Dhi Qar is a governorate located in Southern Iraq, with Nasiriyah its main city and capital. The Euphrates flows through the area towards the Persian Gulf where the main port of Iraq is located (Um Qasr). Dhi Qar was the heartland of the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, and includes the ruins of Ur, Eridu, Lagash, Larsa, Girsu, Umma, and Bad-tibira. The southern area of the governorate is covered by Mesopotamian Marshes.

In the governorate there are up to 1,200 archeological sites, while the wetlands of the Iraqi Marshes straddle across the governorate. Three ancient Sumerian archeological sites and four wetland areas of Southern Iraq are registered within the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its archaeological components include Ur and Eridu, which are located within Dhi Qar Governorate, and Uruk which is located in Samawa Governorate. Of the four wetland areas, the Central and West Hammar Marshes are located within Dhi Qar, while Huwaizah and East Hammar are located respectively in Maysan and Basra Governorate. The Iraqi Marshes are an aquatic landscape in the desert and provide a habitat for the Marsh Arabs and indigenous wildlife populations. They constitute some of the largest wetlands in Asia.