Bahirka District
District in Kurdistan Region, Iraq
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bahirka District (Kurdish: قەزای بەحرکە, romanized: Qezay Behirke), also known as Baharka District or Bahrka District, is a district (qaza) in the Erbil Governorate of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It sits about 10 km north of the city of Erbil and is closely connected to it.[1] The area is known as Baranati.[1]
Bahirka District
بەحرکە Baharka District; Bahrka District | |
|---|---|
Map of Erbil Governorate | |
 A map containing Erbil District and its surroundings | |
| Coordinates: 36°19′8″N 44°2′18″E | |
| Country |  Iraq |
| Region |  Kurdistan Region |
| Governorate | Erbil Governorate |
| Became a subdistrict | 2003 |
| Became a district | 2024 |
| Seat | Bahirka |
| Population (c. 2023–2024) | |
• Total | 32,710 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
History
Following the 1991 uprisings and the establishment of the KRG, Bahirka was designated as a subdistrict within Erbil District, alongside Ankawa and Shamamik.[1] It stayed as a subdistrict until 2024, when the Kurdistan Regional Government issued a decree which turned Bahirka from a subdistrict into a district. The district’s borders remained the same as the subdistrict.
Refugee camp
Bahirka District also has a refugee camp located near the seat of the district. It was initially a transit site for Syrian refugees who fled the country.[2] In 2014, it was repurposed for the IDPs from Nineveh Governorate during the Fall of Mosul.[2]