A B O U T I R A Q
Iraq is a republic of southwest Asia, extending northwest from the head of the Persian Gulf. It is bounded on the south by the gulf, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia; on the west by Jordan and Syria; on the north by Turkey; and on the east by Iran. Iraq is a major petroleum producer.
Formerly called Mesopotamia ("the land between the rivers"), Iraq is the
site of one of the most ancient centers of civilization. In the 7th
century AD it became part of the Arab world. Under Ottoman Turkish rule
from the 17th century until World War I, it was then under British
mandate until 1932. Iraq achieved independence as a monarchy, but a
violent revolution brought the establishment of a socialist republic in
1958.
Iraqi Kurds have suffered severe repression in recent years with the disappearance of about 180,000 and 4,000 villages razed during the notorious Anfal Campaign of 1988.
U P D A T E S
Iraq and the Kurds: In the Wake of Liberation - The Future of Iraqi Kurdistan
Kurdish parties claim $4 billion owed
The Forgotten Faylee Kurds of Iraq: A Personal Account
Syrian authorities arrest Syrian exiles fleeing Iraq
