Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq
Iraq: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 24.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq stood at 24.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq peaked at 30.7% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 1960.
Iraq ranks 50th of 121 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 20.3% | — |
| 1961 | 21.6% | +6.2% |
| 1962 | 22.8% | +5.6% |
| 1963 | 24.0% | +5.2% |
| 1964 | 25.2% | +5.3% |
| 1965 | 26.6% | +5.2% |
| 1966 | 27.1% | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 27.3% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 27.5% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 27.7% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 27.9% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 28.2% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 28.4% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 28.6% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 28.9% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 29.2% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 29.5% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 29.8% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 29.7% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 29.6% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 29.5% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 29.4% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 29.4% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 29.3% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 29.2% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 29.4% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 29.5% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 29.5% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 29.6% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 29.7% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 30.2% | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 30.7% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 30.1% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 29.5% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 29.4% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 29.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 29.1% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 28.9% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 28.7% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 28.4% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 28.3% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 27.1% | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 25.9% | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 25.4% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 25.3% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 25.8% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 25.8% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 25.6% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 25.3% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 24.8% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 24.2% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 23.9% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 23.9% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 23.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 23.9% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 24.0% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 24.0% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 24.1% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 24.2% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 24.3% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 24.4% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 24.6% | +0.7% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 24.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 24.8%, 99% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 24.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 24.5%, 1.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 25.0% | 20.3% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.0% | 27.9% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.4% | 29.2% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.7% | 28.9% | 30.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.9% | 25.3% | 28.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.3% | 23.9% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.3% | 24.0% | 24.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More climate change data for Iraq
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 672.48 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 10,634 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,750 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 6,884 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14.15 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 245.84 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,859 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 4,294 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,565 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 16.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Iraq was 24.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 30.7% in 1991.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 1960.
- How does Iraq rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?
- Iraq ranks 50th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the percentage of a country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.