Marshes of Iraq are the largest wetlands in the Middle East. They not only provide habitat to hundreds of bird and fish species, but they are also home to thousands of Marsh Arabs who are returning more and more to their historical heartland. Draining of The Marshes
From the 1980s to the 1990s, the marshes lost a colossal 90% of their total area. It was a decline described by the United Nations as a “tragic human and environmental catastrophe”, on par with the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. The draining of the three main marshes, the Hawizeh, Central, and Hammar marshes were mainly due to political reasons. The biggest damage was done after the 1991 uprising against the regime. The Marsh Arabs (Ma’dan people) were punished for their supposed role in the uprising. Over 200,000 were forced off the marshes