Brief History of Iraq

The government in Iraq used to be a personalist regime run by Saddam Hussein until the US led invasion of 2003. In June 30th 2004 the United States handed back over the government to the Iraqi people who then created and ratified a new constitution for Iraq in October 2005. After the constitution was ratified the Iraqis held there first elections in January 2005 and in April 2005 there new government was made official. The government of Iraq is currently classified as a developing parliamentary democracy.

After World War I the league of nations gave the region of Iraq to the United kingdom. The British then appointed a Heshemite King by the name of Faisal. Upon the suggestion of King Faisal Britain granted Independence to Iraq in 1932.The population of Iraq is 27,162,627 and of that 27,162,627 the two main languages spoken in Iraq are Kurdish and Arabic. But there are many other languages spoken there such as, Assyrian, Armenian, Turkish, Turkmen, and Luri. While there are quite a few different languages spoken in Iraq, 97% of Iraqis are Muslim, with the remaining 3% Christian. Iraq biggest natural resource and economic income comes from there oil supply. Other natural resources in Iraq include, Natural gases phosphates, and Sulfur. 81% of Iraq has improved water.

The two main water resources in Iraq are the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Also a small piece of the southern tip of Iraq lies on the Persian Gulf. The Capital of Iraq Baghdad lies in about the center of Iraq along the Tigris River. During the rule of Saddam women were granted many rights, and were considered the most educated women in the Arab world. But then after the Invasion of Kuwait, Iraq was put into economic hardships and Saddam enacted anti-women legislation’s.Also many Iraq women were widows as a result of the Iran-Iraq war which over half a million Iraqi soldiers died. Since the US-led invasion women’s right activist leaders have been trying to step up but are being threatened by many different groups in Iraq. This brings us to some recent problems in Iraq. Since US liberation of Iraq; Iraq has not been stable. This instability is caused by Iraq not really having a stable government or security force.

Also Iraq has many different cultural groups that do not always get along. For example there is tensions between the Arab majority and the Kurdish minority. Then there is also the division in the dominant religion of Iraq Muslim. The Shiite and the Sunnis also have there differences. Not only are there internal conflicts but also Iran has some interest in the outcome of the war in Iraq because they do not want a bordering country’s government influenced by Western powers. Lastly Iraq has many monuments such as an unknown soldiers memorial, a martyrs memorial, and a couple of victory arches. Many of Iraq’s war monuments built by Saddam were constructed before there wars so called victories.