Kirkuk travel guide — Kirkuk tourism and travel information

Kirkuk travel guide

about Kirkuk

Kirkuk (كركوك) is an ancient city in Iraq, but is considered by some to be in Southern Kurdistan, sitting near the Hasa River on the ruins of a 3,000-year-old settlement. It is the centre of the northern Iraqi petroleum industry. It is located at 35.47°N, 44.41°E, in the Iraqi province of at-Ta'mim. The estimated population in 2003 was 755,700 people.

The Kirkuk oil field was brought into use by the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) in 1934 and has remained the basis of northern Iraqi oil production, with over 10 billion barrels (1.6 km³) of proven remaining oil reserves, as of 1998. The facilities have been sabotaged at times during fighting between Iraqi forces and the Kurds.

The third major ethnic group of Kirkuk are Turkic Turkmen. Pipelines from Kirkuk run through Turkey to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean Sea and were one of the two main routes for the export of Iraqi oil under the "oil for food" programme following the Gulf War of 1991. This was in accordance with a United Nations mandate that at least 50% of the oil exports pass through Turkey. There are two parallel lines built in 1977 and 1987.

The Kurds have identified Kirkuk as their preferred capital in any new Kurdish state. More than 100,000 of them were forced from Kirkuk and outlying villages during the regime of Saddam Hussein and replaced with Arab oilfield workers in Saddam's Arabization plan of the Al-Anfal Campaign. Under the protection of the 'no-fly' zones imposed after 1991, many returned to live in tent encampments on the edges of Kirkuk. There was sporadic violence.

January 26, 2004, the Los Angeles Times quoted Barham Salih, prime minister for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of two main political parties controlling the Kurdish autonomous zone in northern Iraq. "Kirkuk is a benchmark for how most Kurds would define their legitimacy in Iraq," he said. "We have a claim to Kirkuk rooted in history, geography and demographics?. This is a recipe for civil war if you don't do it right."

Near cities to Kirkuk

• As Sulaymaniyah travel guide 88 km
• Arbil travel guide 89 km
• Tikrit travel guide 120 km
• Samarra travel guide 150 km
• Mosul travel guide 150 km
• Paveh travel guide 180 km
• Saqqez travel guide 180 km
• Dahuk travel guide 200 km
• Sanandaj travel guide 230 km
• Baghdad International travel guide 240 km

Near webcams to Kirkuk

• Jerevan webcam 530 km
• Tehran webcam 630 km
• U.S. School webcam 760 km
• Beirut webcam 840 km
• Beirut - Jounieh Highway webcam 840 km
• Jerusalem - Olive Hill webcam 950 km
• Jerusalem - Golden Gate webcam 950 km
• Western Wall webcam 950 km
• Western Wall webcam 950 km
• Jerusalem - Western Wall webcam 950 km

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Kirkuk travel services

cheap flights to Kirkuk

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Kirkuk real estate

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City Travel Guide comes with Kirkuk real estate guide with several tips on home valuation, realtors comparison, secrets on finding the "right" home, loans guide and other helpful real estate advices. Our partners also maintain Kirkuk property for sale and rental listings, real estate laws and reviews. We will try to help you with buying property in Iraq, choosing real estate agents, property finders, relocation help, and information for English speakers wanting to buy real estate in Kirkuk.

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Kirkuk travel books

Kirkuk travel guide books

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Kirkuk maps and atlases

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