Iraq

Baghdad is Iraq’s capital and largest city, straddling the Tigris River and housing the national government, parliament, and foreign embassies. As the political and administrative heart of the country, it’s the center of decision-making. Founded in 762 CE by the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur, Baghdad became the hub of the Islamic Golden Age, famed for the House of Wisdom and advances in science and literature. For contrast: Basra is the southern port; Erbil is the capital of the Kurdistan Region; Mosul is a major northern city near ancient Nineveh. Memory tip: B for Baghdad, B for Bureaucracy (the seat of government).