Iraq. Basra. A young woman wears the niqab (a cloth which covers the face) and the abaya (body-covering black garments). She is a sheppherd who looks after her herd in a deserted amusement park built in the seventies. The abaya, sometimes also called aba, is a simple, loose over-garment, essentially a robe-like dress, worn by some women in parts of the Islamic world. Traditional abaya are black and may be either a large square of fabric draped from the shoulders or head or a long caftan. The abaya covers the whole body except the face, feet, and hands. It can be worn with the niqab, a face veil covering all but the eyes. Some women choose to wear long black gloves, so their hands are covered as well. Basra ( in arabic Al Basrah) is the capital of Basra Governorate in southern Iraq. 01.03.04 © 2004 Didier Ruef