Governorates of Iraq

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Iraqi Governorates
المحافظات العراقية (Arabic)
پارێزگاکانی عێراق (Kurdish)
Also known as:
Muḥāfażah
محافظة (Arabic)
پارێزگا, Parêzgeha (Kurdish)
The original 18 governorates
Category Federated state
Location Republic of Iraq
Number 19 governorates
Populations 337,000 (Halabja) – 7,055,200 (Baghdad)
Areas 734 km2 (283.4 sq mi) (Baghdad) – 138,500 km2 (53,476 sq mi) (Al Anbar)
Government Governorate
Subdivisions Districts
Iraq
Coat of arms (emblem) of Iraq 2008.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Iraq
Constitution

Iraq consists of 19 governorates (muḥāfażah in Arabic), also known as "provinces". Former President Saddam Hussein divided the country into eighteen governorates in the 1970s for reasons of ethnic manipulation.[1] A portion of the Kurdish-inhabited area of the country was granted autonomy in 1970. In 2003, after opposition from Kurdish people regarding the division of Kurdistan into governorates,[1] the autonomous standing of only three Iraqi Kurdish provinces was re-confirmed in 2005 in the constitution of Iraq,[2] leaving out many other Kurdish majority regions, such as Kirkuk, Khanaqin, Sinjar and Mandali-Badra, outside the autonomous Kurdish region. In 2014 the decision was made to create the Halabja Governorate out of the Halabja District of Sulaymaniyah Governorate.[3][4]

On 21 January 2014, the Council of Ministers of the Government of Iraq approved in principle proposals to create more governorates.[5] The Council announced that two new governorates Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu would be formed from the current Nineveh Governorate and Saladin Governorate, respectively.[6] It was also announced that the city of Fallujah of the Al Anbar Governorate would become a separate governorate,[5] which was announced in response to a Sunni Islamist uprising in the city.

Governorates[edit]

The governorates
Governorate Postal code ISO code Total area
in miles2		 Total area
in km2		 Population
7 January 2011		 Capital
Al Anbar 31 AN 53,476 138,501 1,561,400 Ramadi
Babil 51 BB 1,976 5,603 1,820,700 Hillah
Baghdad 10 BG 283 734 7,055,200 Baghdad
Basra 61 BA 7,360 19,070 2,532,000 Basra
Dhi Qar 64 DQ 5,000 12,900 1,836,200 Nasiriyah
Al-Qādisiyyah 58 QA 3,148 8,153 1,134,300 Al Diwaniyah
Diyala 32 DI 6,828 17,685 1,443,200 Baqubah
Dohuk 42 DA 2,530 6,553 1,128,700 Dohuk
Erbil 44 AR 5,820 15,074 1,612,700 Erbil
Halabja 46 — 1,180 3,060 337,000 Halabja
Karbala 56 KA 1,944 5,034 1,066,600 Karbala
Kirkuk 36 KI 3,737 9,679 1,395,600 Kirkuk
Maysan 62 MA 6,205 16,072 971,400 Amarah
Muthanna 66 MU 19,980 51,740 719,100 Samawah
Najaf 54 NA 11,129 28,824 1,285,500 Najaf
Nineveh 41 NI 14,410 37,323 3,270,400 Mosul
Saladin 34 SD 9,556 24,751 1,408,200 Tikrit
Sulaymaniyah 46 SU 6,573 17,023 1,878,800 Sulaymaniyah
Wasit 52 WA 6,623 17,153 1,210,600 Kut

Previous governorates[edit]

Governorate Now part of
Mosul Nineveh Governorate and Dohuk Governorate
Diwaniya Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate, Muthanna Governorate and Najaf Governorate
Dulaim {-1962), Ramadi (1962-1976} Al Anbar Governorate
Muntafiq (-1976) Dhi Qar Governorate
Amara (-1976) Maysan Governorate
Kut (-1976) Wasit Governorate
Baghdad Baghdad Governorate and Saladin Governorate
Kikuk {-1976), At-Ta'mim (1976-2006} Kirkuk Governorate

Formerly claimed governorates[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Brendan O'Leary (11 August 2006). The Future of Kurdistan in Iraq. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 30–31. ISBN 0-8122-1973-2. 
  2. ^ Iraqi Constitution, Article 113.
  3. ^ "KRG order turning Halabja into province sets off street celebrations". Rudaw. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016. 
  4. ^ "Kurdistan Region President signs Halabja province directive". Kurdistan Region Presidency. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016. 
  5. ^ a b "Resolutions of Council of Ministers For Session No. 3 on 21/1/2014". 21 January 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016. 
  6. ^ "Iraqi Council of Ministers approved new provinces of Tuz Khurmatu and Tal Afar". Kurd Net. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014. 
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