Iraq
Kurdistan in the north is a different proposition to the rest
Population
46m people
Currency
Iraqi Dinar
Main Language
Arabic and Kurdish
best time to visit
March – April and October – November, subject to current advice
Climate
Desert and semi-arid, extremely hot summers, mild winters, snow in the north
Visa
Visa on arrival for many nationalities in the Kurdistan region; federal Iraq rules differ and advisories apply
Country overview
Travel advice first: the UK Foreign Office and most equivalents advise against all travel to large parts of Iraq, with the Kurdistan Region in the north treated separately and less restrictively. Anyone considering a trip needs to read current guidance carefully, as it varies by governorate and changes.
Iraq is the historic heart of Mesopotamia, the region where writing, cities and codified law first appeared. Babylon, Ur, Uruk and Nimrud are all here. The Ziggurat of Ur still stands. Much has been damaged by decades of war, looting and, in the case of several sites, deliberate destruction by ISIS, and reconstruction is ongoing and incomplete.
Iraqi Kurdistan, centred on Erbil, has been comparatively stable for years and receives a small but growing number of visitors. Erbil citadel claims to be among the oldest continuously inhabited sites on earth. The mountains around Rawanduz and Amedi are genuinely beautiful, and Kurdish hospitality has a strong reputation. The south holds Najaf and Karbala, major Shia pilgrimage cities that receive millions of pilgrims annually.
Annual events and festivals
- Newroz (21 Mar) — Kurdish new year. Bonfires on hillsides and mass celebrations across the north.
- Arbaeen (varies) — a pilgrimage to Karbala that is among the largest annual gatherings of people on earth.
- Ashura (varies) — the central Shia commemoration, observed intensely in Najaf and Karbala.
- Eid al-Fitr (varies) — a public holiday ending Ramadan.
- Eid al-Adha (varies) — the second Eid, a multi-day holiday.
- Ramadan (varies) — daytime eating and drinking in public is restricted.
- Erbil Citadel cultural events (spring and autumn) — craft and heritage programming in the restored citadel.
- Iraqi Independence Day (3 Oct) — marks the 1932 end of the British mandate.
- Babylon International Festival (varies) — a cultural festival revived intermittently at the ancient site.
- Akitu (Apr) — the Assyrian and Babylonian new year, still marked by Assyrian Christian communities.
Iraq Travel Guides
Iraq guides are coming soon.