Governorates of Iraq

Second-level administrative divisions of Iraq

Governorates of Iraq
المحافظات العراقية (Arabic)
پارێزگاکانی عێراق (Kurdish)

* Also known as:
* Muḥāfażah

Clickable map of Iraq exhibiting its eighteen governorates, and partially recognized Halabja. A clickable map of Iraq exhibiting its governorates.
Category| Federated state
Location| Republic of Iraq
Number| 19 governorates
Areas| 204 km2 (78.8 sq mi) (Baghdad) – 138,500 km2 (53,476 sq mi) (Al Anbar)
Government|

* Governorate

Subdivisions|

* Districts

Politics of Iraq

Member State of the Arab League

* * *

Constitution

Government

* Federal government
* President (list)

Abdul Latif Rashid
* Prime Minister (list)

Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani
* Cabinet

Current cabinet

Legislature

* Council of Representatives

Speaker: Mahmoud al-Mashhadani

Judiciary

* Supreme Court

Administrative divisions

* Governorates (provinces)
* Districts
* Kurdistan Region

Kurdistan Regional Government
Kurdistan Parliament

Elections

* Democracy
* Political parties
* Electoral Commission
* Recent elections

* Parliamentary: 2018
* 2021
* 2025

* Gubernatorial: 2009
* 2013
* 2023

* 2005 constitutional referendum

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Fuad Hussein

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Iraq

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

* * *

* Foreign aid to Iraq
* Iraq and the United Nations

Iraq portal

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

Iraq consists of 19 governorates (Arabic: محافظة, romanized: muḥāfażah; Kurdish: پارێزگا, romanized: parêzgeh), also known as "provinces". Per the Iraqi constitution, governorates can form a federal region.[1] Four governorates, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Halabja and Duhok, constitute the semi-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 had been numerous calls to recognize Halabja Governorate since 1999.[2] It was recognized as an official governorate of the Kurdistan Region in 2014,[3][2] and the Council of Ministers approved a bill twice in 2013,[4][5] and 2023.[6] The Council of Representatives of Iraq officially approved Halabja as Iraq's 19th governorate on 14 April 2025.[7][8] On 27 April 2025, Baghdad Today reported of an ongoing government initiative to convert Tel Afar District in Nineveh Governorate into the 20th governorate of Iraq. The proposed name of the new governorate is Jazira.[9]

## History

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2024)

|

Throughout early 2014, the Council of Ministers of Iraq approved proposals to add the three newly proposed governorates:[10]

* Tal Afar, from part of Nineveh Governorate
* Tuz Khurmatu, from part of Saladin Governorate[11]
* Nineveh Plains from the Nineveh Governorate.[12]
* Halabja from Sulaymaniah Governorate[13]

In 2013, activists and political parties called for the conversion of Hawija from a District into a governorate, but the Kirkuk government blocked the proposal.[14]

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.[15] 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.[16]

Another proposal exists to add a 19th governorate: Fallujah, from part of the Al Anbar.[10] 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

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Governorates of Iraq  Governorate  | Postal
code | ISO
code | Total area
in square miles  | Total area
in km2 | Population
1 July 2018[17] | Population
Density
in square miles  | Population
Density
in km2 | 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  | 78.8  | 204.2  | 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-Qadisiyyah | 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 | 42 | DA  | 2,530  | 6,553  | 1,292,535  | 445.5  | 172.2  | Duhok
Erbil | 44 | AR  | 5,820  | 15,074  | 1,854,778  | 277.0  | 106.9  | Erbil
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  | Kirkuk
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
Nineveh | 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 | 46 | SU  | 6,573  | 17,023  | 2,053,305  | 285.8  | 110.3  | Sulaymaniyah
Wasit | 52 | WA  | 6,623  | 17,153  | 1,378,723  | 182.7  | 70.5  | Kut
Halabja |  | HA  | 343  | 889  | 140,000  |  |  | Halabja

## Former governorates

[edit]

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 and 1991)

| State of Kuwait

## Flags

[edit]

Flag | Use | Description

|
|

| Flag of Al Anbar Governorate[18] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Babil Governorate | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Baghdad Governorate[19][20] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Basra Governorate[21] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Diyala Governorate[22] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Dhi Qar Governorate | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Duhok Governorate | Ratio: 2:3
| Seal of Erbil Governorate[23] | Ratio: 2:3
| Emblem of Karbala Governorate | Ratio: 2:3
| Seal of Maysan Governorate[24] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Muthanna Governorate | Ratio: 2:3
| Seal of Najaf Governorate[25] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Nineveh Governorate[26] | 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[27][28] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Kirkuk Governorate[29] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate[30] | Ratio: 2:3
| Flag of Sulaymaniyah Governorate[31] | Ratio: 1:2
| Flag of Wasit Governorate | Ratio: 2:3

## See also

[edit]

* Federal regions of Iraq
* Districts of Iraq
* ISO 3166-2:IQ
* List of Governorates of Iraq by Human Development Index
* List of places in Iraq

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Iraq's Constitution of 2005" (PDF). Constitute Project. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
2. ^ a b "Halabja: City of Peace becomes Kurdistan's fourth province". www.rudaw.net. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
3. ^ "Iraqi Kurdistan government announces Halabja as its fourth province". www.ekurd.net. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
4. ^ "Iraq Ministers Agree Turning Halabja into Province". www.rudaw.net. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
5. ^ "Council of Ministers decisions in Session 54 in 31/12/2013". 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 6 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
6. ^ "Halabja on the cusp of ascension to province on 35th anniversary of chemical attack". www.rudaw.net. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
7. ^ "Iraqi parliament approves Halabja as country's 19th province". www.rudaw.net. Archived from the original on 14 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
8. ^ "KRG welcomes Iraqi parliament's approval of Halabja as province". www.krg.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
9. ^ ""الجزيرة".. اسم جديد ينسج خريطة العراق الإدارية" (in Arabic). Baghdad Today.
10. ^ a b "Resolutions of Council of Ministers For Session No. 3 on 21/1/2014". 21 January 2014. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
11. ^ "Iraqi Council of Ministers approved new provinces of Tuz Xurmatu and Tal Afar". Kurd Net. 21 January 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
12. ^ BetBasoo 1 and Kino 2, Peter 1 and Nuri 2 (22 January 2014). "Assyria: Nineveh Plain To Become Iraqi Province". UNPO – Underrepresented Nations & Peoples Organization. Archived from the original on 26 January 2014.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
13. ^ Network, Esta Media (13 March 2023). "Iraq recognizes Halabja as its 19th governorate". Esta Media Network. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
14. ^ "Iraq: What is the strategic importance of Hawija?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
15. ^ Lucente, Adam (26 April 2020). "In post-Islamic State northern Iraq, demographic changes raise concerns". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
16. ^ "Iraq: Government cracks down on squatters". Refworld. 8 September 2008. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021.
17. ^ Original PDF, doi:10.15438/rr.5.1.7 (inactive 6 July 2025), archived from the original on 19 May 2018, retrieved 10 May 2021`{{citation}}`: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
18. ^ "Anbar governor Ali Farhan al-Dulaimi speaks to AFP at his office in". 7 October 2021. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
19. ^ "Baghdad Governorate (Iraq)". Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
20. ^ "محافظ بغداد يؤكد اتخاذ اجراءات مشددة على المولدات الاهلية لمنع رفع الاسعار". 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
21. ^ "Gulf 25 inspection team concludes its tour of Basra, holds a press conference – اتحاد كأس الخليج العربي لكرة القدم". Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
22. ^ "Deputy governor of Diyala contracts COVID-19". Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
23. ^ "IRAQ: Ramy Noori appointed mayor of Ankawa District by Erbil Provincial Council". 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
24. ^ Arango, Tim (4 May 2013). "A Sadrist Governor is a Folk Hero to Iraqis". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
25. ^ محافظ النجف الاشرف الدكتور المهندس ماجد الوائلي يستعرض اهم المشاريع في قضاء الكوفة. najaf media. 29 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022 - via YouTube.
26. ^ "Mosul, Iraq. 2nd July, 2019. New governor of Nineveh Mansour al-Mar'eed speaks to Xinhua in an interview at his office in Nineveh province, Iraq, July 2, 2019. The governor of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh called on the Chinese companies to take part in the reconstruction of its capital Mosul. TO GO WITH: Iraqi governor calls on Chinese companies to take part in reconstruction of Mosul. Credit: Khalil Dawood/Xinhua/Alamy Live News Stock Photo – Alamy". Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
27. ^ "Saladin (Salah ed-Din) Governorate (Iraq)". Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
28. ^ "Chaos prevails in Saladin as two governors lock horns over who runs the governorate". Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
29. ^ "محافظة كركوك تعتمد شعاراً جديداً باللون الرصاصي". shafaq.com. 4 March 2025.
30. ^ "الموقع الرسمي لمحافظة الديوانية – النائب الثاني لمحافظ الديوانية يتراس اجتماع غرفة عمليات الطاقة في المحافظة". Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
31. ^ slemani.gov [@SlemaniGov] (14 June 2022). "رەوشی مافەكانی مرۆڤ تاووتوێ‌ دەكرێت https://t.co/iT3fPt3Tui https://t.co/P9ZVqR5vDv https://t.co/xutgAlQztV https://t.co/7M8B9ip87O https://t.co/3JrqGjKZZU https://t.co/xL8fxXDw6I" [The human rights situation will be discussed.] (Tweet) (in Central Kurdish). Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022 - via Twitter.

* v
* t
* e

Iraq topics

History

| Chronology|

* Ubaid period
* Hassuna culture
* Halaf culture
* Halaf-Ubaid Transitional period
* Samarra culture
* Uruk period
* Jemdet Nasr period
* Sumer
* Subartu
* Akkadian Empire
* Gutian dynasty
* Neo-Sumerian Empire
* Isin-Larsa period
* First Babylonian Empire
* Old Assyrian Period
* Middle Assyrian Empire
* Kassite dynasty of the Babylonian Empire
* Simurrum culture
* Babylonia
* Assyria
* Neo-Assyrian Empire
* Neo-Babylonian Empire
* Babylonian captivity
* Fall of Babylon
* Achaemenid Assyria
* Seleucid Babylonia
* Parthian Babylonia
* Sassanid Asorestan

|

638–1958|

* Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia
* Umayyad Caliphate
* Abbasid Caliphate
* Buyid dynasty
* Qara Qoyunlu
* Aq Qoyunlu
* Safavids
* Ottoman Iraq (incl. Mamluk dynasty)
* Mandate for Mesopotamia
* Mandatory Iraq
* Kingdom of Iraq
* Kings
* Arab Federation

Republic|

* 1958–1968
* 1968–2003
* 2003–2011
* 2011–present

* Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region (National Command)
* Saddam Hussein
* Iraqi–Kurdish conflict
* 1974–1975 Shatt al-Arab clashes
* 1977 Shia uprising in Iraq
* 1979–1980 Shia uprising in Iraq
* Weapons of mass destruction
* Iran–Iraq War
* Operation Opera
* Invasion of Kuwait
* Gulf War
* 1991 uprisings
* Sanctions
* Iraq War
* U.S. invasion
* Iraqi insurgency
* U.S. troop withdrawal
* Insurgency (2011–2013)
* War (2014–2017)
* Fall of Mosul
* Mosul liberation
* Insurgency
* 2019–2021 protests
* 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis

Geography

* Faw peninsula
* Upper Mesopotamia
* Lower Mesopotamia
* Borders
* Euphrates river
* Hamrin Mountains
* Iraqi Kurdistan
* Lakes
* Islands
* Mesopotamia
* Mesopotamian Marshes
* Persian Gulf
* Places
* Shatt al-Arab
* Syrian Desert
* Tigris river
* Umm Qasr
* Zagros Mountains
* Wildlife
* Sinjar Mountains

Politics

* Administrative divisions
* Constitution
* Council of Representatives (legislative)
* Democracy
* Elections
* Foreign aid
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Council of Ministers
* Presidency Council
* President
* List
* Prime Minister
* List
* Human rights
* in pre-Saddam Iraq
* in Saddam Hussein's Iraq
* in post-invasion Iraq
* in ISIL-controlled territory
* LGBT
* Freedom of religion
* Women
* Law
* Law enforcement
* Military
* Chief of the General Staff
* Political parties
* Judiciary
* Wars and conflicts

Economy

* Banks
* Central Bank
* Companies
* Corruption
* Dinar (currency)
* Infrastructure
* Foreign Investment
* Oil Industry
* Oil reserves
* Reconstruction
* Stock Exchange
* Telecommunications
* Transportation
* Airlines
* Railways
* Tourism

Society

| Demographics|

* Iraqis
* Languages
* Mesopotamian Arabic
* Aramaic
* Kurdish
* Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman dialects
* Persian
* Minorities
* Armenians
* Assyrians
* Circassians
* Kurds
* Mandaeans
* Marsh Arabs
* Persians
* Solluba
* Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman
* Jews
* Religion
* Secularism
* Islam
* Christianity
* Mandaeism
* Yazidis
* Irreligion

|

General|

* Art
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Culture
* Literature
* Education
* Health
* Media
* Television
* Music
* Smoking
* Sports
* Squatting
* Public holidays
* Mesopotamian spring festival (Akitu)
* Mandaean New Year

* Category
* Portal
* WikiProject
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Governorates of Iraq

* Anbar
* Babil
* Baghdad
* Basra
* Dhi Qar
* Diyala
* Dohuk
* Erbil
* Halabja
* Karbala
* Kirkuk
* Maysan
* Muthanna
* Najaf
* Nineveh
* Qadisiyyah
* Saladin
* Sulaymaniyah
* Wasit

* v
* t
* e

Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
* Armenia2
* Azerbaijan1
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* Cyprus2
* Egypt1
* Georgia1
* India
* Indonesia1
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan1
* North Korea
* province
* special city
* South Korea
* province
* provincial-level city
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Russia1
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkey1
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* province
* municipality
* Yemen1

States with limited
recognition

* Abkhazia2
* Northern Cyprus2
* Palestine
* South Ossetia2
* Taiwan

Table of administrative divisions by country

* 1 Spans the conventional boundary between Asia and another continent.
* 2 Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in Western Asia.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template