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MESOPOTAMIA

MESOPOTAMIA.

Mesopotamia was conquered by Indian and British troops during the Great War. The town of Basra was occupied on November 22, 1914, and Baghdad on March 11, 1917. In the Treaty of Peace with Turkey, Mesopotamia is recognized as an independent State, to be placed under a mandatory Power. The Supreme Council has allotted the mandate to Great Britain.

Government. — Ifl 1920 a Council of State was formed, as a provisional measure, to conduct the administration of the country, until a National Assembly can meet and decide upon the future form of Government. For this purpose an electoral law is being drafted.

The Provisional Council of State consists of 18 members, under the Presidency of the Naqib of Baghdad. Eight of these hold portfolios for the administration of the existing departments (Interior, Finance, Justice, Pious Foundations, Education, Defence, Public Works, and Commerce).

Area and Population. — The country has an area of 143,250 square miles (the vilayets respectively of Baghdad, 54,540 square miles, Basra, 53,580 square miles, and Mosul, 35,130 square miles), and a population, according to the Census of 1920, of 2,849,282. The following are the detailed figures of the census results : —

Division

Sunni

130.000

66,455

54,953

8,678

1,000

445

15,983

247,000

Shi'ah

Jewish

Christian

Other Religions

Total

Baghdad Samaria Uialah. Kut

Diwaniyah Shamiyah Hillah. Dulaim.

54,000 14,215 4G.097 !iS,7] -J 192,300 189,000 155,897 200

60,000 300

1,689 381

6,000 5S0

1,066

2,600

15,000

397 LOT

5,000 20

n

200

1,000

900

200 6

28

25il,0OO 80.971' 104,036 107.79S 204.5011 190,000 178,000

250,000

Total Vilayet of liaghdttd.

524,414

750,421

62,665

20,771

2,133

1,360,304

Basra .... Amara .... Muiuafik

24,408 7,000 11,150

110,494 284,700 806,220

6,928

8,000

160

10,088

2,221 300 80

1,549 5,000 2,440

165,600 300,000

Total Vilayet of Basra

42,558

721,414

2,651

8.9S9

7 85,600

Mosul .... Arbil ....

Kirkuk .... Snleiiiiani

244,713 96,100 85,000

153, 'JOO

17,180 5,000

7,635 4,800 1,400 1,000

BO.W0

4,100 600 100

(0,188

1,000

S50.378 106,000

156,000

Total Vilayet of Mosul

570,713

22,180

14,S:<-.

65,470

31,1S0


 * o:U7S

Grand 1

otal.

1,146,685

1,494 016

87,488

78,792

42,3 -

2,849,282

Municipalities have been established wherever possible, and tribal councils set up for tribal districts. These councils are developing into Divisional Councils, which are consulted on the expansion of railways,