Qurnah

Qurnah is a town in southern Iraq, located in Basra Governorate on the western bank of the Shatt al-Arab near the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. This positioning places it within the riverine network that has long supported trade, fishing, and transportation in the region. Qurnah is the administrative center of the Qurnah District and serves as a local hub for surrounding villages and farms that rely on the Shatt al-Arab for access to markets.

The town’s economy is shaped by river traffic, small-scale commerce, and the nearby oil-related infrastructure that characterizes much of southern Iraq. Agriculture in the surrounding areas benefits from irrigation along the river, while the waterfront supports fishing and related activities. In addition, the presence of transport routes along the Shatt al-Arab has historically connected Qurnah to Basra and other settlements along the waterway.

Historically, Qurnah has been affected by broader regional conflicts that touched southern Iraq, including periods of disruption to infrastructure and displacement of residents. Since the 1990s, reconstruction and development efforts have aimed to restore services and compatibility with regional economic activity. The town remains part of Iraq’s modern administrative and economic landscape, closely linked to Basra and the Shatt al-Arab waterway.

Name and language: The name Qurnah is derived from Arabic, with variations in transliteration such as Qurnah, Qurna, or Kurna. It reflects the local Arabic pronunciation and the common practice of rendering place names from the region into Latin script. See also Shatt al-Arab, Basra Governorate, Qurnah District.