Wasit Governorate
Wasit Governorate
محافظة واسط | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 32°40′N 45°45′E / 32.667°N 45.750°E | |
| Country | Iraq |
| Capital | Kut |
| Governor | Mohammed Jameel al-Miyahi |
| Area | |
• Total | 17,153 km2 (6,623 sq mi) |
| Population (2015) | |
• Total | 1,149,059 |
| ISO 3166 code | IQ-WA |
| HDI (2021) | 0.656 medium |
Wasit Governorate (Arabic: واسط, romanized: Wāsit) is a governorate in eastern Iraq, south-east of Baghdad and bordering Iran. Prior to 1976 it was known as Kut Province. Major cities include the capital Al-Kut, Al-Hai and Al-Suwaira. The governorate contains the Mesopotamian Marshes of Shuwayja, Al-Attariyah, and Hor Aldelmj. Its name comes from the Arabic word meaning "middle", as the former city of Wasit lay along the Tigris about midway between Baghdad and Basra. Wasit city was abandoned after the Tigris shifted course.