Maysan Governorate Arabic:محافظة ميسان | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
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| Coordinates:31°54′N47°2′E / 31.900°N 47.033°E /31.900; 47.033 | |
| Country |  Iraq |
| Capital | Amarah |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Habib al-Fartousi |
| Area | |
• Total | 16,072 km2 (6,205 sq mi) |
| Population (2018) | |
• Total | 1,112,673 |
| HDI (2021) | 0.635[1] medium |
Maysan Governorate (Arabic:ميسان,romanized: Maysān or Mīsān) is agovernorate in southeasternIraq, borderingIran. Its administrative centre is the city ofAmarah, and it is composed of six districts. Before 1976, it was named Amara Province.
This region was calledMessène (Μεσσήνη) byAncient Greeks (Strabo),Mīšān (ܡܝܫܢ) inSyriac.Mēs̲h̲ān inMiddle Persian andParthian (𐭌𐭉𐭔𐭍 myšn),Mēs̲h̲un inArmenian,Maysān orMīsān (ميسان) inArabic, andT’iao-tche (Chaldaea) in theHan sources.[2]
Alexander the Great founded the town ofCharax Spasinu in 324 B.C. in the governorate. The town later became the capital of theCharacene kingdom. It now exists as the ruins ofNaysan.[citation needed]
The area suffered greatly during theIran–Iraq War, during which it was a major battlefield, and again during the1991 Iraqi uprisings led by theShia population.[3]
From 1992 to 1994,Saddam Hussein appointed a senior military commander namedKamel Sajid, who had served during theIran–Iraq War and led special forces missions into Kuwait, during theGulf War, to become the governor, following a decision to replace all provincial governors with military ones. Under Janabi's administration he reportedly introducedstronger Islamic policies, which coincided with Saddam'sfaith campaign at the time.
Saddam Hussein's brother-in-law who visited the province commented on Janabi's administration, saying he had built a "mini Islamic state". Janabi ordered the closure of all bars serving alcohol, and built several mosques across the province. He would also collect money for donations to the sick and poor, as well as visit hospitals. Janabi also reprimanded a police officer for allowing his car to cut through traffic, after the officer noticed it was the governor's car. Locals reportedly referred to him as "Abu Omar" in reference to Umayyad CaliphUmar II, viewing Janabi's rule as similar. He also reportedly spared the life of a Shia man who was cooperating with Iran in the province and had turned himself in to Iraqi security forces.
In 1994, Janabi was relieved from his position and sent to work for Saddam in Baghdad instead. Many Ba'athist officials criticized both Saddam and Janabi for their religiousness, and told Saddam that Janabi was a fifth-column element in the regime. However, Saddam dismissed these claims in his favor, and Janabi himself was reportedly loyal to Saddam.
The current governor isAli Dawai Lazem, a supporter ofMuqtada al-Sadr. As of 2013, he is the only provincial governor in Iraq belonging to theSadrist Movement.[4] Though he is aShi'a, he is a non-sectarian and has said "It doesn't make a difference if you areSunni orShi'ite or Christian. I don't differentiate between anyone." He has been called Iraq's most popular politician.[citation needed]
In 2013,The New York Times praised Dawai's governance, stating that "roads are being paved, new sewage systems installed and residents now enjoy electricity for up to 22 hours a day, far more than inBaghdad."[5]
| Picture | Governor | Assumed role | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamel Sajit Aziz al-Janabi | 1992-1994[6] | Iraqi Baath Party | ||
| Riyadh Mahood al-Muhammadawi[7] | 2003 | Independent | ||
| Adil Mahwadar Radi | 2005 | Sadrist Movement | ||
 | Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani | 2009 | State of Law Coalition | |
| Ali Dawai Lazem | 2010[citation needed] | Sadrist Movement | ||
The vast majority of the population of Maysan isShiaArabs. There exists a small minority ofShiaFeyli Kurds that inhabit the northeastern part of the province, specificallyAli Al-Gharbi District, as well as a small population ofMandeaens andChristians. It is covered in the south by manyMesopotamian Marshes, and has traditionally been home to manyMarsh Arabs.
In 2007, the unemployment rate was 17%.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 372,600 | — |
| 1987 | 487,448 | +2.72% |
| 1997 | 637,126 | +2.71% |
| 2009 | 922,890 | +3.14% |
| 2018 | 1,112,673 | +2.10% |
| Source: Citypopulation[9] | ||
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link) | ||
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