Soil Types and Erosion in Iraq: A Critical Discussion

Iraq includes different tectonic zones and different physiographic provinces; accordingly, different types of soils, and erosion types and intensities are developed in different parts of Iraq. There were many attempts to compile a map of soil types in Iraq by different authors, which we mentioned very briefly. The main soil types are alluvial, colluvial, residual, and eolian. Also, a brief description of the physiographic provinces is given. We have presented the active erosion types in Iraq, with a discussion of the reasons for soil erosion and degradation in different parts of Iraq excluding the northern and northeastern parts that belong to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The main erosion agents are water and wind. The active erosion types are sheet, rill, and gully erosion; respectively; however, wind erosion cannot be ignored. We also discussed the factors that control soil degradation in Iraq. Moreover, we presented different relevant maps and field photos, which express relevant data about erosion types and damages.