Iraq

Iraq is a country in Western Asia, occupying the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers — the region known throughout history as Mesopotamia, meaning "land between the rivers." This is widely considered the cradle of human civilisation, where some of the world's earliest cities, writing systems, and agricultural societies developed over 6,000 years ago. Ancient Babylon, Ur, and Nineveh all flourished on this extraordinary land, leaving a legacy that shaped all of human history.

Iraq is one of the world's largest oil producers and has the fifth largest proven oil reserves on the planet, concentrated in the southern regions around Basra. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow from Turkey through Iraq before joining and emptying into the Persian Gulf, have sustained agriculture and human settlement for millennia. Baghdad, the capital, was once the largest city in the world and the centre of the Islamic Golden Age when it was home to the greatest scholars, scientists, and mathematicians of the medieval world.

With a population of around 42 million people, Iraq is a diverse country home to Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, and other communities alongside multiple religious traditions. Despite the challenges of recent decades, Iraq has a young and growing population with deep pride in their ancient heritage. Football is the most popular sport and unites Iraqis across all communities — the national team, the Lions of Mesopotamia, have won the AFC Asian Cup and are a source of immense national pride.