FACTS ABOUT IRAQ

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT IRAQ

1.                 Iraq is officially known as the “Republic of Iraq”

2.                 Baghdad is the capital city of Iraq.

3.                 The total population of Iraq is 38,146,025.

4.                 The natives of Iraq are called Iraqis.

5.                 The Iraqi dinar (IQD) is official currency of Iraq.

6.                 Iraq shares a border with Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey.

7.                 The official language of Iraq is Arabic.

8.                 In Arabic, the name Iraq means “deeply rooted, well watered; fertile.” The name has been in use since before the sixth century.

9.                 Iraq was under British rule for 17 years, and Ottoman rule for centuries.

10.            It gained independence from Britain on October 3, 1932.

11.            The metric system of weights and measures is the legal standard in the country.

12.            Beginning its participation in the Olympic Games in 1948, Iraq has only won a Bronze medal (from the 1960 games) to this day.

13.            Iraq is also home to the world’s first writing system and recorded history.

14.            Iraq banned karate films in 1979.

15.            Soccer is the most popular sport in Iraq. Iraqis also enjoy basketball, boxing, weight lifting, horseback riding, and horse races.

16.            Iraq’s national dish is Masgouf (impaled fish) and its national cookie is Kleicha (meaning circle or wheel), both of which can be traced back to antiquity.

17.            Production of honey and its trade is a major industry in Iraq. Honey is known as a miracle cure in the country, and has the ability to treat headaches, arthritis and many other ailments.

18.            Mountains make up about 20% of Iraq.

19.            Iraq has more than 22 million date palms and is one of the top three date producers in the world.

20.            The Iraqi desert is home to many types of scorpions. Some can grow up to 8 inches long.

21.            The famous children’s story Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves was written in Iraq about 1,000 years ago.

22.            The international country calling code is +964.

23.            Life expectancy in the country is 74.9%.

24.            The literacy rate of Iraq is 79.7%.

25.            Iraq Exports: crude oil 99%, crude materials excluding fuels, food and live animals.

26.            Iraq Imports: food, medicine and manufactures.

27.            The internet country code for Iraq is .iq.