Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, situated approximately 110 kilometers (68 mi) west of Baghdad and 50 kilometers (31 mi) west of Fallujah. It serves as the capital and largest city of the Al Anbar Governorate, which shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The city is strategically located along the Euphrates River, bisecting Al Anbar, and occupies a vital position on the road leading west into Syria and Jordan. As of 2018, Ramadi had an estimated population of 223,500, predominantly Sunni Arabs from the Dulaim tribal confederation.
Founded in 1879 during the Ottoman Iraq era, Ramadi's strategic importance has made it a focal point in numerous conflicts, including both World Wars, the Iraq War, and the subsequent Iraqi insurgency. The city experienced significant damage during the Iraq War, becoming a major center for resistance against the United States forces. In May 2015, Ramadi fell under the control of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), but Iraqi government forces reclaimed the city on December 28, 2015. The city has a dam across the Euphrates that was completed in 1955, intended to control flooding.
