Dhi Qar Governorate

Dhi Qar
محافظة ذي قار
Dhi Qar Province
Governorate
Official seal of Dhi Qar
Seal
Location of Dhi Qar
Coordinates: 31°14′N 46°19′E / 31.233°N 46.317°E / 31.233; 46.317
Country Iraq
CapitalNasiriyah
GovernorYahia Nasseri
Area
 • Total
12,900 km2 (5,000 sq mi)
Population
 (2024 census)
 • Total
2,499,468
 • Density194/km2 (502/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeIQ-DQ
HDI (2024)0.706
high · 11th of 18
Websitethiqar.gov.iq

Thi Qar Governorate (Arabic: محافظة ذي قار, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat Ḏī Qār, Arabic: [muħaːfaðˤat ðiː qaːr]) is a governorate in southern Iraq, in the Arabian Peninsula. The provincial capital is Nasiriyah. Prior to 1976 the governorate was known as Muntafiq Governorate. Dhi Qar was the heartland of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer, and includes the ruins of Ur, Eridu, Lagash, Larsa, Girsu, Umma, and Bad-tibira. The southern area of the governorate is covered by Mesopotamian Marshes. The governorate also includes the recently established Ur Tourist City, a modern heritage and tourism hub located beside the archaeological site of ancient Ur.

History

Ancient history

Battle of Dhi Qar

Government

Modern Dhi Qar

The governorate includes the towns of al-Rifai, Qalat Sukkar, Al Shatrah, al-Gharraf, Suq el-Shuyukh, Khamisiyah, al-Chibayish and al-Dawaya.

In the mid-1990s the governor was Tahir Jalil Habbush al-Tikriti, who later became police chief of the country, and in 1999, director of the Iraqi Intelligence Service.

Demographics

The population is approximately 2,000,000, predominantly Shia Arab. The southern marshes have traditionally been home to many Marsh Arabs.

As of 2007, the area is very poor, with an unemployment rate of 17% and a poverty rate of 37%.

Districts

See also

References

  1. ↑ Citypopulation.de
  2. ↑ "Iraq National Human Development Report 2025". UNDP. Archived from the original on 2025-12-10. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  3. ↑ Kawach, Nadim (2025-09-08). "Iraq revives old Sumerian town for tourism". AGBI. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  4. ↑ Paley, Amit R. (19 January 2008). "Dozens Killed in Clashes In S. Iraq". Washington Post. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Dorschner, Jon (25 May 2008). "Breathing the Same Air as Iraqi Counterparts". Embassy of the United States, Baghdad. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  6. ↑ excerpt from Suskind's book, on Suskind's webpage Archived 2009-01-05 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "IAU - Iraq Information Portal (Thi-Qar)". www.iau-iraq.org. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2022.