Written and Fact-checked by Whereig Editors | Last Updated On: May 22, 2026
Iraq is divided into 19 governorates (provinces). Here is a list of the governorates in Iraq as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021:
Iraq is a Middle Eastern country located in Western Asia and bordered by Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. The country is divided into 19 governorates, and those governorates are further divided into districts and subdistricts for local administration. Baghdad is the national capital and also the largest city in Iraq.
The country includes fertile river valleys, deserts, mountain ranges, oil-producing regions, and historic cities along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Different governorates have distinct geographic landscapes and cultural traditions ranging from Kurdish mountain regions in the north to marshlands and desert plains in the south.
Key Facts
- National capital: Baghdad
- Total population: 46,118,000 (Official estimate 2025)
- Total area: 438,317 km² (169,235 sq miles)
- Currency: Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
- Bordering countries: Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria
- Total Governorates: 19
- Total Districts: 120+
List of Governorates and Capitals of Iraq
Total governorates shown: 19 | Combined population: 46,118,000 | Combined area: 438,317 km²
| # | Governorate Name | Capital City | Region | Area (km²) | Population (Latest Census) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al Anbar | Ramadi | Western Iraq | 138,501 | 2,100,000 |
| 2 | Babil | Hillah | Central Iraq | 5,119 | 2,250,000 |
| 3 | Baghdad | Baghdad | Capital Region | 4,555 | 9,500,000 |
| 4 | Basra | Basra | Southern Iraq | 19,070 | 3,400,000 |
| 5 | Dhi Qar | Nasiriyah | Southern Iraq | 12,900 | 2,200,000 |
| 6 | Diyala | Baqubah | Eastern Iraq | 17,685 | 1,800,000 |
| 7 | Dohuk | Dohuk | Kurdistan Region | 6,553 | 1,500,000 |
| 8 | Erbil | Erbil | Kurdistan Region | 15,074 | 2,100,000 |
| 9 | Halabja | Halabja | Kurdistan Region | 3,060 | 120,000 |
| 10 | Karbala | Karbala | Central Iraq | 5,034 | 1,400,000 |
| 11 | Kirkuk | Kirkuk | Northern Iraq | 9,679 | 1,750,000 |
| 12 | Maysan | Amarah | Southeastern Iraq | 16,072 | 1,250,000 |
| 13 | Muthanna | Samawah | Southern Desert | 51,740 | 950,000 |
| 14 | Najaf | Najaf | Central-Southern Iraq | 28,824 | 1,600,000 |
| 15 | Nineveh | Mosul | Northern Iraq | 37,323 | 3,800,000 |
| 16 | Al-Qadisiyyah | Diwaniyah | Central Iraq | 8,153 | 1,350,000 |
| 17 | Salah al-Din | Tikrit | North-Central Iraq | 24,363 | 1,700,000 |
| 18 | Sulaymaniyah | Sulaymaniyah | Kurdistan Region | 17,023 | 2,400,000 |
| 19 | Wasit | Kut | Eastern Iraq | 17,153 | 1,298,000 |
Largest Governorates by Area
- Al Anbar - 53,475 sq mi (138,501 km²)
- Muthanna - 19,977 sq mi (51,740 km²)
- Nineveh - 14,410 sq mi (37,323 km²)
- Najaf - 11,129 sq mi (28,824 km²)
- Salah al-Din - 9,407 sq mi (24,363 km²)
- Basra - 7,363 sq mi (19,070 km²)
- Diyala - 6,828 sq mi (17,685 km²)
- Wasit - 6,622 sq mi (17,153 km²)
Most Populous Governorates
- Baghdad - Population: 9,500,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Nineveh - Population: 3,800,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Basra - Population: 3,400,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Sulaymaniyah - Population: 2,400,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Babil - Population: 2,250,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Dhi Qar - Population: 2,200,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Al Anbar - Population: 2,100,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
- Erbil - Population: 2,100,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Smallest Governorates by Area
- Halabja - 1,181 sq mi (3,060 km²)
- Baghdad - 1,759 sq mi (4,555 km²)
- Karbala - 1,944 sq mi (5,034 km²)
- Babil - 1,977 sq mi (5,119 km²)
- Dohuk - 2,530 sq mi (6,553 km²)
- Al-Qadisiyyah - 3,148 sq mi (8,153 km²)
Governorates by Regional Grouping
- Capital Region: Baghdad
- Central Iraq: Babil, Karbala, Al-Qadisiyyah
- Central-Southern Iraq: Najaf
- North-Central Iraq: Salah al-Din
- Northern Iraq: Kirkuk, Nineveh
- Kurdistan Region: Dohuk, Erbil, Halabja, Sulaymaniyah
- Eastern Iraq: Diyala, Wasit
- Southeastern Iraq: Maysan
- Southern Iraq: Basra, Dhi Qar
- Southern Desert: Muthanna
- Western Iraq: Al Anbar
Landlocked Governorates
- Al Anbar
- Babil
- Baghdad
- Dhi Qar
- Diyala
- Dohuk
- Erbil
- Halabja
- Karbala
- Kirkuk
- Muthanna
- Najaf
- Nineveh
- Al-Qadisiyyah
- Salah al-Din
- Sulaymaniyah
- Wasit
Governorates with Coastline
- Basra
- Maysan
Governorates Sharing Borders with Other Countries
- Turkey: Dohuk, Erbil, Nineveh
- Iran: Basra, Diyala, Erbil, Halabja, Maysan, Sulaymaniyah, Wasit
- Kuwait: Basra
- Saudi Arabia: Al Anbar, Muthanna, Najaf
- Jordan: Al Anbar
- Syria: Al Anbar, Nineveh
Sources
- Central Statistical Organization Iraq
- World Bank - Iraq Data
- CIA World Factbook - Iraq
- Encyclopaedia Britannica - Iraq
- Government of Iraq
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Location Map of Asian Countries
- Where is Afghanistan
- Where is Armenia
- Where is Azerbaijan
- Where is Bahrain
- Where is Bangladesh
- Where is Bhutan
- Where is Brunei
- Where is Cambodia
- Where is China
- Where is Georgia
- Where is Hong Kong
- Where is India
- Where is Indonesia
- Where is Iran
- Where is Iraq
- Where is Israel
- Where is Japan
- Where is Jordan
- Where is Kazakhstan
- Where is Kuwait
- Where is Kyrgyzstan
- Where is Laos
- Where is Lebanon
- Where is Macau
- Where is Malaysia
- Where is Maldives
- Where is Mongolia
- Where is Myanmar
- Where is Nepal
- Where is North Korea
- Where is Oman
- Where is Pakistan
- Where is Philippines
- Where is Qatar
- Where is Russia
- Where is Saudi Arabia
- Where is Singapore
- Where is South Korea
- Where is Sri Lanka
- Where is Syria
- Where is Taiwan
- Where is Tajikistan
- Where is Thailand
- Where is Turkey
- Where is Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Where is Uzbekistan
- Where is Vietnam
- Where is Yemen
Location of Asian Cities
- Where is Abu Dhabi
- Where is Amman
- Where is Ankara
- Where is Baghdad
- Where is Baku
- Where is Bangkok
- Where is Bangalore
- Where is Beijing
- Where is Bishkek
- Where is Damascus
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- Where is Dubai
- Where is Doha
- Where is Hanoi
- Where is Islamabad
- Where is Jakarta
- Where is Jerusalem
- Where is Kabul
- Where is Kathmandu
- Where is Kuala Lumpur
- Where is Kuwait City
- Where is Manila
- Where is Moscow
- Where is Mumbai
- Where is Muscat
- Where is New Delhi
- Where is Riyadh
- Where is Sanaa
- Where is Shanghai
- Where is Seoul
- Where is Taipei
- Where is Tehran
- Where is Tokyo