Cartographic Modeling of Sunshine Duration and Temperature for Rice Cultivation in Iraq using GIS

Abstract

The research aims to analyze the impact of key climatic factors (actual solar radiation and temperature) on "rice cultivation" in Iraq. This is achieved by employing the best cartographic methods and tools based on "Geographic Information Systems" (GIS) to illustrate the spatial and temporal variation of the aforementioned elements. The study relied on preparing maps for each climatic variable during a specific period, comparing them with established criteria for (the germination, vegetative growth, flowering, and maturation stages). This process culminated in a final map that identifies the optimal areas for rice cultivation across Iraq for all these periods. This will assist farmers and decision-makers in improving agricultural resource management and increasing productivity. The results showed that most Iraqi provinces are suitable for rice cultivation based on the two factors of actual solar radiation and temperature. The study demonstrated that using modern geographic techniques effectively contributes to drawing and preparing maps with high accuracy and speed. Furthermore, the study indicated that using the "choropleth map" method and "symbol maps" is crucial for showing quantitative differences between different areas. Additionally, the use of "color" significantly enhances cartographic studies due to its high capability to convey information to the map reader and user.