Iraq lies between latitudes 29° and 38° N, and longitudes 39° and 49° E (a small area lies west of 39°). Spanning 437,072 km2 (168,754 sq mi), it is the 58th-largest country in the world. It is comparable in size to the US state of California, and somewhat larger than Paraguay.
There are hopes that Iraq may have started on the path to stability. After all, civilisation as we know it once emerged from this region.
Officially name: The Republic of Iraq
Capital: Baghdad
Largest city: Baghdad
Official language: Arabic, Kurdish
Government: Parliamentary republic