Description, location, economic development, population of Iraq. Getting to know the state of the Middle East

The Republic of Iraq is a state in South-West Asia. Its area is more than 435 square meters. Km. The population of Iraq is about 36 million people.

Briefly about the state

In the north, the border of this country passes with Turkey, and in the west it borders with Syria and Jordan. On the south-east coast, the states are washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf - this can be visualized by finding Iraq on the map. In the east it borders with Iran, but there are disputable territories along the border that are not officially established.

The capital of Iraq is Baghdad. This city is considered one of the largest administrative centers of the Middle East. In addition, it is an important transport hub. As we have said before, the total population of Iraq varies between 36 million people, and more than 6 million of them live in the capital.

By the type of government, this state is a parliamentary republic of the federal system. Iraq is divided into 18 provinces.

Independence of the state was in 1932. From 1979 to 2003, Saddam Hussein ruled the country. Throughout his presidential term, the Iraqi population suffered from military action, which, naturally, could not benefit economic growth and, as a result, improve the standard of living.

Geographical position

The territory of the country is located in the Mesopotamian lowland, between the valleys of two major eastern rivers - the Tigris and the Euphrates. This place has long been popular. It was here that one of the first human civilizations, Sumerian, arose. Later on these lands there were other states - Babylon and Assyria. In the VII century, these states were conquered by the Arabs, and here Islam spread.

Considering Iraq on the map, you can see that geographically it is divided into 4 natural regions.

1. The large territory of the country is located on the Mesopotamian lowland, in the northeast of which a low mountain system - Sinjar - is rising.
2. From the north, the state encircles the Iranian highlands. It is here that the highest point of the country is - Haji-Ibrahim mountain, 3,587 m high.
3. In the south-west is a desert plateau - the Syrian desert.
4. The eastern part is the plain of El Jazeera.

Inland waters

The state of Iraq is not rich in density of the river system, but here are the two most important water arteries of the Middle East - the Tigris and the Euphrates. The waters of these rivers are used for irrigation, as well as for energy production. Cascades of hydroelectric power stations are built on the rivers. In the northwest, both rivers merge into one single stream of the Shatt al-Arab, which leads to the Persian Gulf.

This waterway throughout its entire channel is deep and navigable. In the deserts, it is often possible to meet temporary flows that are filled with water during precipitation, but dry out in dry weather.

Climatic conditions in Iraq

The state is located in the subtropical climatic zone, with hot summers and cold winters. There is a change in the seasons of the year, but only two are very pronounced: summer and winter. The summer in Iraq lasts from the beginning of May to October, the winter from December to the end of March.

The state is characterized by a low amount of precipitation during the year. During the summer, they are completely absent, which forces the people of Iraq to make the most of the water resources of the rivers. In winter, in the plains, the precipitation varies within the range of 50-150 mm. Moving to the north, they increase and the maximum amount to 1500 mm / year is reached in the mountains.

Snowfalls and frosts are a rare occurrence for Iraq. The average July temperatures are + 32 ° С - 35 ° С, and the average January temperatures are + 16 ° С - 18 ° С.

A characteristic phenomenon for the state is winds. Summer is hot, from the north-west. They carry large masses of sand with them, creating sandstorms. The validity period of this season is from May to July. At this time, such winds blow daily. In winter, their direction changes to the north-east.

Features of flora, fauna and soils

The river valleys are fertile enough soil, but it requires constant additional irrigation. Here, the local population is mainly engaged in agriculture. In the southern regions - sandy soils, unsuitable for growing crops. In the eastern regions, most often, swamped.

Flora and fauna of the country does not indulge in diversity. Distributed subtropical and tropical desert vegetation. From animals, there are gazelles, jackals and striped hyenas. Poisonous cobra is widespread everywhere. And in the rivers and lakes there are many fish.

Population and form of government

The last census showed that the population of Iraq is characterized by a positive increase. However, due to military conflicts, it can, of course, change drastically.

A large percentage of local residents are Arabs. As a percentage of them - 75%, Kurds - 18%, and the remaining 7% fall on other nationalities (Armenians, Turkmens, Assyrians, etc.).

The official language of the country is Arabic. Kurdish is also widespread - it has the status of an official language along with Arabic. The majority of the population of the country profess Islam (more than 95%) and only 3% - Christianity.

Iraq is a federal presidential republic. Representatives of three communities of the Iraqi people - Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds - sit in the parliament. The constitution of the state was recognized only in 2005, approved in a national referendum.

Cities of Iraq and economic development

In Iraq, there are 6 cities with a population exceeding one million people. This is, of course, the capital, Basra, An-Najaf, Erbil, etc. The provinces (governorates) are divided into districts (kazy) and districts (nakhii). In the north of the country, the Kurdish Autonomous Region was established.

Because of the recurring wars, military conflicts, the Iraqi economy is in a deplorable state. The only stable industry is oil production. They transport "black gold" to neighboring states.