Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. Located along the Tigris River, the city was founded in the 8th century and became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
The state of health in Iraq has fluctuated during its turbulent recent history. During its last decade, the regime of Saddam Hussein cut public health funding by 90 percent, contributing to a substantial deterioration in health care. During that period, maternal mortality increased nearly threefold, and the salaries of medical personnel decreased drastically.