Iraq Tourism

Iraq is a country that is rich in history. The modern state of Iraq came under British control in 1918 after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. In 1932, Iraq gained independence and in the 1960s, the Ba'th party took control after a coup. Saddam Hussein took control in 1979. The following year, Iraq was engaged in a war with Iran that would last 8 years. This was followed by the invasion of Kuwait and the First Gulf War. In 2003, the Second Gulf War started and there is still much unrest in Iraq today.

However, tourism is slowly starting to return with Western tourists visiting the country at the start of 2009. In ancient times, Iraq was known as Mesopotamia. It was the people of Mesopotamia who used a sexagesimal (base 60) numeral system. This is the source of the current 60-minute hours and 24-hour days, as well as the 360 degree circle. The Sumerian calendar also measured weeks of seven days each. This mathematical knowledge was used in mapmaking.

100km south of Baghdad is Al Hillah and it is near here "The Hanging Gardens of Babylon" were said to have been built.

It is hoped tourism will return to Iraq on a larger scale as it is a destination that has so much to offer.