Garmiyan • گەرمیان • كرميان

This exceptionally beautiful area -- also called ناوچه‌ی گه‌رمیان -- is those areas which were historically part of Kirkuk Governorate (known as Garmiyan in Kurdish), but which were later assigned to Diyala and Slemani Governorates when Kirkuk was dismantled in the 1970s as part of the Arabization.

Kurdistan gained autonomy in Iraq in 1991, when Iraq government forces withdrew from three governorates: Duhok, Hawler, and Silemani. A lesser known story is that parts of Mosul, Kirkuk, and Diyala governorates were also vacated at this time by the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government (which controls the governorate boundaries) allowed some of the districts in Mosul governorate that were not under Iraqi control to join Kurdistan's Duhok governorate instead.

However, with hot, ongoing disputes between Kurdistan and Iraq over territorial claims in Kirkuk, the regions in Diyala and Kirkuk governorates that had been vacated were never given the formality of being able to join Slemani Governorate or be rejoined to Kirkuk Governorate. Instead, the Kurdistan Government did its best and granted the administrative status (like a governorate) and thus the كارگێی گه‌رمیان Garmian Administration was formed. Though a stand-offish name, murky history, and confusing status means the كارگێی گه‌رمیان Garmian Administration has not received the same publicity and attention as Duhok, Hawler, or Silemani governorates, Garmian is still part of the Kurdistan Government and thus is still as safe and accessible as the governorates. As Iraq recently lost much of Kirkuk Governorate to ISIS, and the Kurdish areas were in turn then liberated by the Kurdistan Government, these new territorial gains -- including the city of Kirkuk itself, and the governorate's rich oil fields -- have become more part of the growing Garmian Administration. Today, it is culturally and politically closer to Slemani.

Khanaqin and Kifri are disputed between Slemania and Diyala Governorates.

Khanaqin and Kifri districts have borne the brunt of Arabization, as they were on the split edge between Kurdish- and Iraqi-controlled lands. Some areas of Khanaqin District were under KRG control since Iraqi forces withdrew at the beginning, and these were treated as part of Slemani Governorate. However, Khanaqin city itself was under Iraqi control.

• Kalar - district

  • Kalar - district center

  • Rizgari - subdistrict

  • Pebaz - subdistrict

  • Sheikh Tawil - subdistrict

  • ناحيەی گردەگۆزینە • Girda Gozena subdistrict

• Khanaqin - district. Formally part of Diyala Governorate, but the KRG the reality is that the KRG exerts increasing control across the district.

  • مركز قضاء خانقين • Khanaqin, district center

  • Maydan - subdistrict

  • Bamo - subdistrict

  • Qorato - subdistrict

  • ناحية جلولاء • Jalawla subdistrict

  • ناحية السعدية • Sadiyah subdistrict • also called قزربات Qizil Rabat

• Kifri - district. Like Khanaqin, Kifri is part of Diyala Governorate but it is recognized by the KRG as part of Slemani Governorate.

  • Kifri - district center

  • Awa Spi - subdistrict

  • Serqela (Serqella) - subdistrict

  • Nawjol - subdistrict

  • Kokas - subdistrict

Etymology

The word "garmiyan" means "summer" in Hindi (गर्मियां), similar to how "garm" means "hot" in both Hindi (गर्म) and Kurdish.