Urban population (% of total population) in Iraq
Iraq: Urban population (% of total population) was 69.9% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Urban population in Iraq, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Iraq is 69.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.1% over five years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Iraq peaked at 69.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 69.9%, in 2021.
Iraq ranks 90th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Urban population (% of total population) in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 44.0% | — |
| 1961 | 45.5% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 47.0% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 48.6% | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 50.0% | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 51.4% | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 52.5% | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 53.7% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 54.8% | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 55.9% | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 57.0% | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 58.0% | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 59.0% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 60.0% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 60.9% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 61.8% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 62.7% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 63.5% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 64.3% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 65.1% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 66.0% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 67.7% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 68.5% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 69.1% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 69.7% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 70.0% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 70.2% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 70.2% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 70.0% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 69.7% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 69.4% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 69.0% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 68.6% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 68.2% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 67.8% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 67.6% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 67.5% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 67.5% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 67.5% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 67.6% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 67.8% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 67.9% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 68.1% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 68.2% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 68.4% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 68.6% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 68.7% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 68.9% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 69.0% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 69.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 69.1% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 69.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 69.4% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.7% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 69.9% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 69.9% | +0.1% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 69.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.4%, 1.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 69.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 88% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 50.3% | 44.0% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 61.2% | 57.0% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.8% | 66.0% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 68.3% | 67.5% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.3% | 67.6% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.6% | 69.1% | 69.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.9% | 69.9% | 69.9% | 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 urban population in Iraq?
- Urban population in Iraq was 69.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 69.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.9% in 2021.
- How does Iraq rank for urban population?
- Iraq ranks 90th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.