Erbil Governorate (Kurdish: پارێزگای ھەولێر, romanized: Parêzgeha Hewlêr;[5][6] Arabic: محافظة أربيل, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat Arbīl[7]) is a governorate of Iraq in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. Its administrative centre is Erbil, which is its most important city. [8] Erbil is also the most populated and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with the citadel being recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Erbil Governorate
| |
|---|---|
 | |
 Seal | |
 Location of the Erbil Governorate (red) – in Iraq (red, beige & light grey) | |
 Erbil Governorate within Kurdistan Region[2] | |
| Coordinates: 36°11′N 44°2′E / 36.183°N 44.033°E | |
| Country | Iraq |
| Federal region | Kurdistan Region |
| Capital | Erbil |
| Governor | Omed Khoshnaw |
| Area | |
• Total | 14,872 km2 (5,742 sq mi) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 2,517,534 |
| • Density | 169.28/km2 (438.43/sq mi) |
| ISO 3166 code | IQ-AR |
| HDI (2024) | 0.751[4] high · 1st of 18 |
| Website | www |
Government
- Omid Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil
- Hemin Ali Faki, Deputy Governor of Erbil
- Dr Ali Rashid, Provincial Council Chairman of Erbil
Demographics
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1977 | 541,500 |
| 1987 | 770,439 |
| 1997 | 1,095,992 |
| 2009 | 1,532,081 |
| 2024 | 2,517,534 |
Districts
| District | Population (2009)[10] | Number of households |
|---|---|---|
| Erbil (Hewlêr) | 792,981 | 152,899 |
| Deştî Hewlêr | 186,346 | 34,264 |
| Mexmûr (disputed) | 173,801 | 30,678 |
| Soran | 154,945 | 27,707 |
| Şeqlawe | 124,628 | 23,420 |
| Koye | 95,246 | 18,727 |
| Xebat | 93,442 | 16,015 |
| Mêrgesor (partially disputed) | 44,661 | 9,711 |
| Çoman | 23,730 | 4,749 |
| Rewandiz | 21,280 | 4,235 |
| Total | 1,713,461 | 322,719 |
Cities and towns
| English Name | Kurdish Name |
|---|---|
| Erbil (Hewlêr) | هەولێر |
| Soran | سۆران |
| Koye | کۆیە |
| Shaqlawa | شەقڵاوە |
| Rawandiz | ڕەواندز |
| Khabat | خەبات |
| Makhmur | مەخموور |
| Ankawa | عەنکاوە |
| Bnaslawa | بنەسڵاوە |
| Choman | چۆمان |
| Mergasor | مێرگەسۆر |
| Khalifan | خەلیفان |
| Harir | هەریر |
| Sidekan | سیدەکان |
| Pirmam (Salahaddin) | پیرمام |
| Kasnazan | کەسنەزان |
| Bahirka | بەحرکە |
| Shawes | شاوێس |
| Qasre | قەسرێ |
| Piran | پیران |
Benoke village
Pêndro in 1968
Aerial view of the Citadel of Erbil, surrounded by the modern city
Academic establishments
- Salahaddin University: Founded in 1958 in Sulaymaniya and transferred to Erbil in 1981.[11]
- Hawler Medical University: Founded in 2005.[12]
- University of Kurdistan Hewlêr: Public English-medium university.[13]
- Tishk International University (Previously called Ishik University): Private university that was established in 2008 in Erbil.[14]
- Cihan University: Private university, founded in 2007.[15]
- SABIS University: Private university.[16]
- Soran University, KRG-Iraq governmental university founded in 2009.[17]
- Knowledge University, KRG-Iraq Private university founded in 2009.[18]
- Catholic University in Erbil, Private non-profit university founded in 2015.[19]
Banking
There are many national and international banks operating in Erbil offering citizens and visitors services, including:
- Kurdistan Central Bank
- Kurdistan International Bank for Investment and Development[20]
- Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI)[21]
- Byblos Bank[22]
- Bank of Beirut and Arab Countries (BBAC)[23]
- Intercontinental Bank of Lebanon (IBL)[24]
- BLOM Bank
See also
References
- "Map of area of Kurdistan Region & its Governorates". www.krso.net. Archived from the original on 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
- ↑ "Map of area of Kurdistan Region & its Governorates". www.krso.net. Archived from the original on 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
- ↑ "Governorates and cities in Iraq". City Population. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Iraq National Human Development Report 2025". UNDP. Archived from the original on 2025-12-10. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ↑ "Tekoşerekî kevnar yê PDKÎ li parêzgeha Hewlêr wefat kir". kurdistanmedia.com (in Kurdish). Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ↑ "پارێزگای ھەولێر" (in Kurdish). Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ↑ "قوة هولندية تتجه إلى إقليم كردستان العراق لحماية مطار أربيل". The New Arab (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ↑ "The Kurdistan Region in brief". Krg.org. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "The Map Of districts Of Kurdistan Region". www.krso.net. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
- ↑ "Rural population in Shaqlawa District-Kurdistan Region/Iraq | Ibrahim Ngah - Academia.edu". academia.edu. Retrieved 2015-09-04.
- ↑ "Salahaddin University - Hawler". Suh-edu.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "Hawler Medical University (HMU)". hmu.edu.krd. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "University of Kurdistan". Ukh.ac. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "> Home". Tishk University. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ↑ "Cihan University". Cihan University. Archived from the original on 2013-05-27. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "SABIS® University". Sabisuniversity.net. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "Soran University". Retrieved 2015-05-15.
- ↑ "Knowledge University". Retrieved 2015-05-15.
- ↑ "Catholic University in Erbil".
- ↑ "مصرف كوردستان الدولي". Kibid.com. Archived from the original on 2015-02-17. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "Trade Bank of Iraq - Your Trade and Investment Partner in Iraq". Tbiraq.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-12. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "ByblosBank.com". ByblosBank.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "BBAC Bank". Bbacbank.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ↑ "Home". IBL. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
External links
- largest cities and towns and statistics of their population in Arbil
- Iraq Inter-Agency Information & Analysis Unit Reports, Maps and Assessments of Iraq's Governorates from the UN Inter-Agency Information & Analysis Unit