Iraq Population Clock
Iraq has an estimated population of about 47.0 million, which makes it the 34th most populous of the 115 countries tracked here.
Its population is growing rapidly, at 2.10% a year.
The capital is Baghdad.
The counter below is a live estimate interpolated from the World Bank's latest annual figures — not a real-time measurement. It links to its source, base year and method via the ⓘ next to it.
Statistics
Population trend
Population 2016–2025 (World Bank)
Why Iraq's population is changing
Iraq's population reached about 47 million in 2025, up from 38.5 million in 2016 — more than 8 million extra people, or roughly 22%, in under a decade. At its current 2.1% annual growth rate the country adds close to a million people a year, one of the faster rates in the Middle East.
Iraq is strikingly young: around 36% of the population is under 15, while only 3.4% is 65 or older. That youth bulge, combined with a fertility rate of 3.2 children per woman — well above the 2.1 needed to hold a population steady — is what keeps the total climbing rather than levelling off as it has across much of the region.
Nearly 70% of Iraqis now live in cities, with Baghdad by far the largest. Rapid urbanisation alongside a large working-age generation gives Iraq a potential demographic dividend over the coming decades, provided jobs and services keep pace with the numbers.
Population outlook
At the current 2.10% annual growth, Iraq is on course to pass 50 million around 2028, and 60 million around 2037. These compound today's rate and are illustrative projections, not forecasts.
Age structure
A large under-15 share signals continued growth as that generation reaches working and child-bearing age.
In the region
How Iraq (#34, 47.0 million) compares with its neighbours by population:
See Iraq on the World Atlas for its location and borders.
How Iraq's population is changing
Iraq records about 3,293 births and 536 deaths a day. That is a natural increase of roughly 2,757 people per day, or about 1.01 million a year before migration is counted.
Net migration runs at about 1,064 over the reported period, with more people leaving than arriving. That is small next to its natural change.
If the current rate held indefinitely, Iraq would take roughly 33 years to double in size — a projection of today's rate, not a forecast.
Over the 9 years from 2016 to 2025, the population rose from 38.5 million to 47.0 million — a gain of 8.55 million, or 22.2%.
Where people live in Iraq
With about 104 people per square kilometre, Iraq is moderately populated, roughly 1.7× the world average of 62. That ranks 53rd of the 115 countries here. Its closest comparisons on density are Hungary and Cuba.
Iraq covers about 434,130 km² of land, which is what turns a population of 47.0 million into that density figure.
About 69.9% of people live in urban areas, making Iraq majority urban, above the world average of 57.8%. That works out to roughly 32.9 million town and city dwellers and 14.1 million living rurally.
Age, fertility and life expectancy in Iraq
Iraq has a young population: about 36.0% are under 15 and 3.4% are 65 or older. Children outnumber over-65s by roughly 10.4 to one.
The total fertility rate is about 3.22 births per woman, above the ~2.1 replacement level, which is what sustains growth from births alone. The world figure is about 2.19.
Life expectancy at birth is about 72.4 years, roughly 1.1 years below the global average of 73.5.
Iraq at a glance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 47.0 million | 2025 |
| World rank by population | #34 | 2025 |
| Annual growth rate | 2.10% | 2025 |
| Population density | 104 /km² | 2023 |
| Land area | 434,130 km² | 2023 |
| Urban population | 69.9% | 2025 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 72.4 years | 2024 |
| Fertility rate | 3.22 births per woman | 2024 |
| Population under 15 | 36.0% | 2025 |
| Population 65 and over | 3.4% | 2025 |
| Net migration | -1,064 | 2025 |
| Births per day | 3,293 | 2025 |
| Deaths per day | 536 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Iraq?
Is Iraq's population growing or shrinking?
How densely populated is Iraq?
Where do these Iraq figures come from?
Current local time in Iraq
Methodology & sources
Data: World Bank (CC BY 4.0), base year 2025. The live counter animates the latest annual growth rate per second; it is an estimate, not a real-time measurement. No figures are invented — every number traces back to the World Bank indicators listed above.
Source: World Bank