The capital of Iraq is located on which river?

Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, is located on the Tigris River, in the heart of the land that was once known as Mesopotamia. The Tigris River is an important waterway, sometimes known as the Fertile Crescent. It flows from the mountains of southeastern Turkey, through Syria and Iraq, before emptying into the Persian Gulf.

Iraq was founded in 1958, yet the capital city was established over 1,200 years ago. Baghdad was considered the greatest city in the Medieval Period. It is said that the Abbasid caliph Al-Mansur (714-775) travelled up the length of the Tigris River in 762 CE to find the perfect place for the 'Round City' of Madinat al-Salam (City of Peace), later renamed Baghdad.

Over 100,000 workers across the Muslim Empire travelled up the Tigris to help Al-Mansur build his capital city. The city took four years to complete and became home to the Golden Palace of the caliph and the Grand Mosque.

Baghdad is now the capital and largest city in Iraq. It is also the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It covers a total area of 204.2 km2 (78.8 sq mi) and, as of 2018, has a population of 8,126,755.