Editing Basra (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Basra-Shatt-Al-Arab.jpg|left|thumb|Shatt al-Arab near Basra]]
Basra is located in the [[Arabian Peninsula]] on the Shatt-Al-Arab waterway, downstream of which is the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/basra |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}}</ref> The Shatt-Al-Arab and Basra waterways define the eastern and western borders of Basra, respectively.<ref name=":10" /> It is located near to the [[borders of Iran]] and [[Iraq–Kuwait border|Kuwait]].<ref name=":10" />

The city is penetrated by a complex network of canals and streams, vital for irrigation and other agricultural use.<ref name=":10" /> These canals were once used to transport goods and people throughout the city, but during the last two decades, pollution and a continuous drop in water levels have made river navigation impossible in the canals.<ref name=":10" /> Basra is roughly {{convert|110|km|mi|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} from the Persian Gulf.<ref name=":10" /> The city is located along the [[Shatt al-Arab]] waterway, {{convert|55|km|mi|sp=us}} from the [[Persian Gulf]] and {{convert|545|km|mi|sp=us}} from [[Baghdad]], Iraq's capital and largest city.<ref name=":10" />

=== Climate ===
Basra has a hot [[desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh''), like the rest of the surrounding region, though it receives slightly more [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] than inland locations due to its location near the coast. During the summer months, from June to August, Basra is consistently one of the hottest cities on the planet, with temperatures regularly exceeding {{convert|50|°C|°F|abbr=on}} in July and August. In winter Basra experiences mild and somewhat moist conditions with average high temperatures around {{convert|20|°C|°F|abbr=on}}. On some winter nights, minimum temperatures are below {{convert|0|°C|°F|abbr=on}}. High humidity – sometimes exceeding 90% – is common due to the proximity to the marshy Persian Gulf.

An all-time high temperature was recorded on 22 July 2016, when daytime readings soared to {{convert|53.9|°C|1}}, which is the highest temperature that has ever been recorded in Iraq.<ref name="Samenow2016">{{cite news|last1=Samenow|first1=Jason|title=Two Middle East locations hit 129 degrees, hottest ever in Eastern Hemisphere, maybe the world|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/07/22/two-middle-east-locations-hit-129-degrees-hottest-ever-in-eastern-hemisphere-maybe-the-world/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=22 July 2016|access-date=23 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723174406/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/07/22/two-middle-east-locations-hit-129-degrees-hottest-ever-in-eastern-hemisphere-maybe-the-world/|archive-date=23 July 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Tapper2016>{{cite web |last1=Tapper |first1=James |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/23/think-youre-hot-spare-a-thought-for-kuwait-as-mercury-hits-record-54c |title=Think you're hot? Spare a thought for Kuwait, as mercury hits record 54C |work=The Guardian|date=23 July 2016 |access-date=22 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023141648/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/23/think-youre-hot-spare-a-thought-for-kuwait-as-mercury-hits-record-54c |archive-date=23 October 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> This is one of the hottest temperatures ever measured on the planet.<ref name="Samenow2016"/> The following night, the night time low temperature was {{convert|38.8|°C|1}}, which was one of the highest minimum temperatures on any given day, only outshone by [[Khasab]], [[Oman]], [[Dehloran]], [[Iran]] and [[Death Valley]], [[United States]].  The lowest temperature ever recorded in Basra was {{convert|-4.7|°C|1}} on 22 January 1964.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iraqi Meteorological Department, 1970 |url=ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/docs.lib/htdocs/rescue/cd374_pdf/LSN3407.PDF |publisher=Iraqi Meteorological Department |date=1970 |access-date=17 November 2018 |archive-date=22 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822132717/ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/docs.lib/htdocs/rescue/cd374_pdf/LSN3407.PDF |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location=Basra (1991-2020)
|Jan record high C=34.0
|Feb record high C=39.0
|Mar record high C=42.6
|Apr record high C=46.1
|May record high C=50.0
|Jun record high C=51.6
|Jul record high C=53.9
|Aug record high C=52.2
|Sep record high C=50.7
|Oct record high C=46.8
|Nov record high C=39.7
|Dec record high C=30.0

|Jan high C=18.7
|Feb high C=21.7
|Mar high C=26.8
|Apr high C=33.4
|May high C=40.3
|Jun high C=45.0
|Jul high C=47.0
|Aug high C=47.2
|Sep high C=43.3
|Oct high C=37.2
|Nov high C=27.0
|Dec high C=20.5

|Jan mean C=13.0
|Feb mean C=15.5
|Mar mean C=20.2
|Apr mean C=26.6
|May mean C=33.3
|Jun mean C=37.4
|Jul mean C=38.9
|Aug mean C=38.5
|Sep mean C=34.7
|Oct mean C=28.8
|Nov mean C=20.0
|Dec mean C=14.4

|Jan low C=8.3
|Feb low C=10.1
|Mar low C=14.3
|Apr low C=20.1
|May low C=26.2
|Jun low C=29.1
|Jul low C=30.7
|Aug low C=29.9
|Sep low C=26.3
|Oct low C=21.7
|Nov low C=14.4
|Dec low C=9.6

|Jan record low C=-4.7
|Feb record low C=-4.0
|Mar record low C=1.9
|Apr record low C=2.8
|May record low C=8.2
|Jun record low C=18.2
|Jul record low C=22.2
|Aug record low C=20.0
|Sep record low C=13.1
|Oct record low C=6.1
|Nov record low C=1.0
|Dec record low C=-2.6

|precipitation colour= green
|Jan precipitation mm=26.9
|Feb precipitation mm=17.7
|Mar precipitation mm=18.5
|Apr precipitation mm=12.8
|May precipitation mm=4.0
|Jun precipitation mm=0
|Jul precipitation mm=0
|Aug precipitation mm=0
|Sep precipitation mm=0
|Oct precipitation mm=6.6
|Nov precipitation mm=19.1
|Dec precipitation mm=25.2

|Jan rain days=4
|Feb rain days=2
|Mar rain days=2
|Apr rain days=2
|May rain days=1
|Jun rain days=0
|Jul rain days=0
|Aug rain days=0
|Sep rain days=0
|Oct rain days=1
|Nov rain days=2
|Dec rain days=3

| Jan humidity = 66.3
| Feb humidity = 56.8
| Mar humidity = 47.0
| Apr humidity = 38.6
| May humidity = 26.8
| Jun humidity = 20.5
| Jul humidity = 21.8
| Aug humidity = 23.6
| Sep humidity = 27.2
| Oct humidity = 38.5
| Nov humidity = 53.8
| Dec humidity = 66.1

|Jan sun=186
|Feb sun=198
|Mar sun=217
|Apr sun=248
|May sun=279
|Jun sun=330
|Jul sun=341
|Aug sun=310
|Sep sun=300
|Oct sun=279
|Nov sun=210
|Dec sun=186

|Jand sun=6
|Febd sun=7
|Mard sun=7
|Aprd sun=8
|Mayd sun=9
|Jund sun=11
|Juld sun=11
|Augd sun=10
|Sepd sun=10
|Octd sun=9
|Novd sun=7
|Decd sun=6

|source 1= [[WMO]],<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Iraq/CSV/BASRA_40690.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020: Basra |format=CSV
| publisher = [[NOAA|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = 2 August 2023}}</ref> ''Climate-Data.org''<ref>{{cite web |title=Climate: Basra – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/4555/ |publisher=Climate-Data.org |access-date=22 August 2013}}</ref>

|source 2=''Weather2Travel'' for rainy days and sunshine<ref>{{cite web |title=Basra Climate and Weather Averages, Iraq |url=http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/iraq/basra.php |publisher=Weather2Travel |access-date=22 August 2013}}</ref> Ogimet<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=40689&ano=2022&mes=6&day=20&hora=18&min=0&ndays=30|title= 40689: Basrah-Hussen (Iraq)|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 19 June 2022|website=ogimet.com |publisher=OGIMET |access-date= 20 June 2022}}</ref> Meteomanz<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.meteomanz.com/sy3?l=1&cou=2050&ind=40690&m1=01&y1=2000&m2=06&y2=2024 |title=BASRAH INT. AIRPORT – Weather data by month |access-date=28 June 2024 |website=meteomanz}}</ref>
}}

=== Effect of climate change ===
The city of Basra was once well known for its agriculture, but that has since altered due to rising temperatures, increased [[water salinity]], and [[desertification]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Al-Rubaie |first=Azhar |title=From palm trees to homes: Iraqi agricultural land lost to desert |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/26/climate-change-ravages-iraq-as-palm-trees-make-way-for-desert |access-date=2022-05-27 |publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref>