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 *  [|Blue Ridge School District] **

Iraq

 __Symbolic Colors of the Flag__ Red: **The Khawarij were the first Islamic group to emerge after the assassination of Caliph Uthman III, forming the first republican party in the early days of Islam. Their symbol was the red flag. Arab tribes who participated in the conquest of North Africa and Andalusia carried the red flag, which became the symbol of the Islamic rulers of Andalusia (756-1355). In modern times, red symbolizes the Ashrafs [ie. Sharifians] of the Hijaz and the Hashemites, descendants of the Prophet. __Green__ __: The Fatimid Dynasty (909-1171),__ North Africa **The Fatimid Dynasty was founded in Morocco by Abdullah Al-Mahdi, and went on rule all of North Africa. They took green as their color, to symbolize their allegiance to Ali, the Prophet's cousin, who was once wrapped in a green coverlet in place of the Prophet in order to thwart an assassination attempt.
 * three equal bands of red,white and black
 * the writing on the flag means "God is Great" also refered to as the Takbir in green Arabic script
 * Similar to the flags of Syria, Yemen, and Egypt.
 * Council of Reps approved this flag as a compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag
 * 


 * __ White : The Umayyad Dynasty (661-750),__ Damascus **The Umayyads ruled for ninety years, taking white as their symbolic color as a reminder of the Prophet's first battle at Badr, and to distinguish themselves from the Abbasids, by using white, rather than black, as their color of mourning. Mu'awia Ibn Abi Sufian (661-750), founder of the Umayyad state, proclaimed himself Caliph of Jerusalem.


 * <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">__Black: The Prophet Mohammad (570-632)__ **<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">In the seventh century, with the rise of Islam and subsequent liberation of Mecca, two flags - one white, one black - were carried. On the white flag was written, "There is no god but God (Allah) and Mohammad is the Prophet of God." In pre-Islamic times, the black flag was a sign of revenge. It was the color of the headdress worn when leading troops into battle. Both black and white flags were placed in the mosque during Friday prayers. The Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258), ruling from Baghdad, took black as a symbol of mourning for the assassination of relatives of the Prophet and in remembrance of the Battle of Karbala.

Quoted source: Abdul Hadi 1986 [[|hdi86]]. __**From**__: http://www.ask.com/bar?q=What+do+the+colors+of+the+iraq+flag+symbolize&page=1&qsrc=0&ab=3&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crwflags.com%2Ffotw%2FFlags%2Fiq.html



__<span style="display: block; font-size: 190%; color: #e7dada; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Facts about Iraq __ <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">**Located...** in the eastern hemisphere, in the middle east, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait, in middle east Asia. <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">**Population of...** 28,945,657 as of (July 2009 est.) <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">**Terrain...** mostly broad plains, and reedy marshes, mountains along the border with Iran and Turkey. Highest point is called the unnamed peak. <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">**Important waterways in Iraq...** Euphrates River, Buhayrat ar Razazah, Tigris river
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Capital... is** Baghdad

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 * <span style="display: block; font-size: 190%; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Imports **





<span style="display: block; font-size: 190%; color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Exports



__<span style="font-size: 190%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;"> The Culture __

**<span style="font-size: 120%; color: #40b063; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Languages spoken... **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Arabic
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Turkoman (a Turkish dialect)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Armenian


 * <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #40b063; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Religion of the area... **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">97% Muslim (Shia 60-65%, Sunni 32-37%)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Christian or other 3%

<span style="font-size: 190%; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">__ Issues Within the Country __


 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Two current issues: **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">1.However, Iraq's challenge will be to use macroeconomic gains to improve the lives of ordinary Iraqis. Reducing corruption and implementing structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, will be key to Iraq's economic success.

2. coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq

<span style="font-size: 150%; color: #40b063; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">Places to Visit In Iraq...

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">1. Baghdad, Iraq: this is the capital

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">2. The tomb of Hadrat Kumayal is a popular torist attraction in Iraq for its mystery and beauty. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">3. This is Masjid Hannana which is a mosque and a beautiful attraction.

<span style="display: block; font-size: 190%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Timeline of the History


 * 1920 || [|Iraq] comes under British mandate after the fall of the [|Ottoman empire] in 1918. ||
 * 1921 || [|Faisal I] becomes king of Iraq (Aug. 23). ||
 * 1932 || [|Iraq] achieves independence from [|Britain] (Oct. 3). ||
 * 1945 || Iraq becomes a charter member of the [|Arab League]. ||
 * 1961 || The [|Kurds], located in northern Iraq, revolt and demand autonomy; fighting between the Kurds and the government continues for decades. ||

Information from: []
 * 1970 || A peace agreement is signed between the Iraqi government and the Kurds, granting the Kurds some self-rule (March 11). ||
 * 1980 || The y eight-year [|Iran-Iraq war] begins. The main issue is control of the [|Shatt al Arab waterway], an essential resource providing for water and transportation that runs along the border of both countries (Sept. 22). ||
 * 1994 || Iraq drains water from southern marshlands inhabited Muslim Shiites, in retaliation for the Shiites' long-standing opposition to Saddam Hussein's government (April). ||
 * 1999 || Beginning in January, weekly, sometimes daily, [|bombings of Iraqi targets] within the northern no-fly zone begin, carried out by U.S. and British ers. More than 100 air strikes take place during 1999, and continue regularly over the next years. The U.S. and Britain hope the constant barrage of air strikes will weaken Saddam Hussein's grip on Iraq (Jan. 1999–present). ||

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