Green Zone, Government district in Baghdad, Iraq
The Green Zone is a government district in Baghdad, Iraq, covering roughly 10 square kilometers in the central Karkh area. The area is separated from the rest of the capital by a security perimeter with checkpoints and concrete barriers.
After the 2003 invasion, the US military established the Coalition Provisional Authority headquarters here in former presidential palaces. Control was gradually transferred to Iraqi authorities, with the area fully opening in December 2018.
The name International Zone was eventually replaced by Green Zone, a term now used in both Arabic and English. Visitors notice the typical Iraqi government buildings from the 1980s with their high arcades and decorative facade elements.
Since December 2018, vehicles can use the 14th of July Road through the area between 5 PM and 1 AM to ease downtown traffic. Pedestrians and visitors should carry valid identification documents and expect security checks at the entrances.
Beneath the surface lies a network of bunkers and military facilities connected by secure underground passages. This infrastructure dates from before 2003 and was built to protect leadership during earlier regimes.
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