Population density in Iraq
Iraq: Population density was 103.83 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
103.83 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
102nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
103.83 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
16.45 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in Iraq, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2023, population density in Iraq stood at 103.83 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Iraq peaked at 103.83 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.45 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Iraq ranks 102nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population density in Iraq, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 16.45 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 16.95 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 17.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 18.13 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 18.75 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 19.4 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1967 | 20.07 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 20.77 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 21.5 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 22.26 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 23.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1972 | 23.85 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 24.68 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 25.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 26.39 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 27.27 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 28.19 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 29.16 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 30.11 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 31.08 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 32.02 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 32.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 33.93 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 35.01 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 35.86 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 36.75 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 37.77 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 38.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 39.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 40.2 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 40.62 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 41.84 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 43.9 people per sq. km of land area | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 46.05 people per sq. km of land area | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 47.62 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 49.16 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 50.7 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 52.32 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 54.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 55.84 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 57.61 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 59.46 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 61.28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 63.05 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 64.95 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 65.43 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 64.91 people per sq. km of land area | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 66.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 69.21 people per sq. km of land area | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 71.48 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 74.05 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 77.49 people per sq. km of land area | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 81.27 people per sq. km of land area | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 84.19 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 86.52 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 88.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 90.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 92.75 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 94.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 97.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 99.21 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 101.52 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 103.83 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.84 people per sq. km of land area | 16.45 people per sq. km of land area | 21.5 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 26.05 people per sq. km of land area | 22.26 people per sq. km of land area | 30.11 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.37 people per sq. km of land area | 31.08 people per sq. km of land area | 39.7 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.65 people per sq. km of land area | 40.2 people per sq. km of land area | 54.04 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.8 people per sq. km of land area | 55.84 people per sq. km of land area | 69.21 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.19 people per sq. km of land area | 71.48 people per sq. km of land area | 94.88 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 100.39 people per sq. km of land area | 97.01 people per sq. km of land area | 103.83 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 99 Slovenia 105.31 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 100 Armenia 105.12 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 101 Hungary 105.11 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 103 Costa Rica 99.99 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 104 Cambodia 98.71 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 105 Northern Mariana Islands 98.14 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Iraq
- Population in the largest city 24.8% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 49.47 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2461 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 11.57 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 25.23 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 8.14 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 5.3 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 208.53 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Iraq?
- Population density in Iraq was 103.83 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 103.83 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.45 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Iraq rank for population density?
- Iraq ranks 102nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.