Worth knowing
Iraq
The Sumerians of ancient Iraq counted in sixties, and the Babylonians used the system to chart the sky. Greek astronomers borrowed it, which is why hours, minutes and degrees still divide by 60.
Where its story happens
Babylon, at 32.54°N, 44.42°E. It's the place the game marks on the globe once the country is found. See it on a map.
Five things to know about Iraq
In Geodar these are the five clues to this country, and it counts as one of the easy countries. The game asks the hardest clue first. Here the easiest comes first.
- Where it is. It's Iraq, in the Middle East, between Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia. See Iraq on a map.
- The Tigris and Euphrates rivers run through it, and its capital is Baghdad.
- Its ancient city of Babylon was famed for hanging gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
- The oldest known writing was pressed into clay tablets here more than 5,000 years ago.
- The 60-minute hour and the 360-degree circle go back to a way of counting used here about 4,000 years ago.