(2002 est. pop. 1.0 million). Located on the west bank of the Shatt al Arab River 116 kilometers from the Persian Gulf, Basra is Iraq's only outlet to the sea. Most of the population are Shiʿite Muslims originating from the surrounding...

Basra (Arabic: البصرة; BGN: Al Baṣrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of 1,700,000 (2007), (2002) 1,337,600 . It is the country's main port and the capital of the Basra Governorate. Baṣra played an important...

WAR AGAINST IRAQ BASRA British pack proud punch, fighting some of toughest battles By PATRICK MCDOWELL Associated Press Sunday, March 30, 2003 Umm Qasr, Iraq -- Striking before dawn, British tanks and infantry staged a lightning raid into besieged...

The beautification of Basra FOREIGN diplomats have been given guided tours, the last of the mess is being cleared up. Thanks to some prodding from President Saddam Hussein, the rebuilding of Basra, the Iraqi port which Iran nearly captured in the Gulf...

Thousands of Iraqis upset about poor city services marched peacefully through the streets of Basra on Monday, demanding the provincial governor's resignation despite calls by top officials to call off the protest.Some 3,000 demonstrators gathered near the Basra mosque and marched a few hundred yards...

The Iraqi government replaced the top security commission in the country's second-largest city because of suspected links to Shiite militias as authorities prepare for British forces to reduce their presence in southern Iraq, officials said Monday.Basra, the capital of Iraq's oil-rich southern region, has been...