358 | Iraq Trivia | Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast

Into the Middle East we go for more trivia. This week, it’s Iraq trivia. Back in 2023, I did a full episode on the Persian Gulf War, but this time, it’s going to be about Iraq itself. The country’s history goes way back. Like, the origins of civilization are here.

When you’re done with Iraq Trivia, check out our other country trivia episodes. Be sure to subscribe and never miss an episode. Also, share the show with your friends!

Book of the Week

Land Between the Rivers by Bartle Bull

At the start of the fourth millennium BC, at the edge of historical time, civilization first arrived with the advent of cities and the invention of writing that began to replace legend with history. This occurred on the floodplains of southern Iraq where the great rivers Tigris and Euphrates meet the Persian Gulf. By 3000 BC, a city called Uruk (from which “Iraq” is derived) had 80,000 residents. Indeed, as Bartle Bull reveals in his magisterial history, “if one divides the 5,000 years of human civilization into ten periods of five centuries each, during the first nine of these the world’s leading city was in one of the three regions of current day Iraq”–or to use its Greek name, Mesopotamia.

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Episode Transcript/Quiz

Episode Intro

As always, this is three rounds of ten questions each. If you’re not yet subscribed, please do so. I’d love to see you back here every week. This is episode 358 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy trivia podcast. I’m your map-reading guide and host, Brian Rollins. Grab your passport and let’s go.

The Dorky Round

What is the capital and largest city in Iraq?
a. Baghdad
What is the dominant religion of modern-day Iraq?
a. Islam. Over 90% of the population.
In which continent will you find Iraq?
a. Asia
Who was president of Iraq from 1979 to 2003?
a. Saddam Hussein
Iraq invaded what neighboring nation in 1990?
a. Kuwait
Which ancient city in Iraq is known as the home of the legendary Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?
a. Babylon
What is Iraq’s most significant natural resource and main export?
a. Oil
What 2008 film, set during the Iraq War, was the first movie for which a woman won the Oscar for Best Director?
a. The Hurt Locker. Kathryn Bigelow won the award.
Iraq, along with Syria, Israel, Palestine, Jordan and others make up what region where settled farming first took place?
a. The Fertile Crescent
What is the primary language of Iraq?
a. Arabic

The Geeky Round

The confluence of what two rivers in Iraq is considered the birthplace of civilization?
a. The Tigris and the Euphrates
The very southeastern tip of Iraq borders what body of water?
a. The Persian Gulf
What country spans most of Iraq’s southwestern border?
a. Saudi Arabia
From 1932 to 1958, what form of government did Iraq have?
a. It was a monarchy. They had three kings during that period.
What ancient civilization, located in present-day Iraq, is often credited as the first civilization in human history?
a. Sumer
What extremist group captured large parts of northern Iraq in 2014?
a. ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).
What group of people led an uprising against the Iraqi government following the Persian Gulf War?
a. The Kurds
What was the pretense given for the occupation of Iraq by the United States starting in 2003?
a. Weapons of Mass Destruction
Which sect of Islam makes up 61% of the population of Iraq?
a. Shia Islam. Sunni Islam accounts for 35% of the population.
What 1973 horror film begins with a Catholic priest visiting an archeological dig site in northern Iraq?
a. The Exorcist

The Nerdy Round

What is the largest lake in Iraq?
a. Lake Therthar
Prior to the monarchy in 1932, Iraq was part of what empire?
a. The Ottoman Empire. It was part of the empire just shy of 400 years.
What is the official currency of Iraq?
a. The Iraqi Dinar
What was the Sumerian writing system called, regarded as one of the world’s first written scripts?
a. Cuneiform
What desert occupies much of western Iraq?
a. The Syrian Desert
What mountain range forms part of Iraq’s northern border?
a. The Zagros Mountains
What Macedonian ruler founded the city of Qalatga Darband in Iraq in 331 BCE?
a. Alexander the Great. The ruins of the city were found in the 1990s thanks to declassified satellite images.
Which Iraqi city is considered one of the holiest in Shia Islam, as the burial place of Imam Ali?
a. Najaf
What is considered the oldest city in the world?
a. Uruk. Located in modern day Iraq, the city was founded around 3200 BCE
Lasting around 180 years, what was the world’s first empire?
a. The Akkadian Empire. They existed in Iraq from 2334 to 2154 BCE

Episode Conclusion

And that’s it for Iraq trivia. How did you do? Did you learn a thing or two? Let me know in the comments or on social media. Heck, join us on Discord and chat with your fellow listeners.

Next week, it’s movie trivia. Of a sort. It’s an expanded version of a mini episode I did a few years ago. Here’s a hint of what to expect:

What happens when Nick Cage is a prisoner on a plane and meets a basketball playing Golden Retriever?

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, you’ll see next Wednesday. It’ll be fun, I promise.

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This podcast is written, produced, and hosted by Brian Rollins. If you love audiobooks or are looking to have a book turned into an audiobook, contact me at TheVoicesInMyHead.com.

The theme music is Punchfunk by the band, Punchfunk. Listen to all their music on Spotify.

Thanks for listening.