The Kurdistan Region of Iraq
The autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq shares borders with Iran to the east, Turkey to the north and Syria to the west. These bordering countries also contain Kurdish populations, though Iraq is the only country with an officially autonomous Kurdish governorate.
The Kurds fought for independence throughout the 20th century, and the Kurdistan Region was formally recognised as an autonomous region by Iraq in 2005. It has four official provinces of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok and Halabja, but also territories disputed between the governments of Iraq and Kurdistan, including provinces of Kirkuk Nineveh, Salahaddin, and Diyala.
The Baath party (1968 - 2003) held an Arabization campaign in those areas led by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, Article 140 of the 2005 Iraqi constitution was written to address the issue of these territories. The article called for a normalization, census and referendum to determine the will of its residents, but it has yet to be implemented due to ongoing political instability in the region.
The Kurdistan Region has a parliamentary body independent of Federal Iraq.
The official languages of the Kurdistan Region are Kurdish Sorani and Badini, other spoken languages include Arabic, Turkmen, Syriac and Armenian.
Kurdistan’s dominant religion before the Islamic era was Zoroastrian. Today, the dominant religion is Islam, other minority religions include Christianity, Yazidism, and Yarsanism.
The Kurdish new year is on the first day of Spring (March 21), called Newroz (nowˈɾuːz), which translates to “new day.” Kurds of multiple faiths also celebrate Islamic holidays such as Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitir, and the Gregorian new year.
Erbil Province
Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Erbil, also called Hawler (Hewlêr), is one the oldest continuously-inhabited cities of the world, dating back to at least 6000years.
The capital of the Iraqi Kurdish Region is also home to a variety of religious and ethnic minorities. Erbil was known in ancient history as Arbela, which is where it derives its modern name. This name is recorded in archives recovered from records dating back to the Assyrian Empire.
Modern Erbil
Erbil has developed into the largest metropolitan city in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Since 2003, the city has become a center for substantial real-estate, retail and commercial projects. For the past decade, Erbil has also hosted a growing expatriate population, for business, humanitarian and diplomatic sectors. It has also become a growing tourism hub, due in part to its historical sites.
The province’s districts include Soran, Shaqlawa, Mergasor, Rawanduz, Koya, Khabat, Choman, and Dashty Hawler.
Sulaimani Province
Known as the cultural capital of Kurdistan, the city is located in the eastern Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is surrounded by Azmar, Goyzha and mountains in the northeast, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluja Hills in the west.
From its foundation Sulaimani was a hub for renowned poets, writers, historians, politicians, scholars and singers. It was recognised as the City of Literature by UNESCO in 2021.
The modern city of Sulaimani was founded in 1784 by the Kurdish prince Ibrahim Pasha Baban, who named it after his father Sulaiman Pasha. Sulaymaniyah was the capital of the historic Baban emirate from 1784 to 1850.
The province’s districts include Pishdar, Penjwen, Chamchamal, Darbandikhan, Dukan, Kalar, Mawat, Qaradagh, Ranya, Said Sadiq, Sharazur, and Sharbazher. It also hosts the governorate's capital city with the same name.
Duhok Province
Duhok is an ethnically and religiously diverse province, its native population speaks the Badini dialect of Kurdish. It is a mountainous area that borders Turkey and Syria, it is mainly populated by Kurds but with an Arab, Assyrian, Yazidi and Armenian minority. The city of Duhok is nestled in a valley between two mountain ranges along the Tigris river.
The province’s districts include Amedi, Semel, Zakho, Akre, Bardarash and parts of Sheikhan.
Halabja Province
Halabja split off from Suleimani as a district and became the fourth province of the autonomous region in 2014. Its nature attracts thousands of visitors each year and the central city is known for its female leadership.
Halabja is also known for a heinous chemical weapons attack on March 16, 1988 that claimed the lives of 5,000 people and injured thousands which was part of the Anfal campaign, led by the Iraqi Baath regime from 1986 to 1989 against Iraqi Kurds. The campaign claimed between 50,000 to 100,000 lives in total, according to early reports made by Human Rights Watch in 1993. The actual number has never been officially confirmed.
Halabja comprises the central district, Halabja, and three other districts, Sirwan, Khurmal, and Byara.
Kirkuk Province's borders were altered, the Kurdish-dominated districts were added to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah Governorates. The Arab districts were added to Kirkuk Governorate. Turkmen villages were added to Diyala and Salahuddin Governorates. Kirkuk Governorate is currently under the control of the Iraqi central government.