Kirkuk Governorate

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Pagename


mapsize=200
settlement_type =Governorate
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name =Iraq
subdivision_type1 = Capital
subdivision_name1 = Kirkuk
latd=35 |latm=22 |latNS=N
longd=44 |longm=8 |longEW=E
population_as_of = 2003
population_total = 848000
area_total_km2 = 9679
density_km2 =
blank_name=Main language(s)
blank_info=Kurdish
Assyrian
Turkmen
Arabic

Kirkuk Governorate is one of the Governorates of Iraq located in the north of the country. From 1976 to mid 2006, it had been called "At-Ta'mim" ( Kurdish: Kerkûk) which means state-owned and refers to the national ownership of the very rich oil and natural gas reserves. Prior to 1976 it was called Kirkuk Governorate and was a larger area which also included parts which were then added to the neighbouring As Sulaymaniyah, Diyala and Salah ad Din Governorates. Since mid 2006, the original pre-Baath name was restored, and the governorate is now known as the "Kirkuk Governorate", but without any alteration in the boundaries back to the pre-1976 area.

The governorate has an area of km2 to mi2|9679. In 2003 the estimated population was 848,000 people. The provincial capital is the city of Kirkuk. It is divided into four districts.

A very ethnically diverse province, much of the population in Kirkuk governorate are Kurds, but has a significant minority of Turkomens and Arabs. Kurdish people consider Kirkuk to be their holy place.

Provincial Government

*Governor: Abdul Rahman Mustafa [http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/20705]
*Deputy Governor: Rokaan Siad [http://www.blackanthem.com/News/iraqi-freedom/Photos-Operation-Lion-Victory-Celebrates-Security-Gains-in-Hawijah14572.shtml]
*Provincial Council Chairman (PCC): Rizgar Ali Hamajan [http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Mustafa_Abdel_362528823.aspx]

Elections 2005

On June 30th 2005, the province held elections to elect the first Kirkuk Provincial Council (KPC). The elections were conducted via secret direct voting and was subject to unprecedented security, political, legal scrutiny, all over the country generally and in Kirkuk in particular. The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) approved and announced the outcomes of this process, which led to filling the 41 seats of the Kirkuk Provincial Council (KPC) by the following lists:

* 367 List (Kurdistan Brotherhood List KBL): 26 seats (Kurds)
* 175 List (Iraqi Turkmen Front ITF): 8 seats (Turkomen)
* 299 List (Iraqi Republic Gathering): 5 seats (Arab)
* 178 List (Turkmen Islamic Coalition): 1 seat (Turkomen)
* 289 List (Iraqi National Gathering): 1 seat (Arab)

The new KPC started its second term on March 6th 2005. Its inaugural session was dedicated to the introduction of its new members and was then followed by the oath ceremony that was supervised by Judge Thahir Hamza Salman, the Head of Kirkuk Appellate Court.

Kurdistan Referendum

A normalization process followed by a referendum on whether Kirkuk governorate should become part of the Kurdistan Regional Government was supposed to be held by 15 November 2007, but was postponed - firstly to 31 December 2007 and subsequently for a further six months due to "technical issues". The normalization process includes the potential re-adding of four previous districts of the governorate separated by the former Baath government; the districts include: Chamchamal (currently in Sulaymaniyah governorate), Kalar (also currently in Sulaymaniyah governorate), Kifri (currently in Diyala governorate), and Touz-Khur-Mati (currently in Salah ad Din governorate).

ee also

*Sharazor
*Kurds
*Kurdistan