Iraq: Governorates, Major Cities & Urban Centers - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information

Governorates

The population of the governorates of Iraq according to census results and latest official estimates.

Name	Abbr.	Native	Capital	Area A-L (km²)	Population Census (C) 1977-10-17	Population Census (C) 1987-10-17	Population Census (C) 1997-10-17	Population Estimate (E) 2009-10-17	Population Estimate (E) 2018-07-01	Population Census (Cf) 2024-11-25
Al-Anbār	ANB	الانبار	Ar-Ramādī	135,000	466,100	820,690	1,023,736	1,483,359	1,771,656	...	13500000	→
Al-Baṣrah [Basra]	BSR	البصرة	Al-Baṣrah	19,070	1,008,600	872,176	1,556,445	2,405,434	2,908,491	...	1907000	→
Al-Muthannā	MTN	المثنى	As-Samāwah	51,740	215,600	315,815	436,825	683,126	814,371	...	5174000	→
Al-Qādisiyah	QAD	القادسية	Ad-Dīwāniyah	8,150	423,000	559,805	751,331	1,077,614	1,291,048	...	815000	→
An-Najaf	NJF	النجف	An-Najaf	28,820	389,700	590,078	775,042	1,221,228	1,471,592	...	2882000	→
Arbīl [Erbil]	ARB	أربيل	Arbīl	12,000	541,500	770,439	1,095,992	1,532,081	1,854,778	...	1200000	→
As-Sulaymāniyah	SLM	السليمانية	As-Sulaymāniyah	20,000	690,600	951,723	1,362,739	1,694,895	2,053,305	...	2000000	→
Bābil [Babylon]	BAB	بابل	Al-Ḥillah	5,800	592,000	1,109,574	1,181,751	1,729,666	2,065,042	...	580000	→
Baghdād	BGD	بغداد	Baghdād	5,200	3,189,700	3,841,268	5,423,964	6,702,538	8,126,755	...	520000	→
Dahūk [Dohuk]	DHK	دهوك	Dahūk	10,000	250,600	293,304	402,970	1,072,324	1,292,535	...	1000000	→
Dhī Qār [Theqar]	DHI	ذي قار	An-Nāṣiriyah	12,900	623,000	921,066	1,184,796	1,744,398	2,095,172	...	1290000	→
Diyālā	DYL	ديالى	Ba'qūbah	14,700	587,800	961,073	1,135,223	1,371,035	1,637,226	...	1470000	→
Ḥalabjah [Halabja]	HLB	حلبجة	Ḥalabjah	880	...	...	...	89,958	108,974	...	88000	→
Karbalā' [Karbala]	KRB	كربلاء	Karbalā'	5,030	269,800	469,282	594,235	1,013,254	1,218,732	...	503000	→
Kirkūk	KRK	كركوك	Kirkūk	10,500	495,400	601,219	753,171	1,325,853	1,597,876	...	1050000	→
Maysān	MYS	ميسان	Al-'Amārah	16,070	372,600	487,448	637,126	922,890	1,112,673	...	1607000	→
Nīnawā [Nineveh]	NIN	نينوى	Al-Mawṣil	36,700	1,105,700	1,479,430	2,042,852	3,106,948	3,729,998	...	3670000	→
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn [Saladin]	SLD	صلاح الدين	Tikrīt	26,000	363,800	726,138	904,432	1,337,786	1,595,235	...	2600000	→
Wasiṭ	WST	واسط	Al-Kūt	17,150	415,100	564,670	783,614	1,150,079	1,378,723	...	1715000	→
Iraq	IRQ	العراق	Baghdād	435,050	12,000,497	16,335,198	22,046,244	31,664,466	38,124,182	46,118,793		→

The 1997 figures of the Kurdish governorates are not census results, but estimates. The 2009 figures refer to the population estimation done by the household listing in 2009; the exact reference day is uncertain.
Dohuk, Erbil, Halabja and Sulaymaniyah form the Kurdistan Region with a population of 4.389.258 in 2009 and 6,503,000 in 2024. Halabja Governorate was split from Sulaymaniyah Governorate in 2014 after decisions of Kurdish authorities. Further Kurdish boundaries as recognized by Iraq in 2005.
(1977) Statistisches Bundesamt: Statistik des Auslands - Irak, 1986.
(1987) Britannica Book of the Year 1990.
(1997) (2009) (2018) (2024) Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology (web).

Major Cities

	Name	Adm.	Population Estimate (E) 2018-07-01
1	Baghdād	BGD	6,719,476
2	Al-Mawṣil	NIN	1,361,819
3	Al-Baṣrah	BSR	1,340,827
4	Kirkūk	KRK	972,272
5	Arbīl	ARB	879,071
6	An-Najaf	NJF	747,261
7	Karbalā'	KRB	711,530
8	As-Sulaymāniyah	SLM	676,492
9	An-Nāṣiriyah	DHI	558,446
10	Al-'Amārah	MYS	527,472

Contents: Cities & Urban Centers

The population of the cities and urban centers of Iraq with more than 20,000 inhabitants according to census results and latest estimates.

Name	Adm.	Native	Population Census (C) 1987-10-17	Population Estimate (E) 2009-07-01	Population Estimate (E) 2018-07-01
Abī Gharaq	BAB	أبي غرق	...	20,982	25,632
Abū al-Kahṣīb	BSR	أبو الخصيب	...	165,102	203,155
Ad-Daghārah	QAD	الدغارة	...	16,886	20,530
Ad-Daīr	BSR	الدیر	...	25,398	31,196
Ad-Dawāyah	DHI	الدوایة	...	30,905	37,872
Ad-Dawr	SLD	الدور	...	18,763	22,822
Ad-Dibs	KRK	الدبس	...	17,073	21,224
Ad-Dīwāniyah [Diwaniyah]	QAD	الديوانية	196,519	332,124	403,796
Ad-Dujaīl	SLD	الدجیل	...	29,909	36,379
'Afak	QAD	عفك	...	29,228	35,536
'Ākra (Akrê)	DHK	ئاكرى	...	55,961	68,093
Al-'Amārah [Amara]	MYS	العمارة	208,797	428,804	527,472
Al-'Āmiriyah	ANB	العامریة	...	19,500	24,046
Al-'Azīziyah	WST	العزیزیة	...	44,868	55,886
Al-Ba'āj	NIN	البعاج	...	24,317	29,125
Al-Baṣrah (incl. Al-Hāriṭah) [Basra]	BSR	البصرة	406,296	1,091,627	1,340,827
Al-Baṭḥā'a	DHI	البطحاء	...	21,075	25,826
Al-Budaīr	QAD	البدیر	...	16,330	19,854
Al-Fajr	DHI	الفجر	...	23,442	28,726
Al-Fallūjah [Fallujah]	ANB	الفلوجة	...	203,451	250,884
Al-Fāw	BSR	الفاو	...	29,176	35,836
Al-Fuhūd	DHI	الفھود	...	23,127	28,337
Al-Gharrāf	DHI	الغراف	...	39,624	48,556
Al-Ḥabbāniyah	ANB	الحبانیة	...	26,184	32,288
Al-Ḥamzah	QAD	الحمزة	...	71,346	86,743
Al-Hāshmiyah	BAB	الھاشمیة	...	30,511	37,273
Al-Ḥawījah	KRK	الحویجة	...	36,776	45,716
Al-Ḥay	WST	الحي	...	68,640	85,496
Al-Ḥillah [Hillah]	BAB	الحلة	268,834	373,063	455,741
Al-Hindiyah	KRB	الھندیة	...	69,504	84,065
Al-Iskandrīah	BAB	الاسكندریة	...	82,366	100,619
Al-Jibāyish	DHI	الجبایش	...	30,416	37,272
Al-Kaḥlā'	MYS	الكحلاء	...	18,202	22,390
Al-Khāliṣ	DYL	الخالص	...	51,003	62,500
Al-Khiḍir	MTN	الخضر	...	34,597	42,824
Al-Kifl	BAB	الكفل	...	18,700	22,845
Al-Kūfah	NJF	الكوفة	...	141,472	171,305
Al-Kūt [Kut]	WST	الكوت	183,183	312,610	389,376
Al-Madā'in	BGD	المدائن	...	23,206	28,243
Al-Madḥatiyah	BAB	المدحتية	...	48,672	59,458
Al-Maḥāwīl	BAB	المحاویل	...	25,499	31,150
Al-Maḥmūdiyah	BGD	المحمودیة	...	83,336	101,421
Al-Maīmūnah	MYS	المیمونة	...	16,172	19,894
Al-Majar al-Kabīr	MYS	المجر الكبير	...	76,365	93,937
Al-Manādhirah	NJF	المناذرة	...	26,198	31,723
Al-Mashrū'	BAB	المشروع	...	31,662	38,679
Al-Mawṣil [Mosul]	NIN	الموصل	664,221	1,136,990	1,361,819
Al-Midaīnah	BSR	المدینة	...	25,554	31,388
Al-Mishkhāb	NJF	المشخاب	...	25,319	30,658
Al-Muqdādiyah	DYL	المقدادیة	...	65,038	79,699
Al-Musayab	BAB	المسیب	...	46,934	57,335
Al-Qaḥṭānyah	NIN	القحطانیة	...	47,385	56,755
Al-Qā'im	ANB	القائم	...	60,055	74,056
Al-Qaīrawān (Bulaīj)	NIN	القیروان / بليج	...	34,998	41,918
Al-Qāsim	BAB	القاسم	...	66,713	81,498
Al-Qurnah	BSR	القرنة	...	102,936	126,434
Altūn Kūbrī	KRK	التون كوبري	...	23,085	28,696
Al-Waḥdah	BGD	الوحدة	...	91,071	110,836
'Anah	ANB	عنھ	...	17,025	20,995
An-Najaf [Najaf]	NJF	النجف	309,010	617,125	747,261
An-Naṣir & As-Salām	BGD	النصر والسلام	...	52,245	63,584
An-Nāṣiriyah [Nasiriyah]	DHI	الناصرية	265,937	455,721	558,446
An-Naṣr	DHI	النصر	...	41,698	51,097
An-Nu'māniyah	WST	النعمانیة	...	56,988	70,982
Arbīl (Hewlêr) [Erbil‎]	ARB	أربيل	485,968	725,356	879,071
Ar-Ramādī [Ramadi]	ANB	الرمادي	192,556	181,264	223,525
Ar-Rifā'ī	DHI	الرفاعي	...	60,885	74,609
Ar-Rumaītah	MTN	الرمیتة	...	69,528	86,063
Ar-Ruṭbah	ANB	الرطبة	...	23,042	28,414
Ash-Shamāl	NIN	الشمال	...	106,874	128,007
Ash-Shāmiyah	QAD	الشامیة	...	47,711	58,007
Ash-Shaṭrah	DHI	الشطرة	...	148,664	182,175
Ash-Shināqiyah	QAD	الشناقیة	...	17,245	20,964
Ash-Shirqāṭ	SLD	الشرقاط	...	44,912	54,629
As-Samāwah [Samawah]	MTN	السماوة	...	179,140	221,743
Aṣ-Ṣaynīah	SLD	الصینیة	...	26,661	32,428
As-Sulaymāniyah (Silêmanî) [Sulaymaniyah]	SLM	السليمانية	364,096	559,685	676,492
Aṣ-Ṣuwaīrah	WST	الصویرة	...	61,954	77,168
Aṭ-Ṭārmiyah	BGD	الطارمية	...	29,222	35,564
'Az Aldīn Salīm (Al-Huwaīr)	BSR	عز الدین سلیم / الهوير	...	23,202	28,498
Az-Zubaīdiyah	WST	الزبیدیة	...	15,956	19,874
Az-Zubayr [Zubayr]	BSR	الزبیر	...	244,855	300,751
Baghdād [Baghdad]	BGD	بغداد	3,841,268	5,521,242	6,719,476	→
Baghdīdā (Al-Ḥamdāniyah)	NIN	بغديدا / الحمدانية	...	38,493	46,105
Baījī	SLD	بیجي	...	68,170	82,918
Bakrah Jū (Bekreco)	SLM	بكرة جو	...	59,108	71,444
Balad	SLD	بلد	...	49,281	59,943
Baladrūz	DYL	بلدروز	...	52,122	63,871
Banī Sa'd	DYL	بني سعد	...	22,169	27,166
Banjwīn (Pêncwîn)	SLM	بنجوین	...	19,738	23,858
Ba'qūbah [Baqubah]	DYL	بعقوبة	...	227,785	279,133
Bardarash (Berdereş)	DHK	بردرش	...	22,010	26,781
Barṭallah	NIN	برطلة	...	17,966	21,518
Ba'shīqah	NIN	بعشیقة	...	28,072	33,623
Bāzyān (Bazyan)	SLM	بازیان	...	31,270	37,796
Bīrah Makrūn (Pîremegirûn)	SLM	بیرة مكرون	...	23,013	27,816
Buhruz (Ashnūnā)	DYL	بھرز / أشنونا	...	29,787	36,502
Dahūk (Dihok) [Dohuk]	DHK	دهوك	...	280,137	340,871
Dāqūq	KRK	داقوق	...	18,319	22,772
Dārahtūū (Daretû)	ARB	دارةتوو	...	44,308	53,697
Darbandikhān (Derbendîxan)	SLM	دربندخان	...	37,630	45,483
Dhashtā Hawlī'r (Benṣalāwah, Deşta Hewlêrê)	ARB	دةشتى ھةولیَر/ بنصلاوة	...	48,035	58,214
Dīrahlūk (Dêreluk)	DHK	دیَرةلوك	...	38,725	47,121
Fāīdah	NIN	فایدة	...	57,610	69,001
Ghammās	QAD	غماس	...	28,532	34,690
Ḥadīṭha	ANB	حدیثة	...	37,707	46,498
Ḥājī 'Āwā (Hacîawe)	SLM	حاجي ئاوا	...	44,440	53,714
Ḥalabjah (Helebce)	HLB	حلبجة	...	55,588	67,190
Ḥalabjah Tāzah (Helebcey Taze) [New Halabja]	SLM	حلبجة تازة	...	36,685	44,341
Ḥamām al-'Alīl	NIN	حمام العلیل	...	19,862	23,790
Harīr (Harîr)	ARB	ھریر	...	24,830	30,092
Hīt	ANB	ھیت	...	54,055	66,657
Jalawlā'	DYL	جلولاء	...	50,690	62,117
Jamjamāl (Çemçemal)	SLM	جمجمال	...	54,003	65,274
Jwār Qūrnah (Çiwarqurne)	SLM	جوار قورنة	...	37,483	45,305
Kalār (Kelar)	SLM	كلار	...	120,099	145,164
Kan'ān	DYL	كنعان	...	18,349	22,486
Karbalā' (incl. Al-Ḥur, Al-Ḥasaīniyah) [Kerbala]	KRB	كربلاء	296,705	588,283	711,530
Khabāt (Xebat)	ARB	خبات	...	28,497	34,536
Khalīfān (Xelîfan)	ARB	خلیفان	...	18,146	21,991
Khānaqīn	DYL	خانقین	...	42,057	51,538
Khasnahzān (Kesnezan)	ARB	كةسنةزان	...	54,391	65,917
Kifrī (Kifrî)	SLM	كفري	...	28,626	34,600
Kirkūk [Kirkuk]	KRK	كركوك	418,624	782,143	972,272
Kuysanjaq (Koya)	ARB	كؤیسنجق	...	51,196	62,046
Qaladiza (Qeladizê)	SLM	قلدز	...	61,182	73,951
Qal'at Ṣāliḥ (Madhar)	MYS	قلعة صالح	...	30,980	38,109
Qal'at Sikar	DHI	قلعة سكر	...	43,551	53,367
Qasrūk (Qesrok)	DHK	قسروك	...	46,357	56,407
Rānyah (Raniye)	SLM	رانیة	...	76,111	91,995
Rizkārī (Rizgarî)	SLM	رزكاري	...	29,829	36,054
Rizkāry (Rizgarî)	ARB	رِزكارى	...	26,769	32,441
Saddat al-Hindiyah	BAB	سدة الھندیة	...	27,739	33,886
Safwān	BSR	سفوان	...	20,995	25,787
Saīd Ṣādiq (Seyd Sadiq)	SLM	سید صادق	...	50,995	61,638
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn (Selahedîn)	ARB	صلاح الدین	...	31,578	38,270
Sāmarrā'	SLD	سامراء	...	119,022	144,771
Shaqlāwah (Şeqlawe)	ARB	شقلاوة	...	21,011	25,464
Shaṭṭ al-'Arab	BSR	شط العرب	...	108,277	132,995
Shūrash (Şoriş)	SLM	شورش	...	42,703	51,615
Sinjār	NIN	سنجار	...	33,921	40,629
Sumaīl (Sêmêl) [Simele]	DHK	سمیل	...	58,808	71,557
Sūq ash-Shuyūkh	DHI	سوق الشیوخ	...	107,373	131,576
Sūrān / Diyānā (Soran‎)	ARB	سؤران	...	100,512	131,813
Tāj Aldīn (Al-Ḥafriyah)	WST	تاج الدین / الحفریة	...	33,542	41,779
Ṭakiyah (Tekiye)	SLM	تة كیة	...	22,953	27,743
Tal'afar	NIN	تلعفر	...	143,982	172,453
Ṭalḥah (Aṣ-Ṣādiq)	BSR	طلحة / الصادق	...	37,147	45,631
Talkayf (Tel Keppe)	NIN	تلكیف	...	29,216	34,993
Tānjarū (Tancero)	SLM	تانجرو	...	17,524	21,181
Ṭaq Ṭaq (Teqteq)	ARB	تةق تةق	...	16,886	20,464
Tikrīt	SLD	تكريت	...	89,584	108,964
Ṭūz Khūrmātū	SLD	طوز خورماتو	...	84,323	102,565
Umm Qaṣr	BSR	أم قصر	...	40,531	49,783
Zākhū (Zaxo)	DHK	زاخو	...	174,197	211,964

The urban population of subdistricts is presented. Thus, in some cases (e.g. Ash-Shamāl) the tabulated figures may refer to more than one settlement.
(1987) UN Demographic Yearbook 1993.
(2009) (2018) Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology (web).

Population Structure

Further information about the population structure.

Gender (C 2024)
Males	23,161,604
Females	22,957,189

Age Groups (C 2024)
0-14 years	16,554,808
15-64 years	27,875,610
65+ years	1,688,375

Urbanization (C 2024)
Rural	13,759,438
Urban	32,359,355