Nineveh Governorate ( , , ) is a governorate in northern Iraq, which contains the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, was an integral part of Assyria from the 25th century BC to 7th century AD, and still retains an indigenous Assyrian community to this day. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,453,000 people in 2003. Its chief city and provincial capital is Mosul, which lies across the Tigris river from the ruins of ancient Nineveh. Tal Afar is also a major city within the region. Before 1976, it was called Mosul Province and it included the present-day Dohuk Governorate.