Basra is located along the Shatt al-Arab waterway near the Arab Gulf, 55 kilometers from the Arab Gulf and 545 kilometers from Baghdad, Iraq's capital and largest city. The area surrounding Basra has substantial large petroleum resources and many oil wells. Iraq has the worlds largest reserves for oil of 360 billion barrels, most of it from Basra. A network of canals flowed through the city, giving it the nickname "The Venice of the Middle East" at least at high tide.

Al-Burhan Group – an Iraqi based multi speciality company in the field of construction and transport in Iraq together with Deutsche Land – a British Real Estate Company have amalgamated to bring forth Mesopotamia Property Holdings. Their first major project together is Basra International Airport, which they hope to bring to life in the next 10 – 15 months. This Airport would usher a new sense of style and convenience to Basra. Basra International Airport is aimed at being more than just an air port, with lush surroundings scattered across the landscape that adorns luxurious hotels & business centres catering to the premium levels of indulgence.

The area around Basra Air Port would create Basra Air Port City, consisting of business hotels and budget accommodations, long-stay residential accommodations, residential villas and holiday chalets, commercial and business offices, warehousing facilities, boutique, festive and big-box retail, leisure and family entertainment, convention and exhibition halls, mosque and prayer facilities, sports and health club facilities, civic and education facilities.

A distance of 10 km separates the new Basra Air Port city from the Basra city, making its location ideal for daily commute to the city and back. The Shatt Al-Arab river flows beside the city bring life to the city. A series of near perpendicular water canals cut into the main waterway to provide irrigation to the neighbouring land, which in turn forms one key aspect of the entire architectural design of the AirPort City.