Muthanna Governorate
Al Muthanna Governorate
Arabic: المثنى محافظة | |
---|---|
Governorate | |
Country | Iraq |
Capital | Samawah |
Area | |
• Total | 51,740 km2 (19,980 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Total | 538,000 |
Al Muthanna Governorate ([المثنى Al Muthannā] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)), is a province in Iraq. It is in the south of the country, bordering Saudi Arabia. Its capital is the city of Samawah, which is located very close to the ancient city of Uruk. Prior to 1976 it was part of the Diwaniya Province, which also included present day Najaf Governorate and Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.
It also includes the ancient Babylonian ruin of Uruk (Aramaic: Erech), which is possibly the source of the name Iraq.
After the decline of Babylon following the Seleucid founding of Seleucia, Uruk became the largest city in southern Babylonia, and its name (Erech in Aramaic) came to replace Babili (Babylonia), as the city long outlived the former capital, surviving into the 7th century AD.
Provincial Government
- Governor: Mr. Ibrahim S. Al Miali [1]
- Chairman of AL-Muthanna Provincial Council : Abdul Latif H. AL- Hassani [2]