The Kurdistan Region in brief
The Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region in
federal Iraq. It borders Syria to the west, Iran to
the east, and Turkey to the north, where fertile
plains meet the Zagros mountains, and is traversed
by the Tigris, Big Zab, and Little Zab as the main
rivers.
Area: 40,643 square kilometres
Population: 3,757,058
Capital city: Erbil (also known as Hewler)
Languages: mainly Kurdish; Turkmani, Arabic,
Armenian, and Assyrian in some areas.
Currency: Iraqi Dinar (IQD).
Geographical characteristics and climate
The Kurdistan Region comprises parts of the three
governorates of Erbil, Suleimaniah and Duhok. It
borders Syria to the west, Iran to the east, and
Turkey to the north, lying where fertile plains meet
the Zagros mountains. It is traversed by the Sirwan
river and the Tigris and its tributaries, the Great
Zab and the Little Zab.
The mountains of the Kurdistan Region have an
average height of about 2,400 metres, rising to
3,000–3,300 metres in places. The highest peak,
Halgurd, is near the border with Iran and measures
3,660 metres. The highest mountain ridges contain
the only forestland in the Region.
Annual rainfall is 375-724mm.
The climate of the Kurdistan Region is semi-arid
continental: very hot and dry in summer, and cold
and wet in winter.
Spring is the most beautiful season in Kurdistan and
the time when Kurds celebrate Nawroz, the Kurdish
New Year, on the spring or vernal equinox. Mean high
temperatures range from 13-18 degrees in March to
27-32 degrees in May.
The summer months from June to September are very
hot and dry. In July and August, the hottest months,
mean highs are 39-43 degrees, and often reach nearly
50 degrees.
Autumn is dry and mild, and like spring is an ideal
time of year to travel in the Region. Average
temperatures are 24-29 degrees in October, cooling
slightly in November.
Winters are mild, except in the high mountains. Mean
winter high temperatures are 7-13 degrees Celsius,
and mean lows are 2-7 degrees Celsius.
[1] KRG-administered
territory only. Compiled by the Food and
Agricultural Organisation (FAO) from various
national and regional sources: International
Boundaries from National Imagery and Mapping Agency
(NIMA) Digital Chart of the World (DCW). The primary
source for the DCW database is the Operational
Navigation Chart series co-produced by the military
mapping authorities of Australia, Canada, United
Kingdom, and the United States.
[2] According to
Oil-for-Food Distribution Plan, approved by the UN,
December 2002.
[3] United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP): http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/latenews/Iraq_2003/facts.htm.
[4] Derived from the Global
Agro-Ecological Zones Study, Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Land and
Water Development Division (AGL), with the
collaboration of the International Institute for
Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), 2000. Data
averaged over a period of 37 years. Raster data-set
has been exported as ASCII raster file type.
