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75 miles from the Persian Gulf, Basra is Iraq's second largest city and principal port. Located near oil fields, Basra has been a prosperous location throughout history. Petroleum products, grains, wool and dates are exported from Basra, and since 1948, many oil refineries have been built in the city. It also houses a seat of the University of Baghdad.

Home to 1,377,000, Basra was founded in 636 and named Al-Basrah, which in Arabic means “the over watching” or “the seeing everything.” A network of canals runs through the city, prompting some to refer to it as “the Venice of the Middle East.” Sinbad the sailor is said to have begun his travels in Basra.

The post-WWI construction of a rail line from Basra to Baghdad and the construction of a modern harbor added to the city’s commercial appeal. But, during the 1980s, Basra suffered at the hands of Iranian forces during the Iran-Iraq War, due mainly to its location on the Shatt al Arab waterway, a contested piece of property. The area was again targeted during the Persian Gulf War, when US forces bombed Shatt al Arab to prevent covert trade along Basra’s waterfront.