Basra, also spelled Basrah, is a prominent port city located in southern Iraq. It serves as the capital of the Basra Governorate and ranks as the third largest city in the country, following Baghdad and Mosul.
The city is situated along the banks of the Shatt al-Arab waterway, which empties into the Persian Gulf near the Iran–Iraq border. Due to its geographic location, Basra is consistently one of the hottest cities in Iraq, with summer temperatures frequently surpassing 50 °C (122 °F).