What Is the Difference between Iran and Iraq?
Iran and Iraq share a 900-mile border and three-quarters of their names, yet the two countries have very different histories and cultures.
Many people in the western world, unfortunately, tend to get the two nations confused. (This confusion can be insulting to Iranians and Iraqis, who have fought a number of wars against one another over the millennia.)
With that in mind, here is a quick chart to help you remember: Is it Iran, or Iraq?
Iran vs. Iraq
Many people in the western world, unfortunately, tend to get the two nations confused. (This confusion can be insulting to Iranians and Iraqis, who have fought a number of wars against one another over the millennia.)
With that in mind, here is a quick chart to help you remember: Is it Iran, or Iraq?
Iran vs. Iraq
| Country's Name | Iran | Iraq |
| Name Translation | "Land of the Aryans" | "City" - from Uruk (Erech) |
| Pronunciation | "ih-RON" (not "AY-ran") | "ih-ROCK" (not "AY-rack") |
| Also Known As | Persia | Mesopotamia |
| Capital City | Tehran | Baghdad |
| Ethnicity | Predominantly Persian | Predominantly Arab |
| Ancient Empires | Median, Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian | Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian |
| Ancient Rulers | Cyrus the Great, Xerxes, Darius | Nebuchadnezzar, Hammurabi |
| Religion | 90% Shia, 8% Sunni | 60% Shia, 37% Sunni |
| Population | 80 million | 31 million |
| Government | Islamic Clerical | Federal Constitutional |
| Area | 1,648,000 sq km (636,000 sq mi) | 437,000 sq km (169,000 sq mi) |
| Size Ranking | 18th in world | 58th in world |
| Invaded by the US in 2003? | No | Yes |
| Oil Reserves | 136 billion barrels | 115 billion barrels |
| Ski Resorts? | Yes | No (to my knowledge) |
