Iraq

At a Glance

Iraq is the cradle of civilisation, the land of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where writing, cities, and law were first developed, with Babylon, Ur, and Nineveh among its ancient treasures. The culture is one of the richest in the Arab world, with a tradition of poetry, music, and cuisine that runs deep. It remains a challenging destination requiring careful planning, but the ancient sites and the warmth of Iraqi hospitality reward those who make the journey.

• Mesopotamia is where writing was invented — cuneiform emerged 5,300 years ago.
• Has the world's fifth-largest proven oil reserves yet ranks poorly on every development index.
• Baghdad was the intellectual capital of the Islamic Golden Age — the House of Wisdom housed thousands of scholars.
• Literacy fell from 78% in the 1980s to below 50% by 2020 — wars reversed decades of progress.