Iraq has one of the most vibrant histories in the world hence its rich and layered culture. The country is famous for its poets, painters and sculptors who are among the best in the Arab world.
Iraq still embraces and celebrates the achievements of its past in pre-Islamic times. Its markets such as the Al-Safafeer market in Baghdad city was established during the Abbasid Caliphate making it one of the oldest in the city.
Ethnicity and Language
The Iraqi population of over 38 million people consists of a number of ethnic groups. There about 80% Arabs, 15% Kurdish, the remaining 5% includes the Turkmen, Assyrian, Shabak, Yazidi and other. Iraq’s population is concentrated in the north, centre, and eastern parts of the country.
Arabic is the official language of Iraq. Other languages such as Kurdish, Turkmen, Syriac, and Armenian are official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a majority of the population.
Religion
The majority of Iraqis (about 99%) adhere to Islam regardless of ethnicity. Shia Muslims make up 55-60% of the population and 40% are Sunni Muslims.
Islam prescribes a way of life and governs political, legal, and social behaviour, no matter the orientation. It provides moral guidance for both society and the individual, and organises one’s daily life.
Art and Literature
Iraq has some of the world’s famed painters and sculptors such as Ismail Fatah Al Turk, Khalid Al Rahal, Mohammed Ghani Hikmat and Faeq Hassan. The nation produced Abu Al Tayeb Al Mutanabbi of the Abbasid who is one of the greatest Arab poets of all time.
Sport
The most popular sport in Iraq is football. The Federation of Iraqi football was officially established in 1948 and two years later joined the International Federation of FIFA.
Iraq won silver at the football final of the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, after defeating former FIFA World Cup semi-finalists South Korea.
In 2007, the Iraq national football team won the AFC Asian Cup after defeating Saudi Arabia in the finals, held in Indonesia.
Economy
Iraq’s economy is largely state-run and is dominated by the oil sector, which provides more than 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings.
The World Factbook report stated that in 2016 Iraq’s GDP grew by more than 10% due to rising oil prices, which are a significant driver of Iraqi GDP. The security and financial stability throughout Iraq improved.
According to the World Factbook, the Iraqi Government entered into a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF in July 2016. The arrangement helped stabilise its finances by encouraging improved fiscal management, needed economic reform, and expenditure reduction.
This article is part of a series highlighting the unique cultures featured in the recently concluded Limkokwing International Cultural Festival 2017.
