Abstract

The discovery of oil and its impact on population growth and development of architecture in Kirkuk(1934-1972)
(Historical Study)


This research aims to highlight the influence of cultural development on modern society of Kirkuk in the twentieth century, taking in consideration that oil is an effective key factor for progress. Kirkuk's oil fields was one of the largest oil fields in Iraq and also in the world, when the oil was discovered commercially on October 14th, 1927.The credit goes to the Turkish Petroleum Company (TPC), which was established on September 25, 1912 in London. On March 14th, 1925, the Iraqi government granted it a concession invest in oil fields in Iraq. Then immediately the company started to invest in oil fields in Kirkuk area. On June 28th, 1929, the name was changed to the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) to invest Kirkuk oil fields until the nationalization of Iraqi oil in 1972.During that period, the production of oil had made a radical change in residential, urban and economic aspects in the city, although its long term impact was after two or three decades.

Our research also includes an introduction of the oil production in Kirkuk oil fields and its contribution to the Iraqi economy, and the two main axes of population growth and development of architecture in Kirkuk during that period, in addition to a conclusion and summary in English.