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tion—just as they have been since the time of the Sumerians. This
dependence on irrigation in the central region makes Turkish and
Syrian water projects on the Euphrates River a very serious issue
to the people of Iraq.
Another serious issue affecting agriculture in Iraq is
salinity
.
The high water table in Iraq, the land’s poor drainage, and the
high rate of evaporation caused by the region’s high temperatures
cause salt to build up near the surface of the ground. The increas-
ing salt level gradually makes it impossible to grow crops, turning
the land into desert. Today, salinity affects almost two-thirds of
Iraq, and it has caused once-productive land to be abandoned. In
recent years, projects have been started to reclaim this land and
make it useful again. However, this is a long, difficult process that
requires consistent effort.
The major farm crops of Iraq include barley and wheat, which
are grown during the winter, and cotton, potatoes, and millet,
which are grown in the summer. Other summer crops include
sorghum and tobacco. Dates and rice grow in the irrigated areas of
the central plains along the rivers and canals.
R
ELIGION
, P
OLITICS
,
AND THE
E
CONOMY
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Text-Dependent Questions
1. What is the largest Muslim sect in Iraq, Sunni or Shiite?
2. What Kurdish politician became president of Iraq in August 2014?
3. What natural resource is the most important part of Iraq’s economy?
Research Project
To understand the importance of desalinization, watch this short video on the process at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XMRlFMJB-g