Iraq

Travel to Iraq

Whether you’re traveling to Iraq for business or pleasure, there are different ways to get there and countless things to do once you arrive. Traveling to Iraq does not necessarily entail flying across bodies of water or over land by airplane. Some alternative travel methods include biking trips, road trips, boat rides or cruises.

For travelers to Iraq , it is important to bring proper documentation such as passports and identification. Make sure these records are up-to-date and will not expire during the excursion. For many travelers who are Iraq bound, knowing how to pack for the trip, what to do first, and how to get around can be a challenge. But like everything, the more you travel, the more your traveling skills will improve. And what better place to hone those skills than in Iraq ?
Iraq is an exciting place to be.

In some instances, its eye-opening experiences and breathtaking sights can dramatically change the visitor’s life. Some people prefer to travel with people they know, while others like to come on their own and meet new friends along the way. But regardless of how or with whom you come, traveling to Iraq is guaranteed to lead to a new adventure every step of the way.

Iraq is a country in the Middle East. It lies at the north end of the Persian Gulf and has a small (58 km) coastline in the southeast of the country. It is surrounded by Iran to the east, Kuwait to the south, Saudi Arabia to the southwest, Jordan to the west, Syria to the northw est, and Turkey to the north.

Entry Regulations:
All visitors to Iraq, except those from countries that are members of the Arab League require a visa for entry. Currently, contract and military personnel working for the U.S. Department of Defense are exempt from this visa policy, as long as they present a valid Common Access Card (CAC card) issued by the Department of Defense.

For those entering the country without a visa, one can be purchased at most border crossings for US$80. The border crossing from Turkey to Iraq (Silopi/Zakho) dues not charge for a visa since March 2006. If you intend to acquire a visa at your port of entry, be prepared for long waits, and bring plenty of documentation about who you are and what your business in Iraq is. Letters on company or government letterhead is preferred. Visas can be acquired at the Iraqi Embassies located in London, England, in Paris, France, and in Washington (D.C.).

The area where Iraq is today was the birthplace of many of the Earth’s oldest civilizations, including the Babylonians and the Assyrians. A part of the Ottoman Empire from 1534, the Treaty of Sèvres brought the area under British control in 1918. Iraq gained independence in 1932. In 1968 the socialist Ba’ath Party took control of Iraq and Saddam Hussein came to power eleven years later.
The next twenty-five years took a grinding toll on the country, a long war with neighboring Iran in the 1980s cost hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars. The invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and subsequent Gulf War caused further casualties, followed by civil war inside the country and a decade of international sanctions.

Iraq was invaded in 2003 by a U.S.-led coalition of forces, principally including the United Kingdom, Poland and Australia, who removed Saddam Hussein from power. Although some transfer of power to an Iraqi Interim Government has occurred, the country remains occupied by 200,000 US and coalition soldiers. Rebuilding on a massive scale inside larger cites has occurred, thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ongoing terrorist attacks from foreigners entering Iraq has made it particularly dangerous, especially inside the “Sunni Triangle”.

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
Total: 437,072 sq km
Land: 432,162 sq km
Water: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries:
Total: 3,650 km
Border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Coastline:
58 km
Climate:
Mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
Terrain:
Mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m
Natural resources:
Petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Geography:
Strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
Population:
26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)
Nationality:
Iraqi(s)
Ethnic groups:
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 97% (Shi’a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Country name:
Conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
Conventional short form: Iraq
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
Local short form: Al Iraq
Government type:
Parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Baghdad
Administrative divisions:
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta’mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala’, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
Independence:
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated under the Saddam Hussein regime; the Government of Iraq has yet to declare a new national holiday
Currency:
New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004
Exchange rates:
New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109 (2001)

top