Governorates of Iraq

Governorates of Iraq
المحافظات العراقية (Arabic)
پارێزگاکانی عێراق (Kurdish)
  • Also known as:
  • Muḥāfażah
    محافظة (Arabic)
    پارێزگا (Kurdish)
A clickable map of Iraq exhibiting its eighteen governorates, and partially recognized Halabja.
A clickable map of Iraq exhibiting its governorates.Halabja GovernorateNinawa GovernorateDohuk GovernorateArbil GovernorateSulaymaniyah GovernorateKirkuk GovernorateDiyala GovernorateSalah ad Din GovernorateAl Anbar GovernorateBaghdad GovernorateBabil GovernorateKarbala GovernorateWasit GovernorateAl Najaf GovernorateAl-Qādisiyyah GovernorateMaysan GovernorateDhi Qar GovernorateAl Muthanna GovernorateBasra Governorate
A clickable map of Iraq exhibiting its governorates.
CategoryFederated state
LocationRepublic of Iraq
Number18 governorates (19 including partially recognized Halabja)
Areas529 km2 (204.2 sq mi) (Baghdad) – 138,500 km2 (53,476 sq mi) (Al Anbar)
Government
Subdivisions

Iraq consists of 18 recognized governorates (Arabic: محافظة, romanizedmuḥāfażah; Sorani Kurdish: پارێزگا, romanized: parêzgeh), also known as "provinces" and 1 partially recognized governorate (Halabja). Per the Iraqi constitution, governorates can form an autonomous region. Four governorates, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Halabja and Duhok, constitute the autonomous Kurdistan Region. Baghdad (which is the most populous) and Basra are the oldest governorates. The second most-populous one, Ninawa (or Nineveh) is in the upland region and has a cooler climate of the north-west.

There have been numerous calls to recognize Halabja Governorate since 1999. It was recognized as an official governorate of the Kurdistan Region in 2014, and the Council of Ministers approved a bill twice in 2013, and 2023. However, the only legislature in Iraq that can implement new governorates is the Council of Representatives of Iraq, which has had delayed hearings regarding Halabja numerous times.

Throughout early 2014, the Council of Ministers of Iraq approved proposals to add the three newly proposed governorates:

In 2013, activists and political parties called for the conversion of Hawija from a province into a governorate, but the Kirkuk government blocked the proposal.

Shortly after the approval of the proposals, the Islamic State attacked the cities, towns and villages of the Nineveh Plains. Upon the eventual withdrawal of ISIS, the initial decision by the Council of Ministers was dishonored by Kurdistan, Baghdad and Iranian-connected political entities, as they began pushing security forces into different parts of the Nineveh Plains to try and lay claim to different parts of the territory, asserting that the demographics had changed due to ISIS and that the original inhabitants could no longer be representatives of their indigenous land. Part of the reason for the demographic shift was that squatters were encouraged to occupy Christian homes. Without enough paperwork to prove ownership, some of those homes became extremely challenging to reclaim. Initiatives are underway to help reclaim families' homes.

Another proposal exists to add a 19th governorate: Fallujah, from part of the Al Anbar. This largely did not occur due to the ISIS insurgency. Following the defeat of ISIS in the Battle of Fallujah (2016), the proposal may resurface or Al-Anbar may remain undivided.

Governorates

Governorates of Iraq
Governorate Postalcode ISO
code
Total area
in miles2
Total area
in km2
Population
1 July 2018
Population
Density
in miles
Population
Density
in km
Capital
Al-Anbar 31 AN 53,476 138,501 1,771,656 29.1 11.2 Ramadi
Babil 51 BB 1,976 5,603 2,065,042 921.4 324.9 Hillah
Baghdad 10 BG 204.2 529 8,126,755 4,620.09 1,548.8 Baghdad
Basra 61 BA 7,360 19,070 2,908,491 344.0 132.7 Basra
Dhi Qar 64 DQ 5,000 12,900 2,095,172 367.2 142.3 Nasiriyah
Al-Qādisiyyah 58 QA 3,148 8,153 1,291,048 360.3 139.1 Al Diwaniyah
Diyala 32 DI 6,828 17,685 1,637,226 211.3 81.6 Baqubah
Duhok (Dahūk) (IKR) a.k.a. Dihok 42 DA 2,530 6,553 1,292,535 445.5 172.2 Dihok
Erbil (IKR) a.k.a. Hewlêr 44 AR 5,820 15,074 1,854,778 277.0 106.9 Hewlêr
Karbala 56 KA 1,944 5,034 1,218,732 548.6 211.8 Karbala
Kirkuk 36 KI 3,737 9,679 1,597,876 373.4 144.1 Kerkûk
Maysan 62 MA 6,205 16,072 1,112,673 156.5 60.4 Amarah
Muthanna 66 MU 19,980 51,740 814,371 35.9 13.8 Samawah
Najaf 54 NA 11,129 28,824 1,471,592 115.5 44.5 Najaf
Ninawa 41 NI 14,410 37,323 3,729,998 226.9 87.6 Mosul
Salah Al-Din 34 SD 9,556 24,751 1,595,235 147.3 56.8 Tikrit
Sulaymaniyah (IKR) (With Halabja) a.k.a. Silêmanî 46 SU 6,573 17,023 2,053,305 285.8 110.3 Silêmanî
Wasit 52 WA 6,623 17,153 1,378,723 182.7 70.5 Kut

Former governorates

Iraqi governorates in 1990
Governorate Today part of
Mosul Ninawa Governorate
Duhok Governorate
Diwaniya Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate
Muthanna Governorate
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
Saladin Governorate
Kirkuk (–1976)
At-Ta'mim (1976–2006)
Kirkuk Governorate
Kuwait Governorate

(Military occupation between 1990-1991)

State of Kuwait

Flags

Flag Use Description
Flag of Al Anbar Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Babil Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Baghdad Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Basra Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Diyala Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Dhi Qar Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Duhok Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Seal of Erbil Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Emblem of Karbala Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Seal of Maysan Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Muthanna Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Seal of Najaf Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Nineveh Governorate White flag charged with the emblem of the governorate. The emblem depicts the leaning minaret of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, Mosul surrounded by olive branches.
Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Saladin Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Kirkuk Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate Ratio: 2:3
Flag of Sulaymaniyah Governorate Ratio: 1:2
Flag of Wasit Governorate Ratio: 2:3

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-03 10:01 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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