Duhok Bēṯ Nūhadrā ܒܹܝܬܼ ܢܘ̣ܗܲܕܪܵܐ دهۆک |
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View on Duhok with the Duhok Dam in the background
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Dohuk's location in Iraq | |
Coordinates: 36°52′N 43°0′E / 36.867°N 43.000°ECoordinates: 36°52′N 43°0′E / 36.867°N 43.000°E | |
Country | Iraq |
Autonomous region | Kurdistan |
Governorate | Dohuk Governorate |
District | Dohuk District |
Subdistrict | Dohuk Subdistrict |
Elevation | 1,854 ft (565 m) |
Population (2013)World Gazetteer | |
• Total | <1,000,000> |
Postcode | 42001 |
Dohuk (Kurdish: دهۆک, Dihok; Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܢܘܗܕܪܐ Bēṯ Nūhadrā; Arabic: دهوك Dahūk) is the capital of Dohuk Governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan, with a population of approximately 350,000 inhabitants, consisting mostly of Kurds, with a minority population of Assyrian Christians that greatly fluctuate in numbers due to the state of violence in the plain below and all over Kurdistan. The city is encircled by mountains along the Tigris river. Dohuk has a growing tourist industry. Its population has increased rapidly since the 1990s, as the rural population moved to the cities. The University of Dohuk, founded in 1992, is a renowned center for teaching and research.
Dohuk (Duhok of Dassini) means Yazidi village. Another theory is that the name comes from Taok (meaning grapevine in Kurdish) due to the fact that the region is very well known for vine trees. The Syriac name Bēṯ Nūhadrā translates to House/Land of the military leader. It refers to a small village nearby which is a district in the city due to the growth of the city during the last century. The name Nūhadrā continues to be used in reference to the city and is also a popular name among Assyrian women.