Quick answerBasra is a city in Iraq, with 1,485,000 people inside the city limits in 2024. It is best known for the Shatt al-Arab, the Main port of Iraq and the Oil industry. Its official languages are Arabic and Kurdish, and its currency is the Iraqi dinar.
Basra is a port city in southern Iraq, with about 1.5 million people (1,485,000 in 2024). It stands on the Shatt al-Arab near the Persian Gulf and is Iraq's main port and the centre of its oil industry.
Key facts
| Country | Iraq |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 1,485,000 (2024) |
| Elevation | 5 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Baghdad |
| Language | Arabic, Kurdish |
| Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD, د.ع) |
| Coordinates | 30.515° N, 47.81° E |
Overview
Basra, also spelled Basrah, is a port city in southern Iraq and the capital of Basra Governorate. The city had 1,485,000 residents in 2024, making it the third-largest city in Iraq, after Baghdad and Mosul, and it sits 5 metres above sea level on the Shatt al-Arab, the waterway formed by the Tigris and Euphrates that empties into the Persian Gulf.
Basra was built in 636 CE as a military camp and became an important hub of knowledge, trade and commerce during the Islamic Golden Age. It is home to the first mosque built outside the Arabian Peninsula, and it was a centre of the slave trade in Mesopotamia until the Zanj rebellion in 871. Historically it is one of the ports from which the fictional Sinbad the Sailor embarked on his journeys.
Today Basra is Iraq's main port and the centre of its oil industry, with the great Rumaila and West Qurna fields nearby. It is consistently one of the hottest cities on the planet, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 50 °C, and its corniche along the Shatt al-Arab is the city's main promenade.
What Basra is known for
- Shatt al-Arab
- Main port of Iraq
- Oil industry
- Basra Corniche
- Extreme summer heat
- Sinbad the Sailor
Landmarks
- Shatt al-Arab
- Basra Corniche
- Basra Museum
- Basra Grand Mosque
- Al-Ashar district
- Basra International Stadium
- Sinbad Island
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Basra?
About 1.5 million people live in Basra (1,485,000 in 2024). That makes Basra the third-largest city in Iraq, after Baghdad and Mosul. The CIA World Factbook gave a slightly lower figure of 1.448 million for 2023.
What is Basra famous for?
Basra is famous as Iraq's main port, on the Shatt al-Arab waterway near the Persian Gulf, and as the centre of Iraq's oil industry. It is also known as one of the hottest cities on Earth, with summer temperatures regularly above 50 °C, and as the port from which the fictional Sinbad the Sailor set out.
Where is Basra located?
Basra is in southern Iraq, on the banks of the Shatt al-Arab near the Persian Gulf, close to the border with Iran. It is the capital of Basra Governorate and sits 5 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 30.52° N, 47.81° E, and its time zone is Arabia Standard Time.
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Keep exploring
- Iraq — the country Basra is in
- Baghdad — another city in Iraq
- Mosul — another city in Iraq
- Erbil — another city in Iraq
- All cities in Iraq
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.