Iraq’s population surpasses 45 million in latest census results: PM Sudani
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Monday announced the preliminary results of the country’s population census, stating that the number of residents has exceeded 45 million.
“The population of Iraq has reached more than 45,407,895 people, including foreigners and refugees, " Sudani said during a televised press briefing in Baghdad.
“The rate of urban population is 70.3 percent, and the rate of rural population is 29.7 percent,” he added.
According to the results, there are 7,898,588 families across Iraq, and the average family size is 5.3 persons.
The prime minister noted that Iraq’s population growth rate is at 2.3 percent.
Regarding the gender distribution across the country, Sudani said, “The number of males reached 22,784,062, comprising 50.1 percent, and the number of females is 22,623,833, accounting for 49.8 percent.”
Women comprise 11.33 percent of head of households in Iraq, while men make up the remaining 88.67 percent.
The number of housing units in Iraq reached 8,037,221 units, Sudani said, adding that the percentage of houses is 92.1 percent, the percentage of apartments is 6.6 percent, and the percentage of mud houses is 0.4 percent.
Sudani also noted that 36.1 percent of the population is under working age (15 years old), while 60.2 percent are at working age, and 3.7 percent of the population is over working age (65 years and older).
“Iraq has entered the demographic gift phase, with the working-age population reaching 60 percent,” Sudani said.
The Prime Minister did not announce the population rate in the provinces or the Kurdistan Region.
Iraq held its long-awaited population census last week. It is Iraq’s first nationwide census since 1987. It last conducted a census in 1997, but that did not include the Kurdistan Region. A census planned for 2020 was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The next phase of the census will run over the next two months, before annoucning the final results.
The final results will include detailed information on health, education, employment, and housing conditions, according to Iraqi planning ministry spokesperson Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi.
“The population of Iraq has reached more than 45,407,895 people, including foreigners and refugees, " Sudani said during a televised press briefing in Baghdad.
“The rate of urban population is 70.3 percent, and the rate of rural population is 29.7 percent,” he added.
According to the results, there are 7,898,588 families across Iraq, and the average family size is 5.3 persons.
The prime minister noted that Iraq’s population growth rate is at 2.3 percent.
Regarding the gender distribution across the country, Sudani said, “The number of males reached 22,784,062, comprising 50.1 percent, and the number of females is 22,623,833, accounting for 49.8 percent.”
Women comprise 11.33 percent of head of households in Iraq, while men make up the remaining 88.67 percent.
The number of housing units in Iraq reached 8,037,221 units, Sudani said, adding that the percentage of houses is 92.1 percent, the percentage of apartments is 6.6 percent, and the percentage of mud houses is 0.4 percent.
Sudani also noted that 36.1 percent of the population is under working age (15 years old), while 60.2 percent are at working age, and 3.7 percent of the population is over working age (65 years and older).
“Iraq has entered the demographic gift phase, with the working-age population reaching 60 percent,” Sudani said.
The Prime Minister did not announce the population rate in the provinces or the Kurdistan Region.
Iraq held its long-awaited population census last week. It is Iraq’s first nationwide census since 1987. It last conducted a census in 1997, but that did not include the Kurdistan Region. A census planned for 2020 was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The next phase of the census will run over the next two months, before annoucning the final results.
The final results will include detailed information on health, education, employment, and housing conditions, according to Iraqi planning ministry spokesperson Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi.