Halabjah, Iraq

Capital City

With a population of just 65,200, Halabjah is a small and remote Kurdish city in northeastern Iraq, far from the glitz of Baghdad. The town has a long and tragic history, having been the site of a devastating chemical attack by Saddam Hussein's forces in 1988 that killed over 5,000 civilians. While the Kurdistan Regional Government has made efforts to rebuild and memorialize the city, residents continue to complain about a lack of basic services and infrastructure. The climate is also a challenge, with scorching hot summers and cool, wet winters typical of the region. Halabjah is a somber place, a reminder of Iraq's troubled past, and likely holds little appeal for most expats seeking an easy life abroad.