BAGDAD

(1) Vilayet of Me so pot am i a, in basin of lower Euphrates and Tigris; flat alluvial plain, formerly one of the graneries of the world, now stepp land; yield dates, bitumen, naphtha, and petroleum, exports wool, carpets, mohair, skins, etc.; bituminous coal (2) City, cap. of above (33° 21’ N. 44° 27’.), on Tigris, 340 m. as aeroplane flies from mouth of the Shatt-elArab, and on Bagdad Railway; stands in flat treele plain. Within circle of 35 m. radius are ruins of Babylon, Seleucia, Ctesiphon, and Kerbela; important caravan center and emporium. Silk and other textiles, copper utensils, and leather goods are manufactured; exports are similar to those of the vilayet; built on both banks of river (300 yds. wide, cro ed by bridge of boats); modern city (eastern section) includes governor’s palace, the Huropean consulates, the chief bazaars, etc.; western section is the principal Pers. quarter; low brick walls and mud buildings; city encircled and interspersed with groves.. and date palms; cosmopolitan pop. Bagdad reached height ofits glory under disappeared after Mongol raid (1257-8); fell to the Turks in 1638. Entered by British, March 11, 1917. At Peace Conference came definitely within sphere of Brit. influence. Became the capital of the Kingdom of Irak, created in 1921. See Irax, Kinapom or Pop. c. 250,000 Christians, 10,000).