Iraq Overview Nations // Middle East/North Africa

OVERVIEW Iraq is a republic situated in southwest Asia (the Middle East). It shares a long border with Iran to its east. Iraq borders Turkey to the north, Syria to the northwest and west, Jordan to the west, and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to the south. Its only ocean access comes from a narrow strip of coast near Basra. Following the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the Iraqi government struggled with successive security threats. The U.S.-led invasion sparked conflict...