Iraqi literature

Iraqi literature or Mesopotamian literature dates back to Sumerian times, which constitutes the earliest known corpus of recorded literature, including the religious writings and other traditional stories maintained by the Sumerian civilization and largely preserved by the later Akkadian and Babylonian empire. Mesopotamian civilization flourished as a result of the mixture of these cultures and has been called Mesopotamian or Babylonian literature in allusion to the geographical territory that such cultures occupied in the Middle East between the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

As of 2024, the Iraqi Writers Union reported having 3,496 registered members, up from 2,006 in 1998, including 123 older members whose membership cards were renewed during the same period. Its activities included at least 300 books and magazines published annually, 1,000 literary sessions held per year across Baghdad and the provinces and at least 10 major literary festivals organized annually.