The Iraq War started with a US-led invasion on 20 March 2003, causing much damage to the capital city, Baghdad. The war and collateral damage continued for years.
In October 2003, a joint United Nations/World Bank team conducted an assessment of funding needs for reconstruction in Iraq during the period 2004-2007.[2] A study conducted by the Iraqi Central Bureau of Statistics in cooperation with the United Nations, based on surveys conducted in 2004, reported that a third of Iraqis were living in poverty, in spite of the rich natural resources of the country.[3]