Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq in terms of area and population after the capital, Baghdad. It has historically been an important trade center between East and West, North and South.
It is known for its mahlabiya (muhallabiya), a type of sweets originally from Aleppo, Syria, which you do not find in the southern provinces of Iraq. People go to the markets to buy the needs of Ramadan food, such as bulgur, jareesh and rashta, and buy raisins.