Al Anbar Governorate
Iraq's largest governorate rebounding from insurgency with $2B investment portfolio and reconstruction transforming Ramadi and Fallujah into civilian normalcy.
Anbar is Iraq's territorial giant—the largest governorate by area, spanning desert expanses from the Syrian and Jordanian borders to Baghdad's western approaches. This Sunni-majority territory became synonymous with insurgency after 2003, hosting first al-Qaeda and later ISIS, with cities like Fallujah and Ramadi enduring repeated devastation. Yet by 2024, reconstruction has transformed former battlefields into construction sites.
The post-ISIS recovery demonstrates economic resilience. Ramadi and Fallujah now feature paved roads, residential compounds mushrooming on outskirts, and Anbar's first five-star hotel rising along the Euphrates. An investment portfolio worth $2 billion focuses on housing and commerce, with local government targeting $6 billion in foreign investment to develop untapped gas and mineral resources.
'Fallujah Land'—a family funfair—now operates in a city that witnessed two of the war's bloodiest battles. This symbolic transformation reflects broader normalization, though security vacuums in western desert areas near Syria still enable ISIS remnants to operate. Tribal Mobilization Forces supplement Iraqi Security Forces in a territory too vast for conventional policing.
Anbar's border crossings with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia create trade corridor potential that peace enables. By 2026, expect continued reconstruction investment, modest tourism development around Euphrates heritage sites, and persistent security challenges in remote desert zones where state presence remains minimal.