Karbala or Kerbala is a city in central Iraq, located about 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 711,530 people (2018).

Lake Milh, also known as Lake Razzaza, is an artificial lake located a few miles west of Karbala, Iraq. The lake is located in a depression into which excess water from Lake Habbaniyah, which comes from the Euphrates River, is diverted through a controlled escape channel or canal. The lake is listed as a wetland of international importance. The lake is rather shallow and the water level changes seasonally. Due to its salt content and changing water level, this largest freshwater lake in Iraq has lost its important stock of fish species and only a few recreational areas exist around the lake.