Bahirka District

Bahirka District
بەحرکە
Baharka District; Bahrka District
District
Map of Erbil Governorate
Map of Erbil Governorate
A map containing Erbil District and its surroundings
A map containing Erbil District and its surroundings
Coordinates: 36°19′8″N 44°2′18″E / 36.31889°N 44.03833°E / 36.31889; 44.03833
Country Iraq
Region Kurdistan Region
GovernorateErbil Governorate
Became a subdistrict2003
Became a district2024
SeatBahirka
Population
 (c. 2023–2024)
 • Total
32,710
Time zoneUTC+3 (AST)

Bahirka District (Kurdish: قەزای بەحرکە, romanized: Qezay Behirke), also known as Baharka District or Bahrka District, is a district (qaza) in the Erbil Governorate of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It sits about 10 km north of the city of Erbil and is closely connected to it. The area is known as Baranati.

History

Following the 1991 uprisings and the establishment of the KRG, Bahirka was designated as a subdistrict within Erbil District, alongside Ankawa and Shamamik. It stayed as a subdistrict until 2024, when the Kurdistan Regional Government issued a decree which turned Bahirka from a subdistrict into a district. The district’s borders remained the same as the subdistrict.

Refugee camp

Bahirka District also has a refugee camp located near the seat of the district. It was initially a transit site for Syrian refugees who fled the country. In 2014, it was repurposed for the IDPs from Nineveh Governorate during the Fall of Mosul.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bahrka". Erbil Governorate official website (hawlergov.org). Retrieved 2026-07-02.
  2. 1 2 "Baherka Camp Background Information". December 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2026.