Iraq celebrates Independence Day annually on October 3. It commemorates the country’s independence from Britain in 1932 and is also known as National Iraqi Day. All offices, organizations, post offices, educational institutions, and main markets are closed in Iraq due to a national holiday. The Iraqi people celebrate the happy occasion with military and civilian parades, ceremonies featuring addresses from political leaders, and official celebrations in each city and town. The Iraqi flag, which represents their national identity, is proudly displayed, waved in parades, and flown from buildings. Firework displays begin on the eve of the national holiday.
The background of Iraq Independence Day
The modern history of Iraq began in 1831, when the Ottomans conquered the region and established it as a strategic outpost of their empire. The British collectively referred to the region as Mesopotamia at that time, when it was comprised of three provinces: Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul. At the conclusion of World War I, the United Kingdom triumphed over the Ottoman Empire.
In 1920, the former Ottoman provinces of Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra became the British Mandate for Mesopotamia, a League of Nations mandate under direct British control. The Iraqi people reacted negatively to the new government because they disliked the imposition of British control. In the same year, significant demonstrations at Sunni and Shiite mosques erupted in Baghdad, leading to an armed rebellion. A British aircraft engaged the uprising and successfully subdued it. The revolution led to the signing of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty in 1922, an agreement between the British and the Iraqi government that permitted Iraq to have Iraqi rulers while retaining British control over the nation’s foreign policy. This agreement would pave the way for Iraq’s total independence.
Faisal I ibn Al-Hussein became king of Iraq in 1921. The British appointed him as leader as a means of achieving a secure compromise. Despite being a British ally, Hussein was a man of the people. His ancestry could be traced back to the renowned Prophet Muhammad, and he participated in the 1916 Arab uprising against the Ottomans. Under King Faisal, the Kingdom of Iraq became a sovereign state on October 3, 1932.
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5 fascinating facts about Iraq
The preponderance of the land in Iraq is arid, and merely twelvefestigt.
Iraq is home to the world’s oldest writing system, cuneiform script, which was created by the Sumerians and first used around 3100 BCE.
Although there are other minor groups in Iraq, Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen are the three largest ethnic groups.
Iraq recognizes two official languages: Arabic and Kurdish.
Iraq’s economy is dependent on oil, which accounts for more than 90 percent of government revenue.
IRAQ INDEPENDENCE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | October 3 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | October 3 | Thursday |
| 2025 | October 3 | Friday |
| 2026 | October 3 | Saturday |
| 2027 | October 3 | Sunday |




