Overview
Iraq is administratively divided into 18 governorates (Arabic: muhafazah), commonly translated as provinces. These units serve as the principal subnational jurisdictions for civil administration, budgeting, and local services. Each governorate has an executive head (a governor) and an elected provincial council that handles local matters within the framework of Iraqi federal law.
Names and composition
The 18 governorates are varied in size, population and economic role. They include large urban centers such as Baghdad and Basra, historically important regions like Babil and Karbala, and northern governorates within the Kurdistan Region. The governorates are:
- Baghdad
- Babil (Babylon)
- Basra
- Dhi Qar
- Diyala
- Duhok (Dahuk)
- Erbil (Arbil)
- Karbala
- Kirkuk
- Maysan
- Muthanna
- Najaf
- Nineveh (Ninewa)
- Qadisiyyah (Diwaniyah)
- Salah ad Din (Saladin)
- Wasit
- Anbar
- As-Sulaymaniyyah (Sulaymaniyah)
Autonomy and disputed areas
The Iraqi Constitution recognizes one autonomous federal region, the Kurdistan Region, which comprises three governorates: Duhok, Erbil and As-Sulaymaniyyah. Those three provinces form a regional government with its own parliament and executive (the Kurdistan Regional Government). In addition, some governorates and districts contain territories whose administrative status has been contested between Baghdad and Erbil; these areas have been the subject of political negotiation and occasional security tensions.
Roles and responsibilities
Governorates manage local services such as education facilities, municipal utilities, local roads and health clinics, while revenue and major policy remain influenced by the national government. Provincial councils pass budgets and local regulations; governors implement council decisions and coordinate with ministries. Security arrangements vary by region and have included a mix of federal forces, local police, and—within the Kurdistan Region—Peshmerga forces.
History and development
Iraq's provincial boundaries and administrative practices have evolved over centuries—shifting through Ottoman provincial structures, British mandate-era reforms and republican reorganizations after independence. Contemporary boundaries largely reflect mid-20th-century divisions, although political change, conflict and devolution since 2003 have altered governance patterns and prompted discussion about further decentralization or the creation of new regions.
Further reading
For a concise reference on the country's subdivisions and governance, see general resources on Iraqi governorates and administrative divisions. These sources provide maps, lists of provincial capitals, and summaries of local government powers that supplement this overview.