Asia · Western Asia
Iraq Demographics
Iraq counted 46.12 million residents in the 2024 census. The population remains young, fertility is lower than in earlier decades, and growth is concentrated unevenly across governorates and urban systems.
Current census measures use the Iraq Central Statistical Organization’s 2024 Population and Housing Census tables. Long-run series use World Bank World Development Indicators.
Last updated: July 21, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Youth Cohorts Remain Larger Than Older Cohorts
The 2024 census recorded 16.55 million people in the three age groups below 15. The 10–14 group was the largest five-year cohort at 5.92 million, followed by ages 5–9 at 5.49 million and ages 0–4 at 5.15 million. The narrower 0–4 group is consistent with lower recent fertility, while the broad base still creates population momentum.
Iraq Population by Age Group and Sex
Five-year age groups from the 2024 population and housing census
Source: Iraq Central Statistical Organization, 2024 Population and Housing Census. Male values are encoded as negative only to draw the left side of the pyramid.
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | Male Share | Female Share | Sex Ratio | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 2,632,628 | 2,513,788 | 5,146,416 | 51.2% | 48.8% | 104.7 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 5–9 | 2,801,884 | 2,687,582 | 5,489,466 | 51.0% | 49.0% | 104.3 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 10–14 | 3,012,679 | 2,906,247 | 5,918,926 | 50.9% | 49.1% | 103.7 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 15–19 | 2,654,459 | 2,561,666 | 5,216,125 | 50.9% | 49.1% | 103.6 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 20–24 | 2,183,939 | 2,102,344 | 4,286,283 | 51.0% | 49.0% | 103.9 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 25–29 | 1,802,439 | 1,769,277 | 3,571,716 | 50.5% | 49.5% | 101.9 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 30–34 | 1,653,558 | 1,640,081 | 3,293,639 | 50.2% | 49.8% | 100.8 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 35–39 | 1,443,778 | 1,402,684 | 2,846,462 | 50.7% | 49.3% | 102.9 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 40–44 | 1,240,002 | 1,242,975 | 2,482,977 | 49.9% | 50.1% | 99.8 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 45–49 | 1,043,302 | 1,061,910 | 2,105,212 | 49.6% | 50.4% | 98.2 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 50–54 | 888,769 | 910,202 | 1,798,971 | 49.4% | 50.6% | 97.6 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 55–59 | 672,803 | 688,564 | 1,361,367 | 49.4% | 50.6% | 97.7 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 60–64 | 402,924 | 509,927 | 912,851 | 44.1% | 55.9% | 79.0 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 65–69 | 289,228 | 349,813 | 639,041 | 45.3% | 54.7% | 82.7 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 70–74 | 235,482 | 312,354 | 547,836 | 43.0% | 57.0% | 75.4 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 75–79 | 111,914 | 151,932 | 263,846 | 42.4% | 57.6% | 73.7 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 80–84 | 57,263 | 75,737 | 133,000 | 43.1% | 56.9% | 75.6 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| 85+ | 34,549 | 70,103 | 104,652 | 33.0% | 67.0% | 49.3 | 2024 | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
Where the Age-Sex Balance Shifts
- Male counts are higher through ages 35–39. The balance is almost even at ages 40–44.
- Female counts are higher from ages 40–44 onward, with the gap widening after age 60.
- At ages 85 and older, the census counted 70,103 women and 34,549 men.
- The sex ratio is the number of males per 100 females. It falls from 104.7 at ages 0–4 to 49.3 at ages 85 and older.
The Age Structure Carries Demand Into the 2030s
Children aged 5–14 numbered 11.41 million in 2024, creating a large flow through primary and secondary education.
Ages 15–24 contained 9.50 million people. This cohort will move through higher education, training and employment during the next decade.
Ages 20–34 contained 11.15 million people. New household formation can keep housing demand high even when fertility declines.
Only 3.66% of residents were aged 65 or older, so child dependency remains much larger than old-age dependency.
Fertility Fell Before Population Growth Slowed
World Bank series place Iraq’s population at 7.02 million in 1960 and 46.04 million in 2024. Over the same period, total fertility moved from 5.3 births per woman to 3.221. The population continued to expand because large cohorts born under earlier fertility levels moved into reproductive ages.
Estimated Population, 1960–2025
Selected years from the World Bank World Development Indicators mid-year population series
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators. These are mid-year population estimates and are not the same measure as the 2024 census count.
| Year | Population | Fertility Rate | Life Expectancy | Measure Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7,022,052 | 5.300 | 51.5 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 1970 | 9,735,611 | 7.071 | 60.5 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 1980 | 13,591,992 | 6.593 | 60.9 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 1990 | 17,581,206 | 5.929 | 57.6 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2000 | 24,424,056 | 4.920 | 64.9 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2010 | 31,045,366 | 4.457 | 68.1 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2015 | 37,560,535 | 4.080 | 70.0 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2020 | 42,116,605 | 3.419 | 69.7 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2021 | 43,071,211 | 3.358 | 70.7 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2022 | 44,070,551 | 3.294 | 72.0 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2023 | 45,074,049 | 3.249 | 72.3 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| 2024 | 46,042,015 | 3.221 | 72.4 years | Mid-year estimate / modelled demographic indicator | World Bank World Development Indicators |
Total Fertility Rate, 1960–2024
Selected years from the World Bank World Development Indicators series
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators. The 2024 modelled value of 3.221 differs slightly from the census-derived rate of 3.1 because the source and estimation method differ.
Differences Between Population Measures
- The 2024 census counted 46,118,793 residents.
- The World Bank series gives a 2024 mid-year estimate of 46,042,015, a difference of 76,778 people.
- The two values should not be merged into one series without labelling the measure. A census count reflects enumeration, while a mid-year estimate aligns annual demographic series.
- The 2025 World Bank population value of 47,020,774 is an estimate, not a new census result.
Governorates Are at Different Stages of Demographic Change
National averages conceal wide local ranges. The 2024 census places fertility between 2.4 births per woman in Sulaymaniyah and 3.8 in Maysan. The share aged 0–14 ranges from 29.78% in Sulaymaniyah to 40.04% in Maysan. Average household size ranges from 4.25 in Sulaymaniyah to 6.75 in Anbar.
| Governorate | Population | Urban Share | Growth Rate | Fertility Rate | Aged 0–14 | Aged 15–64 | Aged 65+ | Average Household Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duhok | 1,599,871 | 79.6% | 2.7% | 2.7 | 33.40% | 62.97% | 3.63% | 6.06 |
| Nineveh | 4,261,980 | 54.2% | 2.1% | 3.7 | 39.38% | 57.57% | 3.05% | 6.46 |
| Sulaymaniyah | 2,401,724 | 89.0% | 2.0% | 2.4 | 29.78% | 65.02% | 5.20% | 4.25 |
| Kirkuk | 2,034,627 | 73.5% | 2.9% | 3.1 | 35.38% | 60.73% | 3.89% | 5.15 |
| Erbil | 2,517,534 | 83.5% | 3.3% | 2.6 | 32.40% | 63.47% | 4.13% | 4.67 |
| Diyala | 1,934,504 | 53.2% | 2.3% | 3.1 | 36.53% | 59.71% | 3.76% | 5.83 |
| Anbar | 2,004,418 | 57.8% | 2.0% | 3.4 | 37.52% | 59.48% | 3.00% | 6.75 |
| Baghdad | 9,780,429 | 85.2% | 2.5% | 2.7 | 34.18% | 61.69% | 4.13% | 5.54 |
| Babylon | 2,482,324 | 45.4% | 2.4% | 3.0 | 35.96% | 60.39% | 3.65% | 5.95 |
| Karbala | 1,754,065 | 73.7% | 3.7% | 3.0 | 36.26% | 60.37% | 3.37% | 5.71 |
| Wasit | 1,644,273 | 63.6% | 2.4% | 3.1 | 36.87% | 59.68% | 3.45% | 6.22 |
| Salah al-Din | 1,774,542 | 48.9% | 1.9% | 3.7 | 38.57% | 58.50% | 2.93% | 6.43 |
| Najaf | 1,950,833 | 60.5% | 3.1% | 2.9 | 35.93% | 60.66% | 3.41% | 5.68 |
| Qadisiyah | 1,477,310 | 54.1% | 2.1% | 3.0 | 36.31% | 60.25% | 3.44% | 6.19 |
| Muthanna | 1,043,087 | 40.4% | 2.8% | 3.6 | 39.50% | 57.33% | 3.17% | 6.68 |
| Dhi Qar | 2,499,468 | 68.1% | 2.4% | 3.4 | 37.77% | 58.98% | 3.25% | 6.59 |
| Maysan | 1,293,636 | 77.6% | 2.3% | 3.8 | 40.04% | 56.95% | 3.01% | 6.58 |
| Basra | 3,664,168 | 84.0% | 2.8% | 3.2 | 37.08% | 59.48% | 3.44% | 6.20 |
How Governorate Patterns Separate
- Karbala recorded the highest 2009–2024 growth rate at 3.7%, while its fertility rate was 3.0. The combination indicates that fertility alone does not explain the growth ranking.
- Erbil combined 3.3% growth with a fertility rate of 2.6 and an urban share of 83.5%.
- Maysan had the highest fertility rate at 3.8 and the largest child share at 40.04%, but its growth rate was 2.3%.
- Sulaymaniyah combined the lowest fertility rate, the smallest child share and the largest 65+ share among governorates.
Urban Growth Is Distributed Across Several Population Systems
The census counted 32.36 million urban residents and 13.76 million rural residents. Baghdad contained 8.33 million urban residents, but urban concentration also appears in Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Basra and Duhok. Muthanna, Babylon and Salah al-Din retained larger rural shares than the national average.
Urban and Rural Population by Governorate
Census counts for 2024
Source: Iraq Central Statistical Organization, 2024 Population and Housing Census. Urban and rural categories follow the census classification.
Urbanization does not measure one process. The urban count can rise through rural-to-urban migration, natural increase within cities, expansion of built-up areas, administrative reclassification, displacement and return. The census table measures where residents were classified in 2024; it does not assign each resident to one route of urban growth.
Household Size Adds a Second Layer to Population Pressure
Iraq recorded 8.05 million households in the 2024 census. The average household contained 5.48 people in urban areas and 6.60 in rural areas. A decline in fertility does not necessarily reduce housing demand when large young-adult cohorts form new households.
| Indicator | Value | Year | Measure Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 46,118,793 | 2024 | Census count | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Male population | 23,161,604 | 2024 | Census count | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Female population | 22,957,189 | 2024 | Census count | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Urban population | 32,363,649 | 2024 | Census count | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Rural population | 13,755,144 | 2024 | Census count | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Occupied households | 8,054,385 | 2024 | Census count | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Average household size | 5.77 persons | 2024 | Census average | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Age dependency ratio | 65 per 100 working-age residents | 2024 | Census ratio | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Total fertility rate | 3.1 births per woman | 2024 | Census-derived rate | Iraq Central Statistical Organization |
| Life expectancy at birth | 72.4 years | 2024 | Modelled estimate | World Bank World Development Indicators |
Data Sources and Methodology
The current population, sex, age, governorate, urban-rural, household, fertility and growth measures come from Iraq’s 2024 census tables. Historical population values are World Bank mid-year estimates. Historical fertility and life expectancy are modelled annual indicators from World Development Indicators. Percentages derived on this page use the displayed census counts and are rounded to one decimal place unless the source table reports two decimals.
| Source | Release or Data Year | Used for | Measure Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iraq Central Statistical Organization, Population Chapter | 2024 census tables in the 2024–2025 statistical abstract | Population count, age-sex groups, governorates, urban-rural distribution, household size, dependency, fertility and 2009–2024 growth | Census count, census share, census rate and derived percentage |
| World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED: Population | 1960–2025 series, updated July 2026 | Historical population table and population trend chart | Annual mid-year estimate |
| World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED: Fertility | 1960–2024 series, updated April 2026 | Long-run fertility table and trend chart | Modelled total fertility rate |
| World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED: Life Expectancy | 1960–2024 series, updated April 2026 | Long-run indicator table and current life expectancy | Modelled life expectancy at birth |
Methodological Safety Note: The 2024 census count, World Bank mid-year population estimate and 2025 estimated population are different statistical measures. Census fertility and World Bank fertility also use different estimation routes. Urban status follows the census classification, which may not match an international urban definition. Governorate growth rates cover 2009–2024 and should not be read as single-year growth. Population projections are not included because the observed census profile and historical estimates already use different baselines.