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| In the heart of ancient Mesopotamia, the land known today as Iraq was one of the cradles of human civilization. Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq as a nation did not exist before the twentieth century. Iraq was occupied by Britain throughout World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration, and its borders were set, attempting to unify disparate groups of people with diverse languages and religions. In stages over the next twelve years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932, amidst anti-Western sentiment and growing Arab nationalism. A revolution in 1958 ended the British-backed monarchy, ushering in a decade of violence that eventually gave rise to the Baath Socialist Party and Saddam Hussein. Hussein took power in 1979 with a strong stance against foreign influence. Although Iraq’s oil wealth allowed it to develop into a modern, urban state, Hussein’s rule soon became characterized by an unyielding pursuit of power and persecution of detractors. Hussein’s 1980 invasion of Iran evolved into an eight-year war that took over one million lives. Persecution of the Kurds in Northern Iraq culminated in a devastating chemical weapons attack in 1988. The invasion of Kuwait in 1991 led to the First Gulf War. The aftermath of the April 2003 collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime in the U.S.-led invasion, has brought much violence and insecurity. The country faces the massive challenge of restoring civil order, coupled with reconstruction and poverty alleviation, and the creation of a new political system that encourages the participation of citizens who have been perpetually denied it. |
Population:
23,331,985
Life Expectancy:(10)
66.31 years for females
68.5 years for males
Child Mortality:(12)
57.61 deaths
per 1,000 births
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