Sulaymaniyah, also spelled as Slemani, is a city in the east of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, not far from the Iran–Iraq border. It is surrounded by the Azmar, Goizha and Qaiwan Mountains in the northeast, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluja Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with very hot dry summers and cold wet winters.
Ankawa is a suburb of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) northwest of downtown Erbil. The suburb is predominantly populated by Assyrians, most of whom adhere to the Chaldean Catholic Church.
Qaraqosh, also known as Al-Hamdaniya or Bakhdida, is an Assyrian city in Iraq within the Nineveh Governorate, located about 32 km (20 mi) southeast of the city of Mosul and 60 km west of Erbil amid agricultural lands, close to the ruins of the ancient Assyrian cities Nimrud and Nineveh. It is connected to the main city of Mosul by two main roads. The first runs through the towns of Bartella and Karamlesh, which connects to the city of Erbil as well. The second, which was gravel until being paved in the 1990s, is direct to Mosul. All of its citizens fled to Kurdistan Region after the ISIS invasion on August 6, 2014. The town was under control of ISIS until October 19, 2016 when it was liberated as part of the Battle of Mosul after which residents have begun to return.
Sarkis Aghajan Mamendo, is an Iraqi Assyrian politician who was appointed Minister for Finance and Economy in the cabinet of Iraqi Kurdistan on 7 May 2006.
Religion in Iraq dates back to Ancient Mesopotamia, particularly Sumer, Akkad, Assyria and Babylonia between circa 3500 BC and 400 AD, after which they largely gave way to Syriac Christianity and later to Islam.
Nineveh Plains is a region in Nineveh Governorate in Iraq, to the north and east of the city Mosul. Control over the region is contested between Iraqi security forces, KRG security forces, Assyrian security forces, Babylon Brigade and the Shabak Militia.
Koy Sanjaq, also called Koye is a town and district in Erbil Governorate in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. In the town, there is a Chaldean Catholic church of Mar Yousif, constructed in 1923.
Erbil, also called Hawler, is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000.
Relations of Kurdistan Region of Iraq with foreign states and organizations are conducted by the Kurdistan Region. Political stability and a rapidly developing economy have given the KRG the opportunity to pursue a foreign policy independent from the central government's. The KRG's primary body for directing its foreign affairs is the Department of Foreign Relations (DFR). The DFR's foremost objectives are to raise the global profile of the Kurdistan Region, improve the Region's international ties with various governments and international organizations, and present emerging business opportunities in the Kurdistan Region to regional and international actors.
The Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Ankawa, also known as Cathedral of Mar Yousif, is the Chaldean Catholic cathedral and seat of the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan created under the pontificate of Pope Paul VI. The cathedral, named for Saint Joseph, follows the East Syriac Rite of the Chaldean Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular churches that make up the Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See in Rome.
The Catholic University in Erbil (CUE) ܒܹܝܬܼ ܨܵܘܒܵܐ ܩܵܬܼܘܿܠܝܼܩܵܝܵܐ ܒܐܲܪܒܝܠ
is a private non-profit institution of higher education and research located in the Erbil suburb of Ankawa, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Hungary–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Hungary and the Kurdistan Region. Hungary is represented in Kurdistan Region through a consulate general since November 2014, while Kurdistan Region has no representation in Hungary. Relations are characterized by several high-level talks and close ties. The Kurdish President Massoud Barzani visited Hungary in 2012 and in 2015 on official visits. Moreover, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán uttered support for the independence of Kurdistan Region from Iraq in 2015 causing concern among the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.
Italy–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region. Italy has a consulate general in Erbil, while Kurdistan Region has a representation in Rome. Relations are described as "strong" and Italy has a military presence in Kurdistan Region. About 800 Italian soldiers were present in Kurdistan in 2018.
Croatia–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Croatia and Kurdistan Region. Croatia has plans of opening a consulate in Erbil, while Kurdistan Region has no representation in Croatia. In August 2014, after a request by the United States, Croatian authorities sent an undisclosed amount of weapons to Kurdistan Region. The weapons were mostly of Yugoslav origin. Later, it was revealed that the military aid included 20,000 pieces of HS Produkt VHSs.
Ano Jawhar Abdulmaseeh Abdoka is Chaldean politician who serves as the Minister of Transportations and Communications of Kurdistan Region of Iraq since July 2019. Before serving as a minister, Abdoka led and still leading Shlama Trend for Christian Affairs in Kurdistan and Iraq, and also leading the biggest Christian Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Alliance and block in Kurdistan Parliament, previously he led the local committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Ankawa Erbil. Abdoka is a Chaldean Catholic and is fluent in Syriac, English, Kurdish and Arabic.
The Assyrian Policy Institute (API) is a non-governmental and nonprofit organization based in the United States that primarily advocates for the rights of Assyrians and other minorities in the Middle East including Yazidis and Mandaeans.
Pope Francis's visit to Iraq took place between 5 March and 8 March 2021. The visit was accorded on following an invitation of the Government of Iraq and the local Catholic Church. The visit was remembered as an attempt to mend bridges between the different faiths in Iraq. During this first ever journey to Iraq by a Pontifex, Pope Francis visited the cities of Ur, Baghdad, Najaf, Qaraqosh, Erbil and Mosul.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Erbil, Kurdistan Region.
Erbil Stones and Gems Museum is a small museum located within the Citadel of Erbil, at the heart of the city of Erbil (Hawler), the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The museum was founded by Sarbast Majeed. Majeed, a graduate of Mosul College of Sciences, Department of Geology in 1985, had gathered his 40-year collection of gemstones from many parts of the world and displayed it originally in a house in the small city of Shaqlawa in 2014. In 2016, the museum was relocated to the Citadel of Erbil and now occupies one of the traditional 2-story renovated buildings. The museum displays a multitude of common and rare stones and gems from within Iraq and many other countries as well as meteorite fragments and fossils and a variety of other items; the first and only of its kind in the Republic of Iraq and its Kurdistan Region. There is a shop on the 1st (upper) floor that sells genuine stones as well as replicas. The museum's entry is 1500 Iraqi Dinars. No-flash photography is allowed but photography of any kind within the shop is prohibited.
