Governorates of Iraq
| Iraqi Governorates المحافظات العراقية (Arabic) پارێزگاکانی عێراق (Kurdish) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Federated state |
| Location | Republic of Iraq |
| Number | 18 Governorates |
| Populations | 719,100 (Muthanna) – 7,055,200 (Baghdad) |
| Areas | 3,100 km2 (1,180 sq mi) (Kirkuk) – 138,500 km2 (53,476 sq mi) (Al Anbar) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions | |
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| Constitution |
 Iraq portal |
Iraq consists of 19 governorates (muḥāfażah), also known as "provinces". The country was divided into eighteen governorates by Saddam Hussein in the 1970s,[1] which currently remain in place, but plans were announced in 2014 to divide the nation into more governorates.[2] Hussein divided the nation into these governorates and districts for reasons of ethnic manipulation, although it was later found that they were mainly ethnically balanced/neutral.[1] An area of the country that is part of Kurdistan, known as Iraqi Kurdistan, was granted autonomy in 1970. In 2003, after opposition from Kurdish people regarding the division of Kurdistan into governorates,[1] the autonomous standing of Iraqi Kurdistan was re-confirmed in 2005 in the constitution of Iraq.[3]
On 21 January 2014, the Council of Ministers of the Government of Iraq announced that two new governorates Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu would be formed from the current Nineveh Governorate and Saladin Governorate, respectively.[4] It was also announced that the city of Fallujah of the Al Anbar Governorate would become a separate governorate, which was announced in response to a Sunni Islamist uprising in the city.[2] Also in 2014, Nechervan Barzani, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, announced that the city of Halabja would become a separate governorate, and he signed this decision on 13 March 2014.[5] The President of the Kurdistan Regional Government Masoud Barzani signed and ratified this directive on 16 March 2014, turning the district of Halabja into a new governorate.[6]
Governorates
| Governorate | Code | Total area in miles2 |
Total area in km2 |
Population 7 January 2011 |
Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Anbar | 31 | 53,476 | 138,501 | 1,561,400 | Ramadi |
| Babil | 51 | 1,976 | 5,603 | 1,820,700 | Hillah |
| Baghdad | 10 | 1,759 | 455,5 | 7,055,200 | Baghdad |
| Basra | 61 | 7,360 | 19,070 | 2,532,000 | Basra |
| Dhi Qar | 64 | 5,000 | 12,900 | 1,836,200 | Nasiriyah |
| Al-Qādisiyyah | 58 | 3,148 | 8,153 | 1,134,300 | Al Diwaniyah |
| Diyala | 32 | 6,828 | 17,685 | 1,443,200 | Baqubah |
| Dohuk | 42 | 2,530 | 6,553 | 1,128,700 | Dohuk |
| Erbil | 44 | 5,820 | 15,074 | 1,612,700 | Erbil |
| Halabja | 46 | 1,180 | 3,060 | 337,000 | Halabja |
| Karbala | 56 | 1,944 | 5,034 | 1,066,600 | Karbala |
| Kirkuk | 36 | 3,737 | 9,679 | 1,395,600 | Kirkuk |
| Maysan | 62 | 6,205 | 16,072 | 971,400 | Amarah |
| Muthanna | 66 | 19,980 | 51,740 | 719,100 | Samawah |
| Najaf | 54 | 11,129 | 28,824 | 1,285,500 | Najaf |
| Nineveh | 41 | 14,410 | 37,323 | 3,270,400 | Mosul |
| Saladin | 34 | 9,556 | 24,751 | 1,408,200 | Tikrit |
| Sulaymaniyah | 46 | 6,573 | 17,023 | 1,878,800 | Sulaymaniyah |
| Wasit | 52 | 6,623 | 17,153 | 1,210,600 | Kut |
Formerly claimed governorates
- Kuwait Governorate (1990–91)
Previous Governorates
| 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 |
| Sulaymaniyah | Halabja Governorate and Sulaymaniyah Governorate |
See also
References
- ^ a b c Brendan O'Leary (11 August 2006). The Future of Kurdistan in Iraq. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 30–. ISBN 0-8122-1973-2.
- ^ a b "Cabinet decision". 21 January 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
- ^ Iraqi Constitution, Article 113.
- ^ "Iraqi Council of Ministers approved new provinces of Tuz Khurmatu and Tal Afar". Kurd Net. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ^ "KRG Order Turning Halabja into Province Sets off Street Celebrations". RUDAW. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
- ^ "Kurdistan Region President Signs Halabja Province Directive". Kurdistan Region Presidency. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
External links
- Iraq Inter-Agency Information & Analysis Unit Reports, Maps and Assessments of Iraq from the UN Inter-Agency Information & Analysis Unit
