Population in largest city in Iraq
Iraq: Population in largest city was 8.14 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
8.14 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
28th
of 153 countries
All-time high
8.14 million
in 2025
All-time low
1.02 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in Iraq, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in largest city in Iraq is 8.14 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Iraq peaked at 8.14 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.02 million, in 1960.
That places Iraq 28th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.02 million | — |
| 1961 | 1.12 million | +9.6% |
| 1962 | 1.22 million | +9.6% |
| 1963 | 1.34 million | +9.6% |
| 1964 | 1.47 million | +9.7% |
| 1965 | 1.61 million | +9.6% |
| 1966 | 1.71 million | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 1.80 million | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 1.88 million | +4.8% |
| 1969 | 1.97 million | +4.8% |
| 1970 | 2.07 million | +4.8% |
| 1971 | 2.17 million | +4.8% |
| 1972 | 2.27 million | +4.8% |
| 1973 | 2.38 million | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 2.50 million | +4.8% |
| 1975 | 2.62 million | +4.8% |
| 1976 | 2.75 million | +4.8% |
| 1977 | 2.88 million | +4.8% |
| 1978 | 2.98 million | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 3.06 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 3.14 million | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 3.23 million | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 3.32 million | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 3.41 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 3.51 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 3.61 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 3.71 million | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 3.81 million | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 3.91 million | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 4.00 million | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 4.09 million | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 4.19 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 4.29 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 4.39 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 4.49 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 4.60 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 4.71 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 4.82 million | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 4.94 million | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 5.07 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 5.20 million | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 5.33 million | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 5.47 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 5.62 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 5.47 million | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 5.33 million | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 5.19 million | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 5.05 million | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 5.28 million | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 5.52 million | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 5.65 million | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 5.79 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 5.92 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 6.06 million | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 6.20 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 6.35 million | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 6.50 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 6.65 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 6.81 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 6.97 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 7.14 million | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 7.32 million | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 7.51 million | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 7.71 million | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 7.92 million | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 8.14 million | +2.8% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 8.14 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.00 million, 2.7× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 8.14 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.05 million, 2.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.52 million | 1.02 million | 1.97 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.57 million | 2.07 million | 3.06 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.56 million | 3.14 million | 4.00 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.56 million | 4.09 million | 5.07 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.35 million | 5.05 million | 5.62 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.29 million | 5.65 million | 6.97 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.63 million | 7.14 million | 8.14 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More urban development data for Iraq
- Population in the largest city 24.8% (2025)
- Population density 103.83 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- 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)
- 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 in largest city in Iraq?
- Population in largest city in Iraq was 8.14 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 8.14 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.02 million in 1960.
- How does Iraq rank for population in largest city?
- Iraq ranks 28th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.