BaghdadCapital
Iraq · Country profile
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, the legendary city of the Arabian Nights and the seat of the Abbasid caliphs that made it the centre of the medieval world, spread across the green banks of the Tigris in the heart of the Mesopotamian plain. The city holds the enormous modern state institutions of the century, the monuments of its many eras and the museums with the treasures of the ancient civilisations of the land, while its streets and its neighbourhoods carry the life of the millions of its people with the warmth and the resilience that define the city. The river of the Tigris divides the metropolis, and the bridges, the islands of the parks and the riverfront districts give the city its shape. The current security situation of the country requires the deepest caution and honest advice before any visit, and the legendary Baghdad waits for the peace that will reopen its doors.
About Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq. The city's documented population is around 7,000,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Iraqi Dinar (IQD) and Arabic and Kurdish are spoken; the dialling code is +964.
The Legendary Tigris Capital of the Nights
Baghdad is the ancient, crowded, legendary capital on the Tigris, a city of enormous history, remarkable resilience and a warm, proud people, but one whose present situation is deeply unsafe for the traveller. The monuments of the city, from the museums of the national treasures to the mosques and the memorials of the modern state, anchor the visit of the more stable eras, and the river and the old quarters carry the deep atmosphere of the Nights. Any journey today demands the most serious caution and the current advice of the authorities. For those who follow the conditions, the city remains one of the great historic capitals of the world.
The Heat, the Dinar and the Caution of the Present Day
The current security situation of the capital and the wider country is unsafe and unpredictable, and the wise traveller must weigh the current official advice of the authorities of their home country with the greatest seriousness before any planning. The climate of the plain is blazingly hot in the summer and mild in the winter rains, and the months of the cooler season are the only tolerable window. The dinar is the currency and the Arabic is the language. The infrastructure of the city, its power, its water and its banking, is fragile, and the insurance and the security planning need to be entirely realistic. This is not a destination for casual travel.
The Museum Treasures, the River Life and the Old Coffee Houses
The national museum of the city, among the great collections of the archaeology of the world, holds the treasures of the Mesopotamian civilisations, the tablets of the first writing and the jewels of the royal graves, and its halls tell the story of the gift of the land between the rivers. The monuments of the modern capital, from the victory arches to the memorials of the wars, and the mosques and the shrines of the old quarters mark the eras of the city. The river of the Tigris, with its bridges and its embankments, gives the shape and the life of the metropolis, and the coffee houses and the markets of the historic streets preserve the legendary sociability of the city.
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- Country
- Iraq
- Population
- 7,000,000
- Capital
- Baghdad
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
- Languages
- Arabic, Kurdish
- Calling code
- +964
- Country code
- IQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Baghdad the capital of Iraq?
Yes — Baghdad is the capital of Iraq.
What currency do I need in Baghdad?
The local currency is the Iraqi Dinar (IQD). Languages spoken in Iraq include Arabic and Kurdish.
What is the dialling code for Iraq?
The international dialling code for Iraq is +964.
Flying out of Baghdad? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.