Basra

Basra (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 Islamic history, and it was the first city built in Islam 14 A.H (after Hijra)
Overview.
The city lies at the Shatt al-Arab waterway near the Persian Gulf, from the Persian Gulf and from Baghdad, Iraq's capital and largest city.