!['Mesopotamia' [‎9v] (18/152)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/IOR_L_PS_20_C190_0018.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Mesopotamia' [‎9v] (18/152)")
The record is made up of 1 volume (76 folios). It was created in Feb 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
8
GEOGRAPHY
;No. 92
summer months fatiguing work in the open, espe
cially in a humid atmosphere, is likely to bring on heat
stroke.
Epidemics of cholera and bubonic plague occur
from time to time. On the whole, how r ever, if proper
precautions can be taken, particularly w r ith regard to
water, the health conditions for Europeans, outside
malaria-infested districts, may be regarded as fairly
good.
Under Ottoman rule the towns have been left in a
most unhealthy condition. -Almost the only sanitary
measures taken by the Turkish authorities have been
those of quarantine.
(5) Race and Language
The numbers of the various races which form the
population of Mesopotamia may be estimated roughly
as follows r 1
Arabs .. , 1.450,000 Armenians .. .. 57,000
Kurds .. .. 380,000 Yezidis .. .. 21,000
Turks and Turkomans 110,000 Chabaks .. .. 10,000
Persians .. .. 70,000 Circassians .. .. 8 ,000
Jews .. .. 60,000 Sabians ... .. 2,000
Syrian Christians ., 60,000 Miscellaneous .. 10,000
Total .. .. 2,238,000
The floating population of pilgrims to the Shiah
shrines, which may number 150,000 to 200,000 in a
year, is not included in the above estimate.
The Arabs are, both numerically and politically, the
dominant element in the population. They number
probably about a million and a half, and if united
among themselves would constitute a factor of the
highest importance in the general situation. Differ
ences, however, of religion, character, pursuits, and
interests constitute intersecting lines of cleavage which
have effectually prevented any enduring combination.
Those Arabs w T ho are dwellers in the towms, or settled
on the land as agriculturists, are for the most part
1 In the absence of reliable statistics), no accurate estimate of.
tho population can be given.
About this item
- Content
This volume is a confidential handbook on Mesopotamia prepared under the direction of the Historical Section of the Foreign Office, dated February 1919. There is a table of contents which includes the following chapters:
- I: 'Geography Physical and Political', including 'Position and Frontiers', 'Surface, Coast and River Systems', 'Climate', 'Sanitary Conditions', 'Race and Language' and 'Population';
- II: 'Political History', including 'Chronological Summary', 'Introduction', 'Early period of Turkish Occupation, 1638-1834', 'Later period of Turkish Occupation, 1834-1914', and 'Commercial Developments';
- III: 'Social and Political Conditions', including 'Religious', 'Political', 'Public Education' and 'General Observations';
- IV: 'Economic Conditions', including 'Means of Communication', 'Industry', 'Commerce', 'Finance' and 'General Remarks'.
There is also an appendix which includes tables of 'Exports to Principal Countries from Baghdad', 'Imports from Principal Countries to Baghdad', 'Principal Exports from Basra' and 'Principal Imports to Basra'. This is followed by a section entitled 'Authorities' which is a bibliography of references used for the preparation of the volume. This section is divided into 'Historical' (including 'Confidential Sources'), 'Economic' ('Official' and 'General') and 'Maps'. There is a pocket at the back of the volume to house maps, but there are no maps present.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (76 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Pagination: The volume contains an original printed pagination sequence.
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Mesopotamia' [9v] (18/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000013> [accessed 28 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000013
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000013">'Mesopotamia' [‎9v] (18/152)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000013"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/IOR_L_PS_20_C190_0018.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/C190
- Title
- 'Mesopotamia'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:75v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence