1) Legal Status and Recognition
Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI): Officially recognized by the 2005 Iraqi Constitution as a federal region, with its own parliament, presidency, judiciary, and ministries. This provides KRI with a legal and political framework to negotiate with Baghdad on issues of governance, security, and economic management.
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES): A de facto administration established during the Syrian conflict, governed by its 2023 “Social Contract.” It lacks constitutional recognition either within Syria or internationally, though it maintains limited political and security ties with international actors.
Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI): Officially recognized by the 2005 Iraqi Constitution as a federal region, with its own parliament, presidency, judiciary, and ministries. This provides KRI with a legal and political framework to negotiate with Baghdad on issues of governance, security, and economic management.
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES): A de facto administration established during the Syrian conflict, governed by its 2023 “Social Contract.” It lacks constitutional recognition either within Syria or internationally, though it maintains limited political and security ties with international actors.
2) Governance Structures and Institutions
KRI: Possesses fully institutionalized governance: regional presidency, parliament, judiciary, and ministries. The Peshmerga and Asayish (internal security) operate within a semi-coordinated framework with Iraq’s federal institutions, though disputes over control and unification remain.
AANES: Organized through a decentralized council-based system (cantons and regional councils). Executive and legislative structures are locally based. Security depends primarily on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Asayish. Since 2025, discussions have intensified over integrating its forces into a broader Syrian security framework, though no binding arrangement exists yet.
3) Security and Military
KRI: The Peshmerga are recognized as regional forces within Iraq’s federal security system, working closely with the international coalition against ISIS. The region faces recurring threats from ISIS remnants, as well as Turkish military operations against the PKK within Iraqi Kurdistan.
AANES: The SDF is the primary military force, formed from a coalition of local groups under Kurdish leadership. It played a central role in defeating ISIS on the ground but continues to face security threats both from ISIS cells and from Turkish military operations along the border.
4) Economy and Resources
KRI: Its economy is heavily dependent on oil exports, primarily via the Kirkuk–Ceyhan pipeline to Turkey. Since March 2023, exports were halted due to international arbitration, leading to significant revenue losses. In 2025, negotiations with Baghdad and Ankara have made progress but flows remain inconsistent, creating fiscal instability. Salaries, public services, and investment are directly tied to these developments.
AANES: Its economy relies on agriculture (wheat, barley, cotton) and limited oil production. The region is constrained by sanctions, unstable border crossings, and a lack of international recognition, which severely limit trade and investment. Its economy remains fragile, localized, and largely cut off from global markets.
5) Population, Diversity, and Education
KRI: According to Iraq’s 2024 census, the region is home to around 6.3 million people. Education is well established, with Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji), Arabic, and English as the main languages of instruction. Universities are formally recognized within Iraq’s higher education system.
AANES: Population estimates place it at around 4.2 million people. Its education system has introduced Kurdish, Arabic, and Syriac as official languages of instruction, though degrees and curricula are not formally recognized outside the region. Resource limitations and lack of international recognition constrain development.
6) External Relations and International Legitimacy
KRI: Operates representative offices abroad and maintains formal ties through the Iraqi state framework. This enables greater integration into international diplomacy and economic cooperation.
AANES: Lacks official diplomatic recognition, though it maintains working ties with the Global Coalition, the U.S., and some European capitals, primarily in counter-ISIS cooperation and humanitarian coordination. Its 2023 Social Contract emphasizes pluralism, gender equality, and local democracy but has yet to gain constitutional legitimacy in Syria.
Overall Findings
Legitimacy: KRI is a constitutionally recognized federal region of Iraq, while AANES remains a de facto authority without formal recognition.
Institutions: KRI has fully institutionalized governance, while AANES operates through decentralized councils with limited integration into Syrian state structures.
Economy: KRI is more globally connected but vulnerable to regional geopolitics and oil disputes. AANES is isolated, with a fragile, agriculture-based economy.
Society and Education: Both are multiethnic and multilingual. KRI has a more developed education system with international recognition, while AANES promotes multilingual education but lacks official accreditation.
Security: Peshmerga are integrated into Iraq’s framework and supported internationally, while the SDF remains a central but contested force, balancing between counterterrorism duties and external military pressures.
In short:
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq represents a model of constitutionally recognized federal autonomy tied to energy politics and regional diplomacy.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is a grassroots, de facto self-administration emphasizing pluralism and local governance but constrained by lack of recognition, economic isolation, and security pressures.
