Khanaqin is the central city of the Khanaqin District located in Iraq's Diyala Governorate. It is situated near the Iranian border, approximately 8 km away, on the Alwand tributary of the Diyala River.
The town is primarily populated by Kurds who speak the Southern Kurdish dialect. Geographically and logistically, it sits on a main road utilized by Shia pilgrims traveling to holy Islamic cities. The region is notably rich in oil resources; the first Iraqi oil refinery and oil pipeline were constructed nearby in 1927.