Iraq is a uniquely fascinating country, even by the high standards set by its neighbors. Given the ceaseless conflicts of the past half century and the ensuing intense media coverage, many outsiders know it only as war-town desert. That perception, however, does the country and its people a great disservice. Iraq is so much more than those fragments of its recent history. It is incredibly diverse – Kurds, Shia and Sunni Arabs, Turkmens, Assyrian Christians, Yazidis, Armenians, and many more call the country’s cities, deserts, mountains, plains, and marshes home. Iraq is exceedingly rich in history and historical sights. UNESCO-listed ancient cities dating back thousands of years dot the countryside. Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Achaemenids, Alexander the Great, Sassanians, Parthians, Romans, Abbasids, and Ottomans all governed here. And now Iraq is open for travel and tourism once more, so that visitors from abroad can experience this history and these cultures firsthand. With the fall of the Islamic State, the establishment of an autonomous Kurdistan, and a more representative government than it has seen before, the nation is poised to enter a long-awaited and much-deserved period of stability and prosperity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":50543,"menu_order":0,"template":"","acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n