Iraq’s Kurds, Baghdad holds key of energy boom | GulfNews.com:
"Just two decades ago, Erbil was a dangerous town, attacked on one side by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain and on the other by warring Kurdish tribes.
Today, this vibrant capital of Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region in Iraq, is peaceful as expectations of an energy windfall are creating a boom and helping to refashion a traditional society and an ancient landscape.
Hoteliers including Hilton and Kempinski are erecting buildings that now soar above the city’s 7,000-year-old Citadel. New shopping malls compete with the medieval bazaar. And Erbil’s historic downtown is ringed by luxury villas, residential towers and commercial offices, driven by a 20-fold surge in property prices since US forces invaded Iraq in 2003.
“A decade ago, Erbil was more like a big village,” said Tahir Osman, deputy governor of Erbil Province who helped forge an urban development plan that calls for a Grand-Prix race track. “My dream is changing the Kurdish capital to make it into one of the most important cities in the world.”"
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