Basra
البصرة Al Baṣrah | |
|---|---|
The port of Basra | |
| Coordinates: 30°30′N 47°49′E / 30.500°N 47.817°E | |
| Country | |
| Governorate | Basra Governorate |
| Founded | AD 636 |
| Population (2003 Est) | |
| • Total | 1,700,000 |
Basra (Arabic: البصرة; Al Baṣrah) is the third largest city of Iraq with a population of about 2,600,000 (2003). It is the country's main port. Baṣra played an important role in early Muslim history, and it was the first city built in Islam 14 A.H (after Hijra)
The city lies at the Shatt al-Arab waterway near the Persian Gulf, 55 kilometres (34 mi) from the Persian Gulf and 545 kilometres (339 mi) from Baghdad, Iraq's capital and largest city.