Culture of Iraq
Iraq has one of the world's oldest cultural histories. See: History of Iraq.
Past Culture
Like many Arab countries, and in a particularly similar manner to Iran, Iraq's traditional enemy, it embraces and celebrates the achievements of its past in pre-Islamic times. What is now Iraq was one of the cradles of civilization in ancient Mesopotamia. In the 8th century and 9th century the Islamic Abbasid Caliphs precided over what was then the world's leading civilization, rich in science, art and literature.
The Rape of Archaeology
Many of the great treasures of Mesopotamian archaeology were housed in the Baghdad Museum, until 2003, when much was lost due to looting and vandalism (as a consequence of the American military, having invaded and taken over Baghdad, preferring to protect the Oil Ministry than priceless and irreplacable artifacts of world significance). A campaign was launched soon after the loss, with the help of the British Museum, to recover as much of the looted works as possible, though it may take decades or even centuries before the collection is back to the level it previously held.
Modern Day Culture
In the most recent millennium, what is now Iraq has been made up of five cultural areas-- Kurdish in the north centered on Mosul, Sunni Islamic Arabs in the center around Baghdad, Shi'a Islamic Arabs in the south centered on Basra, the Assyrians who are a Christian people living in various cities in the North, and the Marsh Arabs (a nomadic peoples, who live on the marshlands of the central river).
Markets, and debating the price of goods, are the common form of trade.
Idioms
Like many nations, slapping somebody with your shoe, even symbolically, is considered an insult, although in Iraq this is more popular than elsewhere.
See also: music of Iraq