Iraq Population

Population Distribution

As of 2023, the latest population of Iraq is 38,872,655, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).

Total population	38,872,655
Population growth rate	2.16%
Birth rate	30.40 births per 1,000 people
Life expectancy
Overall life expectancy	71.14 years
Men life expectancy	69.67 years
Women life expectancy	72.67 years
Age structure
0-14 years	39.01%
15-64 years	57.44%
65 years and above	3.55%
Median age	19.70 years
Gender ratio (Male to Female)	1.03
Population density	88.69 residents per km²
Urbanization	67.20%
Ethnicities
80% Arabs, over 15% Kurds, minorities of Turkmen, Arameans and others
Religions
Muslims 97% (Shiitten 60% -65%, Sunnis 32% -37%); Christians and others 3%
Human Development Index (HDI)	0.689
HDI ranking	120th out of 194

People in Iraq

In 2015 there were 35 million people in Iraq. In 2020 there were almost 40 million. This population is very diverse in terms of religion, culture and ethnicities. That is why we can speak of a multiethnic state in Iraq.

Most of the people in Iraq are Arabs. Kurds live in the north. There are also smaller minorities such as Turkmen, Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Arameans. But the proportion of minorities continues to decline.

The Arab population lives mainly in the west, the center and the south. The Kurds are mainly found in the northeast and also in the city of Kirkuk.

Victim of the civil war

Many people in Iraq fell victim to the civil war, but also to the subsequent fighting and assassinations, which keep occurring. Those who live in cities like Baghdad or Mosul are still living dangerously today. The situation is still most stable in the Kurdish regions, with the result that many people are fleeing in this direction. In addition, there are many refugees from Syria, who are again confronting Iraq with major problems.

The differences between urban and rural areas are also great in Iraq. Most Iraqis live in cities.

Languages in Iraq

Religions in Iraq

Most Iraqis are Muslims. Of these, the greater proportion in Iraq is Shiite. 60 percent of the population are Shiites, 35 percent are Sunnis. The differences between Sunnis and Shiites are great.

There are also few Christians and Yazidis living in Iraq, but they are subject to persecution by the Islamic State. Before the last Gulf War, there were 44,000 Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul, most of whom have since been expelled or even killed.

Iraq Overview

Iraq, situated in Western Asia, is bordered by Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria, with a narrow coastline at the Persian Gulf. It is known as the cradle of civilization, historically significant as part of Mesopotamia where the earliest cities like Uruk and Babylon developed. Baghdad, the capital, was once a leading center of the Islamic Golden Age, rich in scientific and cultural advancements. Iraq’s contributions to art, literature, and science are profound. Despite recent conflicts, its archaeological sites continue to be of immense historical importance, attracting scholars and historians worldwide.

State Facts of Iraq:

Capital City: Baghdad
Population: Approximately 40 million
Area: Approximately 438,317 square kilometers
Full Country Name: Republic of Iraq
Currency: Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
Language: Arabic, Kurdish
ISO Country Codes: IQ, IRQ, 368

Bordering Countries of Iraq

Iraq is located in the Middle East, bordered by Kuwait to the south, Saudi Arabia to the southwest, Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north and Iran to the east. Iraq has a total land boundary of 4,048 km which includes 238 km with Kuwait, 814 km with Saudi Arabia, 181 km with Jordan, 605 km with Syria, 352 km with Turkey and 1,458 km with Iran.

Iraq shares a border with Kuwait which is formed by a line drawn between Iraqi Al-Faw peninsula and Kuwaiti islands in Persian Gulf. The two countries have had close ties since 1991 when Iraq invaded Kuwait but have since worked towards strengthening their relationship through joint initiatives such as oil trade agreements.

To Iraq’s south lies Saudi Arabia which borders it on two sides; these borders are formed by rivers such as Wadi al-Batin in Arar region and Wadi al-Hasa in An Najaf province. The two countries have had a tumultuous relationship since 1990 when US forces invaded Iraq but have since worked towards strengthening their ties through economic cooperation such as oil deals related to natural gas projects within their shared boundaries.

Iraq also shares borders with Syria on its extreme northwestern tip; this border is formed by a line drawn between Iraqi Mosul region and Syrian Hasakah province. Despite having tense relations at times due to territorial disputes over oil-rich regions of Deir ez-Zor province in Syria, both countries have been working together for years now on issues such as water management projects within their shared rivers.