During the 16th century it became an important departure point for Arab trading ships sailing to the Far East.
Because of its location, it was the site of many battles between the Turks -- as it was at this time part of the Ottoman Empire -- and invading Persians or Marsh Arabs.
 Mosul - Iraq's third largest city - situated 396 km north of Baghdad
The city was an important trade centre in the Abbasid era, because of its strategic position on the caravan route between India, Persia and the Mediterranean.
Mosul has the highest proportion of Christians of all the Iraqi cities, and contains several interesting old churches, including the Clock and Latin Church, which contains some fine marble and stained glass. The Chaldean Catholic Church of Al-Tahira was built as a monastery in AD300 and became a church in 1600, when various additions were built.

 Nineveh - just outside Mosul on the east bank of the River Tigris
It was the third capital of Assyria dating from the reign of Sennacherib [ 704-681 BC ] and was one of the most powerful cities of the Middle East, the hub of the civilized ancient world. Its downfall came in 612BC, when it was sacked by the Medes of Northern Persia.
 Nimrud - about 37 km southeast of Mosul, on the eastern bank of the River Tigris
It was first designated as the Assyrian capital by Ashurnasirpal II in 879 BC and was known as Kalhu (mentioned in Genesis as Calah). Later, with the accession of King Sargon II, it was replaced by Khorsabad as the new capital in about 720 BC. In 612 BC, it was destroyed by the Medes of Northern Persia, at the same time as the fall of Nineveh.
 Babylon - 90 km south of Baghdad
It is perhaps the most famous of all the ancient sites in Iraq. First reaching prominence under King Hammurabi, and achieving its zenith during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (605-56BC), Babylon was renowned for its high, well-fortified walls and for the magnificence of its temples and palaces.
Its famous Hanging Gardens, built by Nebuchadnezzar for his wife Amytas, were one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Amytas was a Mede and her home was in mountainous country, so the King reputedly had the Hanging Gardens built to allay her homesickness
 Kerbala - of great religious significance to Muslims
108 km southwest of Baghdad, is the site of the battle of Kerbala, which was fought in AD680 between the two main Islamic sects - Sunni and Shiite. The leader of the Shiite sect and his brother were both killed in the battle. As they were grandsons of the Prophet Mohammed, shrines were built to commemorate them in two mosques in Kerbala. Visiting these shrines is a significant goal for Islamic pilgrims.
 Najaf - of great religious significance to Muslims
Najaf contains the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib in a mosque in the city centre. The sacred shrine commemorates a cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed, who founded the Shiite sect.

 Arch of Ctesiphon - ruined city of Ctesiphon
The city was first built in the second century BC by the Parthian Persians. Today there is very little left of its former glories, except a colossal arch which is thought to have once formed part of a great banqueting hall.
 Samarra Spiral Minaret - 124 km, north of Baghdad
Its major spot is its 52 meters high minaret.
 Mosque of Nebi Yunus - Basra
Said to be the burial place of the Biblical Jonah. It is built on a mound beneath which are thought to be part of the ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh. Any attempt to verify this is impossible, however, as the site is sacred and cannot be disturbed.
 Nuriddine Mosque, Basra -
Built in 1172, has a famously crooked minaret standing 52 metres high. It is built of very elaborate brickwork and is named after its builder, Nuriddin Zanqi.
 The Euphrates & The Tigris
The rivers were known, through the historical ages, as most important rivers in the world, for the Valley of the Euphrates and the Tigris represents the birthplace of many ancient civilization like the Assyrian, Babylonian and Sumerrous. The cities of Babylon and Akad were built near the rivers. During the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire many villages, arts and literature centers flourished along the river bank. The archaeological excavations on the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates presented a lot of important historical information.
 Ur of the Chaldees - Near the town of Nasiriya - one of Iraq's most imposing ancient sites.
In former days it stood on the banks of the Euphrates, until the river changed its course. The earliest buildings date from 4000BC, and there is an impressive ziggurat (pyramid-shaped tower), as well as some royal tombs in a good state of preservation. These tombs are thought to date from about 2600-2000BC.
Ur of the Chaldees is mentioned in the Bible as the birthplace of Abraham, although there is no real evidence to support this statement. On a surer footing, it was the capital of the ancient civilization of Sumeria, and was first excavated in 1922-34 by Sir Leonard Woolley.

 Bank - Central Bank of Iraq
 Kurdistan - Kurdistan Regional Government
 Sport - Iraqi Sport

Culinair - Iraqi Cooking

 Delights from the Garden of Eden: A Cookbook and a History of the Iraqi Cuisine - Nawal Nasrallah
This new Iraqi cookbook contains more than four hundred recipes covering all food categories. There is ample choice for both vegetarian and meat lovers, and many that will satisfy a sweet tooth. All recipes have been tested and are easy to follow
Paperback 664 pages (February 21, 2003); Publisher: AuthorHouse; Language: English; ISBN: 140334793X

History of Iraq

Independent on Ocktober 3, 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

 Iraq's History - Wikipedia
Prehistory Iraq [ Ancient Times and Mesopotamia ], Post-Sumerian civilizations [ Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon ], The Muslim Conquest, Modern Times [ The British Mandate Period, The Iraqi Monarchy and The End of the Monarchy ], Rule Under Saddam [ Invasion of Kuwait and the Persian Gulf War, Iraq under UN Sanction and the 2003 invasion of Iraq ], Coalition occupation of Iraq [ Coalition withdrawal ]...
Revolution Day: The Real Story of the Battle for Iraq - Rageh Omaar
Rageh Omaar reported from Iraq for six years prior to the conflict in 2003. He evaded the official minders to meet ordinary Iraqis, finding out how they lived under Saddam's brutal regime. Then war came, and instead of retreating he chose to stay in Baghdad, to see firsthand the country he loved crumble beneath the Allied onslaught. His shocking account of the years of siege, of the war that followed and its terrifying fallout is a heartbreaking and fascinating testament to a people enduring deprivation and destruction, told by the man who was there before, during and after.
Paperback 304 pages (February 3, 2005); Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd.; Language: English; ISBN: 0141017163
The Wars Against Saddam: Taking the Hard Road to Baghdad - John Simpson
'You can't really argue with much that John Simpson says - there is no foreign correspondent left on TV who has a fraction of his recognition and his credibility, a fact which may be unfair on the others, but happens to be true.' That was Simon Hoggart reviewing Simpson's devastating Panorama profile of Saddam Hussein, broadcast in early November 2002. This riveting, important and timely new book is the summation of more than twenty years covering Saddam Hussein's Iraq. The War Against Saddam offers, in five acts, the full story of his rise to power and the West's relationship with Saddam throughout his dictatorship. The fifth act will draw on Simpson's first-hand experience of the 2003 war in Iraq, in what will a major work of serious reportage and essential reading for us all.
Paperback 432 pages (July 2, 2004); Publisher: Pan; Language: English; ISBN: 0330418904
 Iraqi Museum, Karkh - displays the history of the Iraqi civilization
 Iraq Museum International - Open Encyclopedia

Music, Culture & History

Greek Thought, Arab Culture: The Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement in Baghdad and Early 'Abbasid Society (2nd-4th/8th-10th centuries)
Dimitri Gutas
From the middle of the eighth century to the tenth century, almost all non-literary and non-historical secular Greek books, including such diverse topics as astrology, alchemy, physics, botany and medicine, that were available throughout the eastern Byzantine Empire and the Near East, were translated into Arabic. This work explores the major social, political and ideological factors that occasioned the unprecedented translation movement from Greek into Arabic in Baghdad, the newly founded capital of the Arab dynasty of the "Abbasids", during the first two centuries of their rule. Dimitri Gutas draws upon the preceding historical and philological scholarship in Greco-Arabic studies and the study of medieval translations of secular Greek works into Arabic and analyzes the social and historical reasons for this phenomenon. He presents a well -documented survey of this key movement in the transmission of ancient Greek culture to the Middle Ages.
Paperback 252 pages (June 25, 1998); Publisher: Routledge,an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Ltd.; Language: English; ISBN: 0415061334
 Music of Iraq
Iraq is known primarily for an instrument called the oud (similar to a lute) and a rebab [ similar to a fiddle ]...
 Iraqi cultural heritage sites - see The Guardian
Iraq is one huge world heritage site, a unique storehouse of art and archaeology, a.o. The Parthian desert city of Hatra, The restored temple of Nabu sha hare at Babylon, Minaret at Mosul, Main gate at Nineveh, Minaret at Anah, Ziggurat at Ashur, The fourth-century arch at Ctesiphon and Ukhaidir.
 New Advent - Babylonia

 Aramusic.com - arabic music

Web Portal s / Search Engines / Iraq directory

 Future of Iraq Portal ***
 Baghdad Bazaar - directory for business opportunities and trade leads in Iraq
 Iraqdirectory.com 
Online guide to Iraq business. Provides Iraq business news, Iraq business directory, Business center, Weekly newsletter & More!
 Bagdad 
 Irac.net [ partly English ]
 Iraq2all.com
General info, music & clips, art, sport, chat, poems, news, etc.
 IraqiOasis.com
 Iraqi Pages
Iraqi Pages publishes any Articles concerning Iraq by Individuals and Organizations in English or Arabic
 PortalIraq - Iraq business portal

 ArabicNews Bookstore
Culture, Food, Fashion, Religion, Art and Literature, Politics, Non-Fiction, Military, Language, Travel, History, Legal & Video.
 Come Back Alive
 LexicOrient - Encyclopeadia of the orient
LexicOrient (formerly known as CiAS) is a Norwegian media house aiming at presenting a better image of North Africa and the Middle East than what is often found in most Western medias — without withholding the negative truths.
LexicOrient is not supported by any government, organization or individuals. All material is based upon a moderate view of human rights and political rights.


*) The controversial term Arabian Gulf, the subject of the Persian Gulf naming dispute, may refer to the : a.) Persian Gulf, the internationally recognized name and b) Red Sea, an older name rarely used by some European nations until the nineteenth century. See Persian Gulf naming dispute.


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