Halabja Governorate

Halabja Governorate is a governorate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, established in 2014 when it split off from Sulaymaniyah Governorate and became the fourth governorate of the region. Its capital is the city of Halabja, and it is the least populated governorate. The Kurdistan Region approved the change from district to governorate in June 2013, and its Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, signed the decision on 13 March 2014, three days before the anniversary of the 1988 Halabja chemical attack. The Iraqi government did not officially recognise it until 14 April 2025, when it became Iraq's 19th province, after the Council of Representatives had postponed the hearing several times. The governorate comprises the central district of Halabja and four other districts, Sirwan, Xurmal, Biyare and Bamo; three districts of Sulaymaniyah Governorate had the option of joining it but declined.