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Interesting Facts about Iraq

Trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits about Iraq.

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Did You Know?

16 curious facts about Iraq.

  • The ancient name for most of modern Iraq is Mesopotamia, a Greek word meaning “ and between two rivers” - the Euphrates and the Tigres. Most Iraqis still live in this region.
  • Iraq has two important winds. The eastern Sharki wind is hot and humid, while the northern Shamal wind brings welcome cooler air during summer weather.
  • The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, were built in Iraq by King Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) for his wife, Amytis, to dispel her homesickness for mountainous northern Persia (Iran).
  • The Ba'ath Party began as a group of young activists in the government who supported Arab nationalism and socialism.