Iraq Population

Iraq Population

In 2003, Iraq’s single leader Saddam Hussein was overthrown, following a US-led invasion of the country. It has created various militant groups that often go along ethnic and religious divisions, and for years Iraq has been characterized by war and terror.

Key figures and facts

  • Capital: Baghdad
  • Ethnic groups: Arabs 75% -80%, Kurds 15% -20%, other/unspecified 5%
  • Language: Arabic, Kurdish, Assyrian, Armenian
  • Religion: Shi’ites 60% -65%, Sunnis 32% -37%, other/none/unspecified 3% (2015 estimate)
  • Population: 38 275 000 (2017)
  • Control Form: Parliamentary democracy
  • Area: 435 240 Km2
  • Currency: dinar
  • GNP per capita: 17 349 PPP $
  • National Day: July 14th

Iraq Population

The population of Iraq is about 40 million. The average annual population growth is 2.6 percent. The average life expectancy is 77 years for women and 73 years for men. 40 percent of the population is under the age of 15, and over 70 percent live in cities. Three cities have over one million residents: the capital Baghdad (with around 6.6 million); Mosul in the north (1.5 million) and Basra in the south (1.3 million).

Iraq Country Population

Although different ethnic groups have invaded Iraq over time, the ethnic, cultural and linguistic population is predominantly Arabs: this group accounts for 75–80 percent of the population, while the second largest – Kurds – constitute 15–20 percent.

The Kurds live in the mountains in the north-eastern part of the country, and in the adjacent border mountains in Iran and especially in eastern Turkey. The Kurds already demanded autonomy in the 1920s. A Kurdish autonomous area was created in 1974-75, but without real autonomy. Kurdish organizations established their own autonomous territories in 1991 (Dahuk, Irbil and Sulaymaniyah) and in May 1992 a Kurdish legislative assembly was elected. In addition, there are several small minority groups; Turkmen, Armenians, Christian Syrians, Sabans and Shabakers. The Jewish people group has emigrated to Israel, and the former large Persian (Iranian) group almost halved between 1969 and 1975, when over 65,000 were expelled from the country.

In the Arab majority, there are significant contradictions. These are partly due to ancient tribal relations, but first and foremost the population belongs to two different groups of Islam. More than 60 percent, mainly in the southern part of the country and along the Euphrates, are Shia Muslims. The other part is mostly Sunni Muslims. These live especially in Baghdad and in the northern part of the country. There have been tensions between Shia and Sunni groups on several occasions. While the Baath regime, until 2003, was Sunni-dominated, the regime change as a result of the US invasion – and the outcome of subsequent elections, won by constellations based on the Shi’a majority – led to these contradictions coming to the surface.

The most densely populated parts of the country are the river plains around the Euphrates and Tigris, with up to 500 residents per km². The southern and western desert regions, on the other hand, are almost empty. Some Bedouin tribes still live as cattle herds in the desert.

Population of Iraq by Year (Historical)

Year Population Annual Growth Rate Population Density Global Rank
2020 40,222,382 2.320% 92.6103 36
2019 39,309,672 2.280% 90.5088 36
2018 38,433,489 2.350% 88.4914 36
2017 37,552,670 2.570% 86.4634 37
2016 36,610,521 2.920% 84.2941 37
2015 35,572,150 3.650% 81.9034 38
2010 29,741,865 2.010% 68.4794 39
2005 26,922,173 2.760% 61.9872 40
2000 23,497,474 3.120% 54.1020 43
1995 20,149,227 2.950% 46.3928 47
1990 17,419,002 2.290% 40.1066 46
1985 15,555,689 2.640% 35.8165 49
1980 13,653,243 3.160% 31.4362 50
1975 11,684,479 3.330% 26.9032 51
1970 9,917,872 3.440% 22.8357 52
1965 8,375,679 2.820% 19.2848 58
1960 7,289,649 2.310% 16.7843 61
1955 6,502,546 2.600% 14.9720 64
1950 5,719,081 0.000% 13.1682 63

Major Cities in Iraq by Population

Rank City Population
1 Baghdad 7,215,889
2 Basrah 2,599,889
3 Al Mawsil al Jadidah 2,065,486
4 Al Basrah al Qadimah 2,015,372
5 Mosul 1,739,689
6 Erbil 932,689
7 Abu Ghurayb 899,889
8 As Sulaymaniyah 723,059
9 Kirkuk 601,322
10 Najaf 482,465
11 Karbala 434,339
12 Nasiriyah 400,138
13 Al ‘Amarah 323,191
14 Ad Diwaniyah 318,690
15 Al Kut 315,051
16 Al Hillah 289,598
17 Dihok 283,889
18 Ramadi 274,428
19 Al Fallujah 190,048
20 Samarra’ 158,397
21 As Samawah 152,779
22 Baqubah 152,439
23 Sinah 128,665
24 Az Zubayr 122,565
25 Kufa 109,889
26 Umm Qasr 107,509
27 Al Faw 104,458
28 Zaxo 94,941
29 Al Harithah 92,284
30 Ash Shatrah 82,621
31 Al Hayy 78,161
32 Jamjamal 75,523
33 Khalis 69,935
34 Tozkhurmato 59,775
35 Ash Shamiyah 57,550
36 Al Hindiyah 57,379
37 Halabjah 57,222
38 Al Miqdadiyah 50,587
39 Al-Hamdaniya 49,889
40 Ar Rumaythah 47,137
41 Koysinceq 44,876
42 Al ‘Aziziyah 44,640
43 Al Musayyib 42,790
44 Tikrit 42,366
45 As Suwayrah 42,243
46 Balad 41,977
47 Sinjar 38,183
48 Imam Qasim 36,881
49 Bayji 36,343
50 Hit 31,790
51 Hadithah 30,814
52 Nahiyat Ghammas 30,798
53 Nahiyat Saddat al Hindiyah 30,511
54 Kifri 30,032
55 Mandali 29,674
56 Baynjiwayn 27,005
57 Anah 26,889
58 Ad Dujayl 26,251
59 Batufe 25,889
60 Tallkayf 23,413
61 Al Mishkhab 23,078
62 Aqrah 22,889
63 Ruwandiz 22,832
64 Nahiyat ash Shinafiyah 22,532
65 Ar Rutbah 22,259
66 Afak 21,777
67 Nahiyat al Fuhud 21,440
68 Anat al Qadimah 19,608
69 Ali al Gharbi 19,600
70 Rawah 12,889

Language

The official language is Arabic, spoken by about 80 percent of the population. In the areas in the northeast, a significant minority of Kurds have Kurdish as their mother tongue. Kurdish has since 1972 been equated with Arabic in education and administration in these areas. Furthermore, there are smaller groups of people who speak Turkish and Iranian languages, Armenian and Syrian.