The city of Baghdad was founded in A.D. 762 by Abu Ja’far al-Mansur, caliph of the Abbasid Dynasty. Baghdad is located along the Tigris River at an elevation of 34 m above sea level.

The summers are extremely dry, with little or no rain falling from June through September. Baghdad has an estimated population of 5,700,000.

Baghdad is Iraq’s capital and its major centre of manufacturing. It is home to many important museums, archaeological sites, mosques, and government buildings, including the Iraq Museum and the Abbasid Palace. The city was badly damaged by bombings and missile attacks in the Gulf War and the Iraq War. Several years and large investments of money and labour will be necessary to rebuild Baghdad.