Habbaniya, Iraq
Encyclopedia
Lake Habbaniyah is a shallow natural lake
in al-Anbar, Iraq
, west of Baghdad
. It has a surface area
140 km². Traditionally the lake has been used to hold flood
water from the River Euphrates, and in 1956 a barrage
was constructed at Ramadi
for this purpose. The lake was also used for recreational purposes.
In the late 1930s and 1940s Lake Habbaniyah was used by Imperial Airways
as a refueling point and hotel for flying boat
s flying from the United Kingdom
to India
. Nearby on the banks of the Euphrates had already been established the Royal Air Force
airbase
of RAF Dhibban, later renamed RAF Habbaniya
.
It was the scene of action during the Rashid Ali rebellion Anglo-Iraqi War
when the RAF trainee aircrew and troops stationed there effectively saw off the besieging Iraqi troops and subsequent German
aerial attacks.
Habbaniya is now also the site of a major United States
military base
known as Al Taqqadum. This military base is across the flood relief canal, up on the plateau where the RAF built an additional airfield in 1953. Habbaniya itself remains a military base and is responsible for the training of the new Sunni 5000 which is a drive by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense to incorporate Sunni Iraqis into the military to make it more representative. The base had its first graduation of recruits in May 2006.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in al-Anbar, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, west of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. It has a surface area
Surface area
Surface area is the measure of how much exposed area a solid object has, expressed in square units. Mathematical description of the surface area is considerably more involved than the definition of arc length of a curve. For polyhedra the surface area is the sum of the areas of its faces...
140 km². Traditionally the lake has been used to hold flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
water from the River Euphrates, and in 1956 a barrage
Barrage (dam)
A barrage is a type of dam which consists of a line of large gates that can be opened or closed to control the amount of water passing the dam. The gates are set between flanking piers which are responsible for supporting the water load...
was constructed at Ramadi
Ramadi
Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
for this purpose. The lake was also used for recreational purposes.
In the late 1930s and 1940s Lake Habbaniyah was used by Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
as a refueling point and hotel for flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s flying from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Nearby on the banks of the Euphrates had already been established the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
of RAF Dhibban, later renamed RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
.
Anglo-Iraqi War
The Anglo-Iraqi War was the name of the British campaign against the rebel government of Rashid Ali in the Kingdom of Iraq during the Second World War. The war lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941. The campaign resulted in the re-occupation of Iraq by British armed forces and the return to power of the...
when the RAF trainee aircrew and troops stationed there effectively saw off the besieging Iraqi troops and subsequent German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
aerial attacks.
Habbaniya is now also the site of a major United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
known as Al Taqqadum. This military base is across the flood relief canal, up on the plateau where the RAF built an additional airfield in 1953. Habbaniya itself remains a military base and is responsible for the training of the new Sunni 5000 which is a drive by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense to incorporate Sunni Iraqis into the military to make it more representative. The base had its first graduation of recruits in May 2006.
See also
- RAF HabbaniyaRAF HabbaniyaRoyal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
- 123 Signals Unit RAF123 Signals Unit RAF123 Signals Unit was a Ground Controlled Interception Radar Unit of the Royal Air Force formed on 1 July 1954 at RAF Habbaniya, Iraq.- History :...
- Al Taqaddum - TQ