"Cradle of civilization."Iraq is one of the great cradles of human civilization, home to ancient Mesopotamia where writing, law, and urban life first took shape along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Across millennia, empires, faiths, and cultures have layered the land with profound historical depth, while Iraqi culture endures through poetry, music, craftsmanship, hospitality, and strong family ties.
Despite modern hardship and conflict, Iraq remains a place where history is ever-present and cultural identity runs deep, shaped as much by resilience as by antiquity.
Gates of Bagdad
Sadam's Palace
Lion of Babylon
Babylon
Ancient City Kharusa
Mosul Gate 2
Mosul to Erbil
Zugarott in Tallil
Two military helicopters flying in the sky above a desert with a concrete military bunker.
Explosive blast with dark smoke rising from a structure in a desert military base, with military vehicles parked nearby.
A man in a light-colored tactical vest and a cap is taking a photo or video with a device, possibly a camera, of two large black smoke plumes rising into the sky during sunset or sunrise in a barren landscape.