Basra

Basra is the economic center of Iraq and is located in the Lower Mesopotamia area of southern Iraq. Because of its distance to both Iran (15km) and Kuwait (50km), as well as the fact that it is Iraq's main port.

Many people are familiar with the word Basra because it was the site of one of the most critical engagements during the Iraq War. However, if you scrape beneath the surface of this city, you will discover one of the most fascinating sites in the entire country.

But there are a lot of great things about Basra these days; it's one of the most vibrant cities in Iraq, with a lot of building going on, mainly along the coast of the Shatt al-Arab river, which runs through the city. According to legend, Sinbad the Sailor set off from the coast of Basra.

Even Saddam Hussein's old palace in the city has been converted into the Basra Museum, which houses thousands of artifacts from Mesopotamian, Babylonian, and Persian civilizations, some of which date back to 6000BC.

Location: Basra, Iraq