Mosul

Industrial city and oil centre in Iraq, 350 km/217 mi northwest of Baghdad; population (1998 est) 901,200. It lies on the right bank of the Tigris river, opposite the site of ancient Nineveh. It is a centre of communications by air, road, rail, and river. Industries include oil refining, though now on a reduced scale since the Gulf War of 1991. Main products are cement, textiles, gallnuts, cotton, wool, hides, wax, and gum. Once it manufactured the light cotton fabric muslin, which was named after it.

During the 18th century Mosul was governed by a local aristocracy, and when the Ottoman Empire broke up both Iraq and Turkey claimed Mosul, which was awarded to Iraq by the Permanent Court of International Justice. Oil was found in 1927 at Ain Zalah nearby, and in 1934 a pipeline was built to Baiji. The population includes Muslim Arabs, Turkomans, and Christians of several denominations. The university was founded in 1967.