Iraq

American  

[ih-rak, ih-rahk] / ɪˈræk, ɪˈrɑk /

Or Irak

noun

1. a republic in SW Asia, N of Saudi Arabia and W of Iran, centering in the Tigris-Euphrates basin of Mesopotamia. 172,000 sq. mi. (445,480 sq. km). Baghdad.

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Iraq British  

/ ɪˈrɑːk /

noun

1. a republic in SW Asia, on the Persian Gulf: coextensive with ancient Mesopotamia; became a British mandate in 1920, independent in 1932, and a republic in 1958. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (1990) led to their defeat in the first Gulf War (1991) by US-led UN forces. The second Gulf War (2003) took place when Iraq was invaded by a coalition of US, UK and other forces; government elected in 2005, although there is continuing violence and resistance to the coalition presence; the last coalition troops left the country in 2011. Iraq consists chiefly of the mountains of Kurdistan in the northeast, part of the Syrian Desert, and the lower basin of the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Oil is the major export. Official language: Arabic; Kurdish is official in the Kurdish Autonomous Region only. Official religion: Muslim. Currency: dinar. Capital: Baghdad. Pop: 31 858 481 (2013 est). Area: 438 446 sq km (169 284 sq miles)

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Iraq Cultural  

1. Republic in the Middle East, bordered by the Persian Gulf, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to the south; Jordan and Syria to the west; Turkey to the north; and Iran to the east. Its capital and largest city is Baghdad.

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Discover More

Ruled by Saddam Hussein, a dictator who invaded Iran in 1980 and Kuwait in 1990. (See also Persian Gulf War.)

The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia emerged in the valley between the Euphrates River and Tigris River in what is now Iraq.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Iraq
  adjective
• pro-Iraq
  adjective
• trans-Iraq
  adjective

Compare meaning

How does iraq compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Iran vs. Iraq

Example Sentences

Marine Corps veteran Oscar Martinez, who has worked in the Sheriff’s Department after fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, reported having less than $5,500 left on May 16.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Over the years, Hughes said, the activity and interest in About Face waned, as the Iraq war and the occupation of Afghanistan fell out of the headlines.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

The foreign ministry called on "Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originating from its territory urgently and without conditions".

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Mr. Gallagher served as an armored cavalry officer in Iraq and is the author of “Daybreak,” a novel about the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

He managed in Iraq to also train for a marathon that was a mere few weeks away.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel