Muthanna Governorate
| Muthanna Governorate المثنى محافظة Al Muthanna Province | |
|---|---|
| Governorate | |
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| Coordinates: 30°12′N 45°21′E / 30.200°N 45.350°ECoordinates: 30°12′N 45°21′E / 30.200°N 45.350°E | |
| Country |
 Iraq |
| Capital | Samawah |
| Area | |
| • Total | 51,740 km2 (19,980 sq mi) |
| Population (2015) | |
| • Total | 770,500 [1] |
Muthanna Governorate (Arabic: المثنى Al Muthannā) (or Al Muthanna Province) is a province in Iraq, named after the 7th-century Arab general al-Muthanna ibn Haritha. It is in the south of the country, bordering Saudi Arabia. Its capital is the city of Samawah.
Before 1976 it was part of the Diwaniya Province, which included present-day Najaf Governorate and Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.
Samawah is very close to the ancient Sumerian-Babylonian city of Uruk (Aramaic: Erech), which is possibly the source of the name Iraq. After the decline of Babylon following the Seleucid founding of Seleucia, Uruk became the largest city in southern Babylonia, and its name (Erech) came to replace Babili (Babylonia), as the city long outlived the former capital, surviving into the 7th century AD.
Provincial government
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Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate | Dhi Qar Governorate | | |
| Najaf Governorate |  |
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 Northern Borders Province, Saudi Arabia |
Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia |
References
Governorates of Iraq | ||
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