The cradle of civilisation: Babylon and Mesopotamia. Kurdistan in the north is calmer.
For living12/100
For travel9/100
Key facts
Average net salary$600 /mo
Monthly costs for one person, excl. rent$450 /mo
Meal at a cheap restaurant$5
Traveller daily budget$50 /day
Safety2/10
ClimateDesert
Avg summer temperature+44 °C
Avg winter temperature+10 °C
Best time to visitOctober, November, December, January, February, March, April
Life expectancy72.4
Population47,020,774
Passport of this countryvisa-free to 31 countries
Places worth seeing
- Erbil Citadel: One of the world’s oldest inhabited mounds, a UNESCO site.
- Mudhafaria Minaret: A 12th-century brick minaret in a park.
- Jalil Khayat Mosque: Erbil’s largest mosque, with turquoise domes.
- Al-Shaheed Monument: A split turquoise dome honouring the dead of the 1980s war. Check travel advice before you go.
- Babylon: Ruins of the ancient city 85 km from Baghdad, a UNESCO site. Check travel advice before you go.
Nearby countries
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