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| Short dates | |
| Capital | Erbil |
|---|---|
| Form of government | republic |
| currency | Iraqi Dinar (irDin) |
| surface | 46800 km² |
| population | 5.8 million> 1.8 million refugees |
| languages | Kurdish, Arabic, Aramaic |
| Religions | Muslims (Sunnis, Ahl-e Haqq) |
| Connector system | 230 V / 50 Hz, plug type C (rarely D, G) |
| Phone code | 964 |
| Internet TLD | .krd, .iq |
| Time zone | CET 2h (no summer time) |
The Kurdistan Autonomous Region is in the north of the Iraq, which is why the name Iraqi Kurdistan is common. At the beginning of 2019, around 1.8 million refugees also lived on the territory, spread over almost 100 camps, mostly with accommodation in tents. Since 2003 there has been a targeted turn to the West.
places
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- Dahuk had half a million inhabitants and 650,000 refugees in the surrounding area at the end of 2018
- Erbil, Administrative headquarters
- Sulaimaniya
- Zaxo (Zakho)
Other goals
- Chemi Rezan Caves
- The Gondik cave paintings
- 1 Delal bridge (الجسر العباسي). Kurdish Pira Delal, ancient bridge of Roman origin near Zaxo.
Alqosh
1 Al-Kosh(36 ° 44 ′ 8 ″ N.43 ° 6 ′ 0 ″ E) (القش) Believers of the three monotheistic desert religions are considered to be the birthplace of the prophet Naḥūm. There are therefore two Catholic churches, a Jewish temple and, on a picturesque hill above the village, the Matti nunnery (دير السيد) To visit. The rock dwellings of Al-Kosh are distributed along the mountain slopes up to the top of the plateau.
Amediye
The small town 2 Amediye العمادية(37 ° 5 ′ 31 ″ N.43 ° 29 ′ 17 ″ E), only ten kilometers from the Turkish border, is built on the plateau of a volcanic cone around an old fortress and overlooks the scenic surroundings at an altitude of 1190 meters. Local legends have it that the place was already 3000 years B.C.E. existed and that the "three holy kings" made their way to Bethlehem from here. The most remarkable building is a 14 meter high city gate.
There does not seem to be any accommodation in the village itself. However, there are three motels on the country road in the valley, the easiest to find is at the petrol station.
Korek
About 110 km from Erbil on the national road 3 towards Soran (سوران) It goes to the mountains to 3 Ski resort Korek(36 ° 35 ′ 50 ″ N.44 ° 27 ′ 21 ″ E)whose four-kilometer cable car was built by a Swiss company.
Lalisch
The scenic valley at a good 1000 meters is home to the holiest site of the Yazidis, the grave of Sheikh Adi and is therefore an important pilgrimage destination that is looked after by the monks who live here. In the burial hall there is also a spring that is used for the baptism of children. In the cellar vault below there is a store for oil donated by pilgrims, which is used to illuminate the facility. Shoes are to be taken off at the edge of the village. There are no accommodations.
The access is 14 km from the small town 4 Ain Sifni (= Shekhan)(36 ° 41 ′ 39 ″ N.43 ° 21 ′ 1 ″ E) or from Dohuk by taxi.
background
The autonomous region of Kurdistan was proclaimed after the 2nd Gulf War, after the region had been before de facto had extensive autonomy. In many ways the region has little in common with the rest of Iraq, especially the security situation here is much better than in the rest of Iraq. Furthermore, the geography of Kurdistan is characterized by mountains and more green spaces.
On September 25, 2017, Masud Barzani, President of the ARK, held an independence referendum in the areas ruled by the ARK. 92% of the population voted for independence. Iraq then let its troops march on the ARK and they took, among other things, Kirkuk and the Mosul dam.
language
The official language and the main lingua franca is Kurdish, in the north the dialect Kurmanci, further south Sorani. Arabic is also spoken. However, this has no longer been taught in schools since the creation of the autonomous zone. Only educated young people can speak English. Other foreign language skills are very few and far between.
Signs are, apart from motorway signs, almost exclusively in Arabic script.
getting there
A valid passport is required to enter the country. EU citizens, Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens receive a free residence permit for 30 days upon entry. Applications for longer stays, with a personal interview in Vienna Representation of the Kurdistan Regional Government-Iraq (only residents of Austria; by appointment). Telephone information in Berlin is only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10.00-13.00 ☎ 49 (0) 30 288 49516.
By plane
The easiest way to get there from Europe is with Turkish companies Erbil.
Another airport with international connections is in Sulaimaniyah.
In the street
Overland entry by car from Turkey is also possible. The only border crossing is at 1 Ibrahim Khalil / Habur منفذ ابراهيم خليل الحدودي(37 ° 8 '25 "N.42 ° 34 '17 "E).
The only border crossing from Turkey can be reached by dolmus from the unappealing town of Silopi.
If you leave Kurdistan by car, in order to avoid the kilometer-long line of trucks in front of the border, you have to drive a good distance in the right opposite lane of the three-lane motorway until you get to the check-in. The control on the Turkish side is finicky. There is a duty-free shop here, which is worth at least for cigarettes (to Turkey).
“When entering the Kurdistan-Iraq region with a foreign vehicle, it is common practice of the Kurdish authorities to withhold the foreign passport at the customs office at the border crossing and to issue a certificate. This certificate does not entitle you to stay in any other part of Iraq. Failure to do so can result in arrest by the Iraqi authorities. The passport will only be returned when the vehicle is re-exported. "[1]
- Iran
The limits to the Iran are now open to western foreigners who do not come from rogue states (USA, Canada, Great Britain).
- Out Tabriz Every morning a bus drives directly to Erbil across the border 2 Serov گمرک سرو(37 ° 43 '4 "N.44 ° 37 '24 "E)which is open 24 hours.
- Easier to reach are Sulaimaniya or Tehran (via Sanandaj) across the border 3 Penjwin (بنجوين IQ) and Marivan (مریوان IR)(35 ° 36 '51 "N.46 ° 0 '58 "E.). There is no cross-border bus, you have to rely on shared taxis from the nearest towns (Sanandaj or Penjwin). Direct shared taxis to Sulaimaniya to the border are expensive.
- The small crossing is at an altitude of 1700 meters 4 trowel(36 ° 9 ′ 50 ″ N.44 ° 37 '49 "E) Each side is cleared a few hundred meters from the actual border. The next town on the Iraqi side is 5 Qalat Dizah (= Qaladze; قلعة دزة)(36 ° 10 '56 "N.45 ° 7 ′ 39 ″ E); Sulaimaniya or Erbil are both 150 km away. In Iran you can 6 Sardasht (سردشت)(36 ° 9 '23 "N.45 ° 28 ′ 38 ″ E) reach by bus.
- Above the village 5 Tawella (طويلة)(35 ° 10 '52 "N.46 ° 10 '52 "E). From Halabja 35 km, on the Iranian side very steep ascent from the village 7 Nowud(35 ° 9 '38 "N.46 ° 12 '13 "E), Junction from the R15 (small roundabout), 158 km north of Kermanshah, Iran.
mobility
There are military posts at almost all city limits, but checks are rarely carried out.
Fuel prices (April 2019): Diesel 620, petrol 595, Super 7-800 irDin.
These comparatively high prices for an oil-producing country can be explained by the lack of refinery capacities. The local crude oil is transported by truck to the refinery in Batman, Turkey, and then returned as fuel.
Bus transport, often in minibuses, is only available between larger cities. Inner-city taxi rides cost 3-5000 irDin (Sept. 2018).
Locals do not have car insurance.
accommodation
Simple rooms are available for 20-25,000 irDin. You can usually find them near the markets. Middle-class hotels cost € 30-50 in 2018, often 10% “service” is added.
Selective Tourist info accommodation directory, can be sorted nationwide according to categories and locations.
Tourist Attractions
shop
The Iraqi dinar is the national currency. US dollars are also welcome. There are (barely circulating) coins of 25, 50 and 100 irDinar. In 2013 a new series of banknotes was issued (images), those of the 2003 series remain valid. The 50 dinar banknote was withdrawn from circulation in 2015. The largest note since then has a value of 50,000.
Exchange rate: € 1 = 1370 irDin, US $ 1 = 1250 irDin. (May 19, 2019; Daily rates of the central bank).
ATMs are mostly found at airports and in the center of large cities. Credit card acceptance in everyday life is low. Exchange offices can be recognized by the glass showcases in which there are bundles of cash.
Price stability has been largely stable since 2012, combined with the rise in irDin since the beginning of 2018, the region has become more expensive as a travel destination. The prices in the country are at the Central European level, although there is no industry worth mentioning. The apparent prosperity is explained by the fact that 55% of the troops involved in the operation of the "Coalition of the Willing" were used to deal with mercenaries who received a daily salary of US $ 500-1500 net. Many of these fighters were naturally of Kurdish origin who had previously been critical of Saddam Hussein's government.
Weekend is Friday. There are no street vendors or bazaris that are intrusive. Smaller grocery stores in cities are often open until 11 p.m.
A significant part of the huge investments since 2003 has gone into the construction of oversized shopping centers. Classic bazaars are only found in the big cities. In the widespread supermarkets, for example, you can discover the whole madness of "free world trade" on the shelf for dairy products: Cheese from almost every EU country or Australia, condensed or soy milk from Southeast Asia, you will only look for local products in vain.
kitchen
Kurdish cuisine. There are mainly smaller meals Shawarma (Doner), kebab in the form of minced meat or chicken on a skewer, as well as falafel. As a side dish, flatbread or rice, with a salad. Culinary excellence is more likely to be found in private homes.
Yazidis and Christians are not forbidden to drink alcohol for religious reasons, beer is also available in many shops (but is generally not sold in Ramadan). Above all the Turkish is offered Efes and Almaza from Lebanon. There are also imported goods from large German breweries, in restaurants at disproportionately high prices (8-10,000 irDin). Other alcoholic beverages are mostly also from Turkish production.
public holidays
January 1st: New Year; January 6: Army Day; March 5: Uprising Day (from Ranya); March 11: Liberation of Erbil; March 14th: Birthday of Mustafa Barzani; April 9: Liberation of Baghdad (overthrow of Saddam Hussein); 1st of May; July 14: Republic Day.
Plus the general Islamic festivals: 1st (April 12th, 2021) and 30th Ramadan (May 12th, 2021), Muhammad's birthday October 19th, 2021, Ashura August 19th, 2021 and the Kurdish spring festival Newroz (3 days from April 20th / 21st) . March).
security
In everyday life there is no need to be afraid of crimes, something else applies with regard to security forces.
Quote from the Federal Foreign Office: “We warn against traveling to Iraq with the exception of the Kurdistan-Iraq region. ... The German consulate general in Erbil can only provide limited consular assistance. Appointments are also only kept by appointment. "[1] Travel to Iraqi Kurdistan should be well prepared and you should avoid getting too close to the dividing line with the rest of Iraq or even crossing it if you do not have the appropriate visa. This is especially true for the Kirkuk region. In addition, most of the US combat troops withdrawn from Syria were relocated here in order to massively expand the airport there in spring 2019, which can be used for attacks against Iran.[2]
The Peshmerga-Government allows on its territory of Turkey without warning against the freedom fighters of the Kurdish Workers' Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê) proceed militarily. This applies above all to the mountainous border region where frequent Turkish air strikes since November 2018 have repeatedly resulted in deaths among the civilian population. The Turkish army has also been in several locations as part of Operation Tigris Shield permanent military posts. You should stay away from them as much as possible, as they can be fired at without a call.
Women usually don't go out on the streets at night. Only married people usually wear a headscarf. Shorts are also not welcomed by men. As everywhere in the Orient, it makes sense to put on an ironed shirt with a tie for formal occasions or meetings with authorities.
climate
The temperatures are most bearable in May. Erbil can get hotter to over 50 ° C in summer. There is no precipitation from May to September. In the mountain regions, the snow remains in the winter.
Practical advice
Depleted uraniumThere are still no smoking bans in 2018.
The household power supply is limited to 2 amps (i.e. 460 watts). The deficit is offset by privately operated diesel generators.
Consulates can be found in Erbil. Switzerland and Austria do not have a representation in Iraq; the offices in Jordan are responsible Amman.
telecommunications
The most important internet and cellular service provider is Newroz Telecom (Customer Service ☎ 06699). Another provider is Tishk Net (Customer Service ☎ 053-5710; Network coverage).
literature
Special travel guides don't seem to have appeared until 2019. The only halfway new work is probably:
- Hann Geoff; Dabrowska, Karen; Iraq: The ancient sites & Iraqi Kurdistan; 2015 (Bradt); ISBN 9781841624884
- Açıkyıldız, Birgül; Yezidis: the history of a community, culture and religion; London 2010 (Tauris); ISBN 9781848852747
- Oops, Tobias; Kurdistan: how an oppressed people stabilizes the Middle East; Munich 2019 (riva); ISBN 978-3-95971-947-6
- Rafaat, Aram; Kurdistan in Iraq: the evolution of a quasi-state; London 2018 (Routledge); ISBN 978-1-351-18883-8 , [History 1961-2017]
Web links
- Kurdistan Board of Tourism
- German Consulate General Erbil
- NRT English news site from a local, non-governmental television station.
- Rudaw Media Network multilingual news site related to the ruling party DUP.
