Baghdad - The Capital of Iraq

Population
7,216,040
Language
Arabic
Continent
Asia
Since
762
Eco Ranking
172/195

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

About Baghdad

Baghdad was founded in 762 CE by Caliph al-Mansur of the Abbasid dynasty as the imperial capital of the Islamic caliphate. Officially named Madinat al-Salam ('City of Peace'), the city was built as a circular planned settlement on the western bank of the Tigris River. Within a century, it had grown into one of the world's largest cities with an estimated population of 1 million, the center of Islamic learning, commerce, and political power during the Islamic Golden Age. The Mongol invasion of 1258 under Hulagu Khan sacked the city, killed the last Abbasid caliph, and destroyed much of its infrastructure, a trauma from which the city took centuries to recover. Baghdad served as a provincial capital under subsequent empires, including the Safavid and Ottoman, and was incorporated into the British Mandate of Mesopotamia following World War I. It became the capital of the Kingdom of Iraq in 1932 at independence, then the republic after the 1958 coup. Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist government ruled from Baghdad from 1968 to 2003, when the US-led invasion toppled the regime. Baghdad remains Iraq's capital, hosting the Council of Representatives, the presidency, and the government, despite ongoing security challenges.

About Iraq

Iraq is a federal parliamentary republic governed under a 2005 constitution drafted after the US-led invasion. The country is organized into 18 governorates plus the autonomous Kurdistan Region. The presidency is largely ceremonial; executive authority rests with the Prime Minister. Iraq's political system allocates top positions across sectarian and ethnic communities (Shia, Sunni, Kurdish) through an informal muhasasa ta'ifia system. The country holds the world's fifth-largest proven oil reserves.

View Baghdad on the map

View Baghdad - The Capital of Iraq on the map

Flight time from Baghdad to other capitals

CityDistance (km)Flight Time
Abu Dhabi14001h 39m
Rome29003h 25m
Paris39004h 35m
London41004h 49m
Singapore71008h 21m
Cape Town80009h 25m
Tokyo83009h 46m
Washington, D.C.1000011h 46m
Buenos Aires1310015h 25m
Canberra1330015h 39m

Capitals with similar population to Baghdad

CityPopulation
Luanda8,330,047
Bangkok8,305,218
Hanoi8,053,663
Riyadh7,676,654
Baghdad7,216,040
Bogotá7,181,469
Madrid6,642,000

Capitals with similar eco ranking to Baghdad

CityEco Rank
Manila169
Phnom Penh170
Kabul171
Baghdad172
Antananarivo173
Asmara174
Dhaka175

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • When was Baghdad founded and by whom?

    Baghdad was founded in 762 CE by Caliph al-Mansur of the Abbasid dynasty. He chose the site on the Tigris River for its strategic location and agricultural resources. The city was formally named Madinat al-Salam, though it came to be universally known as Baghdad, a name likely derived from a pre-existing Persian settlement.

  • Why was Baghdad significant during the Islamic Golden Age?

    Under Abbasid rule from the 8th to 13th centuries, Baghdad was the center of the Islamic world's intellectual, scientific, and commercial activity. The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikma) was a major translation and research institution that preserved and advanced Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge. The city's population at its peak may have reached 1 million.

  • What happened to Baghdad during the Mongol invasion of 1258?

    Hulagu Khan's Mongol forces sacked Baghdad in February 1258, killing the Abbasid Caliph Al-Musta'sim and massacring a large portion of the population. Estimates of the dead range from 90,000 to several hundred thousand. The House of Wisdom was destroyed. The invasion ended the Abbasid Caliphate and marked the effective end of the Islamic Golden Age.

  • When did Baghdad become the capital of modern Iraq?

    Baghdad became the capital of the Kingdom of Iraq in 1932, when Iraq gained formal independence from Britain. It had previously been the capital of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia from 1920. After the 1958 revolution that abolished the monarchy, Baghdad became the capital of the Republic of Iraq.

  • Is Baghdad the largest city in Iraq?

    Yes. Baghdad is the largest city in Iraq by a substantial margin, with a population of approximately 7.2 million in the city proper and around 8-9 million in the metropolitan area. The next largest cities, Basra and Mosul, have populations well below 2 million each.

Sights and landmarks

Baghdad has lost most of its historic architecture through centuries of invasions and more recent war damage, but preserves some remarkable sites. The Al-Mustansiriyya Madrasa, founded in 1227 as one of the world's oldest universities, still stands in the historic centre. The Iraq Museum, with one of the world's richest Mesopotamian collections, was largely looted during the 2003 invasion but has been partially restored and reopened. Al-Mutanabbi Street, traditionally the cultural artery of the city with bookshops and cafés, was restored after a 2007 bombing and has revived as a literary centre. The Abbasid Palace, a 12th-century structure in the Old City, is one of the few surviving buildings from the city's golden age.

Climate and best time to visit

Baghdad has one of the most extreme desert climates of any national capital. Summers are scorching: temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius have been recorded in July and August, with averages typically above 43 degrees. Winters are mild with temperatures between 4 and 16 degrees, though night frosts can make them surprisingly cold for a desert city. Rainfall is scarce, less than 150 mm per year, almost entirely falling in the winter months. Dust storms are a recurring phenomenon, sometimes so intense they turn the sky orange and bring air traffic to a standstill. October to April are the most acceptable months for travel in terms of temperature.

Regional significance

Baghdad is central to the geopolitics of the Middle East as the capital of a country bordering Iran, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey. Iraq is a member of both the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and has historically occupied a pivotal position between the Arab world and Iran. After the 2003 invasion, Baghdad balances between American influence and strong economic and political ties with Tehran. Iraq possesses the world's fifth-largest oil reserves, giving Baghdad a strategic weight that transcends its current instability. The city is also significant for Shia pilgrims due to nearby holy cities such as Najaf and Karbala.
Baghdad, capital of Iraq
Baghdad, capital of Iraq

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