Iraq lies between latitudes 29° and 38° N, and longitudes 39° and 49° E (a small area lies west of 39°). Spanning 437,072 km2 (168,754 sq mi), it is the 58th-largest country in the world. It is comparable in size to the US state of California, and somewhat larger than Paraguay.
Officially name: The Republic of Iraq
Capital: Baghdad
Largest city: Baghdad
Official language: Arabic, Kurdish
Government: Parliamentary republic
The people of Iraq celebrate several holidays throughout the year. They start the year of by celebrating New Years or " Christian" New Year on January 1st. In large cities of Iraq, social clubs are packed on New Year's Eve and parties are thrown. It is a tradition for young people to stand out in the streets and make a lot of noise to " express themselves" during the early hours of New Years Day.