Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country located in southwestern Asia, bordered by Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The area now known as modern Iraq, formerly Mesopotamia or the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, is thought to have been the cradle of civilization—the birthplace of some of the world’s greatest ancient civilizations, including Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia. Despite the varied influences of these civilizations, and of later Mongol and Ottoman rule and the British mandate, the most significant influence on Iraqi social and cultural life comes from the conquest of the region by Muslim Arabs. Until recently, Saddam Hussein held power, relying heavily on elements of the Ba’ath Party and minority Sunni Arab tribal alliances to maintain a police state. After Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Persian Gulf War, the international community placed economic sanctions on Iraq. The ousting of Hussein in 2003 opens a new chapter in Iraq’s history. With a rich cultural heritage, talented populace, great agricultural potential and the world’s second largest oil reserves, Iraq could become a force for regional progress. Currently the Iraqi Interim Government is in power. Following the January 2005 elections for the Transitional National Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution, national elections are set for the end of the year.