Iraq Flag

Iraq

Population

48,328,023

Estimated as of Oct 28, 2026View source
Population rank
33rd
Share of world
0.58%
Annual change
+986,6632.10%

Population of Iraq

050M100M150M200M202648.3M2050 projection71.9M↑ 49% from 202619601980200020202040206020802100

Source: United Nations — World Population Prospects (2024 Revision)

95% prediction interval

Current population estimate: 48,328,023. 2050 projection: 71,928,750.Use the arrow keys on the chart to inspect individual years.

Historical population estimates for Iraq. Annual change is shown as a percentage.
202648,007,4372.10%33
202547,020,7742.13%34
202042,116,6052.24%36
201941,192,1712.30%36
201840,265,6242.36%36
201739,337,3532.26%36
201537,560,5352.76%36
201031,045,3663.28%39
200528,407,4483.01%38
200024,424,0563.33%42

Showing 10 of 19 years.

Population by City

Baghdad is home to 8,001,223 people, 16.67% of Iraq's population.

City population8M3M1M
Baghdad 8.0MBasra 1.6MMosul 1.6MKirkuk 1.2MErbil 1.0MNajaf 885.8KKarbala 842.6KSulaymaniyah 800.6KNasiriyah 669.0KAmarah 634.1K
Largest cities by 2026 population and share of the national population.
1Baghdad8.0M16.67%
2Basra1.6M3.35%
3Mosul1.6M3.33%
4Kirkuk1.2M2.46%
5Erbil1.0M2.17%
6Najaf885.8K1.85%
7Karbala842.6K1.76%
8Sulaymaniyah800.6K1.67%
9Nasiriyah669.0K1.39%
10Amarah634.1K1.32%

Iraq by the Numbers

Estimated as of Oct 28, 2026

Population
Iraq is home to an estimated 48,328,023 people, the 33rd largest population in the world.
Daily change
Iraq has a net population change of approximately 2,694 people per day, driven by 3,286 births, 556 deaths, and net emigration of 36 people.
Share of world
Iraq makes up 0.58% of the world's population and 0.96% of Asia's.
Density
110.6 people per km² of land (286.4 per mi²), ranking 108th among countries and territories.
Urban living
69.94% of people live in urban areas.

Iraq Demographics

Age & longevity

MaleFemale100+ years, male: 8100+ years, female: 5395–99 years, male: 25895–99 years, female: 1,04590–94 years, male: 3,35490–94 years, female: 8,97985–89 years, male: 18,65585–89 years, female: 37,69180–84 years, male: 56,59780–84 years, female: 96,45475–79 years, male: 119,15475–79 years, female: 184,03370–74 years, male: 219,55070–74 years, female: 311,54965–69 years, male: 270,24865–69 years, female: 353,49860–64 years, male: 506,61260–64 years, female: 608,86055–59 years, male: 713,50255–59 years, female: 785,43450–54 years, male: 919,99950–54 years, female: 958,82645–49 years, male: 1,086,27545–49 years, female: 1,108,32440–44 years, male: 1,267,38740–44 years, female: 1,275,31035–39 years, male: 1,513,89935–39 years, female: 1,495,61530–34 years, male: 1,809,91530–34 years, female: 1,764,59125–29 years, male: 2,043,27025–29 years, female: 1,972,62820–24 years, male: 2,250,40620–24 years, female: 2,153,16615–19 years, male: 2,611,66115–19 years, female: 2,489,21610–14 years, male: 2,967,35510–14 years, female: 2,823,6665–9 years, male: 2,806,9795–9 years, female: 2,669,9610–4 years, male: 2,934,1130–4 years, female: 2,789,348100+95–9990–9485–8980–8475–7970–7465–6960–6455–5950–5445–4940–4435–3930–3425–2920–2415–1910–145–90–41M1M2M2M

Hover or tap an age group to see exact counts. Use the up and down arrow keys to inspect age groups.

Median age

22.1 yrs

World: 31

Life expectancy

72.6 yrs

World: 73.8

Male

50.24%

Female

49.76%

Life expectancy 70.7Life expectancy 74.5

Ethnicity

75%

Arab

  • Arab75%
  • Kurdish17%
  • Other5%

Reported categories total 97%.

Data notes

Source estimate: est.

data is a 1987 government estimate

Arab: 75-80%

Kurdish: 15-20%

Other: includes Turkmen, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka'i, Bedouin, Romani, Assyrian, Circassian, Sabaean-Mandaean, Persian

Religion

95%

Muslim (official), the largest religion

  • Muslim (official)95%
  • Unspecified3%
  • Christian1%
  • Other1%
Data notes

Source estimate: 2015 est.

Muslim (official): 95-98%; Shia 61-64%, Sunni 29-34%

Unspecified: less than 3%

Christian: less than 1%

Other: less than 1%; includes Yezidi, Sabean-Mandaean, Baha'i, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish

Related Pages

Sources

  1. World Population Prospects (2024 Revision) - United Nations population estimates and projections.
  2. World Population Prospects (2024 Revision) - Iraq United Nations Graphs/Profiles
  3. World Bank / UN World Urbanization Prospects - 2025: Urban population (% of total population), using national definitions.
  4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq
  5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq