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The Jazirah region is located in the northwest, along the
border with Syria. It is a desert plateau that descends from an
average of 1,475 feet (450 meters) above sea level near Syria to
about 260 feet (79 meters) above sea level just north of Baghdad.
Most of the population of this region is located along the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers and in a small area of the north where rain
allows agriculture. In the rest of the region the population is
sparse and development is limited.
The rain-fed agricultural section of the Jazirah is near the Syrian
border. There, wheat and barley can be grown without the necessi-
ty of irrigation. This area, which has been cultivated for thousands
of years, was once known as the granary of the ancient world.
Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, is the largest settlement with-
in the Jazirah and the main center of activity for the northern third
of the country. Mosul Province is the location of almost 80 percent
of Iraq’s vast oil reserves. At one time cotton was the main export
of the province, and the word
muslin
(a type of cotton fabric) was
derived from the city’s name.
The fourth region of Iraq is called the northeastern highlands;
it is part of a larger area known as Kurdistan, where most of Iraq’s
Kurdish population lives. The highlands contain rugged, almost
inaccessible mountains. The elevation of this area ascends from
655 feet (200 meters) at the Tigris River to nearly 6,000 feet (1,830
meters) on the ridge tops. From there the mountain peaks soar to
more than 11,000 feet (3,355 meters). The highest elevation in
Iraq is Mount Ebrahim, which rises to a height of 11,811 feet
(3,600 meters). At the higher elevations, the mountain peaks are
covered with snow for half of the year. The Zagros Mountains are
rugged, with only a few passes through them. The Rawanduze
River Gorge, which connects Iraq and Iran, is the best known of
these mountain passes.
The mountains contain Iraq’s only forests. The steeper slopes
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RAQ
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