Iraq occupies the ancient region of Mesopotamia, "land amidst the rivers," a fertile lowland created by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. An advanced civilization existed in this area by 4000 B.C. Sometime after 2000 B.C. , the land became the center of the ancient Babylonian and Assyrian empires. Today these rivers sustain large areas of irrigated farmland and one of the highest populations in the Middle East. Beneath the land, Iraq is second only to Saudi Arabia in rich oil reserves. Iraq is bordered by Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south .
Erbil is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul.The city lies eighty kilometres (fifty miles) east of Mosul, and is the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Erbil derives its name from the city of Erbil, which is also its capital. It is largely populated by Kurds but has a small minority of Assyrians. Part of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil is a rich agricultural region and boasts some of the most ancient tourism sites in Iraq, along with beautiful mountains and waterfalls. Being the fourth largest city & historic town of mesopotamia, Erbil became a major trading centre on the route between Baghdad and Mosul and still plays a role today with significant road links to the outside world.
The Erbil International Fair Ground is prestigiously located inside the Sami Abdel Rahman Park – in the centre of Erbil - and considered the most modern exhibition venue in Iraq. the exhibition area is about 47,000 m2 out of which around 10,000 m2 is a closed area while the open space is of more than 8,000 m2.
Providing a wide array of global and highly professional services, the Erbil International Fair Ground is equipped with exhibition halls of 4,200 sq mt, a ceremony pavilion, sports ground, restaurants, artificial lagoon, advertising tower, a centralised heating and fire prevention station, traditional market, pedestrian ways and landscape, common areas and lastly an efficient parking facility.
For further details about the fair ground, please visit their website;
http://www.erbilfair.com
Agriculture
Agriculture in the economy: 9-11% of GDP, 2nd largest contributor after oil
Agriculture employment: Agriculture employs almost 30% of the labor force
Agriculture imports: 80% of total food consumed, costing $1.4 B USD
Housing and Construction
Population growth rate: At the projected growth rate, almost 2 million housing units will be needed by 2015.
Private sector involvement: The government estimates that 85% of home building will be carried out by the private sector.
Industry and Manufacturing
Primary Ministry Responsible: Ministry of Mining and Manufacturing (MIM)
Number of MIM SOEs: 67
Number of MIM Factories: 220 among the 67
