HIT, a town in `Iraq on the right (western) bank of the Euphrates, on which it forms the limit of navigation, in 34° N. and 43° E., about 7o m. north-west of Baghdad. The town is of great antiquity and was the chief source of bitumen which was used in ancient times for binding the courses of brick buildings. There are bitter springs and lakes and abundant surface indica tions of oil, which has oozed from the surface here since time immemorial. Boats daubed with bitumen are still made here. The importance of the region to-day lies in its oil supplies, to utilize which a pipe line was built, 1932-34, to the Mediterranean ports of Haifa and Tripoli. The region is desolate, although the town itself has a little fringing girdle of palm trees.