Baghdad

Baghdad (Arabic: بغداد‎‎) is the capital and largest city in Iraq. It covers 2,260 sq km (872.7 sq mi) and has a population of 7.2 million people (2012 estimate). The city is the second largest city in the Arab World after Cairo, and second largest city in Western Asia after Tehran.

Baghdad is located on the Tigris River. It was founded in the 8th century. By the High Middle Ages (11-13th centuries), it was already among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 1.2 million people. The Mongol invasion of the 13th century almost wiped out the city.

Baghdad was captured by the Ottomans in 1534. It was a period of decline. In addition to foreign occupation, it was also subjected to the plague and cholera which shaved off two-thirds of its population. However by the 18th century the city saw a revival under the rule of the Mamluk government. Ottoman rule was reimposed by Ali Ridha Pasha in 1831.

At the turn of the 20th century, the population of Baghdad stood at around 180,000 people. By then, the influence of the Ottomans was waning, and in 1920, Baghdad became the capital of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. In 1932, it became the capital of the independent Kingdom of Iraq.

The monarchy was deposed in a military coup of 1958, where the king, prime minister and several members of the royal family were brutally killed and their bodies dragged through the streets. Baghdad enjoyed a period of prosperity in the 1970s, but the 1980s began a long period of turbulence beginning with the rule of Saddam Hussein, the Gulf War and the 2003 US-led invasion. Since then, Baghdad has become one of the most volatile places on earth, with insurgency activities continuing to erupt an frequent regularity today.


A mosque in the Green Zone of Baghdad

Visiting Baghdad

Baghdad is one of the most dangerous destinations. It is not yet a tourist destinations. Those planning to visit it should seek (and heed) the advice of their own government, and should have armed escort at all times.

The Baghdad Al Muthana International Airport receives flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Istanbul, Munich, Tehran and Vienna, among others.


Market in Baghdad, Iraq

Places of Interest in Baghdad

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