Thousands of years ago, when people in Europe and America stilled lived a nomadic life of hunting and gathering, people in Iraq had developed an advanced civilization. They settled in villages and used the water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to grow food crops. They had music, books and culture.
Iraq is often called the cradle of civilization because it was one of the first places on Earth where people began living in one place together. Because it is so old, the country has naturally endured many conflicts and wars. In 1979, Saddam Hussein took power of Iraq and become a ruthless dictator. He invaded both Iran and Kuwait. The United States went to war against Iraq in the late 1980s. In 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq because the U.S. government was worried that Iraq was making chemical and nuclear weapons.
Most of Iraq is rocky desert or craggy mountains. The country in the North gets very cold in the winter, while the southern regions are blazing hot in the summer. Most people live along the plains of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, as they have for centuries.
Fun Facts About Iraq for Kids
- About 27,499,638 people live in Iraq.
- Iraq has 168,754 square miles of land.
- Baghdad is the capital city of Iraq.
- People in Iraq speak Arabic, Kurdish, Turkoman, Assyrian and Armenian.
- Most people in Iraq are Muslim.
- People in Iraq can expect to live 69 years.
- 74 percent of adults can read.
Iraq Vocabulary
- Nomadic: wandering from place to place in search of food
- Advanced: complex
- Civilization: settlement
- Ruthless: violent, harsh, without mercy
- Dictator: a ruler who rules absolutely and does not allow other people to make choices
All About Iraq Video for Kids
This is the best video we found for kids to learn about Iraq:
Iraq Q&A
Question: Is Iraq a wealthy country?
Answer: Iraq has the second largest supply of oil in the world. However, sanctions against the country and the war have left Iraq impoverished. In 2005, the country held its first elections in more than 50 years. People are hopeful that things will get better.
Map of Iraq
Here’s a map of the country of Iraq and all its cities and villages. Zoom in to get into street level or zoom out to see other countries around Iraq! You can see the terrain, but also see the roads, images of the buildings and even take a 3D tour through the streets of the cities of Iraq, as though you are actually there!
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