Natural population growth rate in Iraq
Iraq: Natural population growth rate was 2.2% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
2.2%
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
40th
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.5%
in 1971
All-time low
1.6%
in 1957
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Natural population growth rate in Iraq, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, natural population growth rate in Iraq stood at 2.2%.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in Iraq peaked at 3.5% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1957.
Iraq ranks 40th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Natural population growth rate in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.0% | — |
| 1951 | 2.2% | +11.3% |
| 1952 | 2.5% | +15.8% |
| 1953 | 2.6% | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 2.2% | -15.4% |
| 1956 | 2.3% | +5.3% |
| 1957 | 1.6% | -28.6% |
| 1958 | 1.8% | +8.2% |
| 1959 | 2.1% | +21.1% |
| 1960 | 2.2% | +3.7% |
| 1961 | 2.6% | +15.9% |
| 1962 | 3.3% | +30.0% |
| 1963 | 3.3% | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 3.3% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 3.4% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 3.4% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 3.4% | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 3.5% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 3.5% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 3.4% | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 3.3% | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 3.3% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 3.3% | -1.3% |
| 1979 | 3.3% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 3.1% | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 3.0% | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 3.0% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 3.0% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 2.8% | -4.7% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 3.2% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 3.2% | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -8.2% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -1.1% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 2.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.8%, 2.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 2.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.3%, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural population growth rate in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +30.0% | 2.6% | 3.3% |
| 1957 | -28.6% | 2.3% | 1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 37 Sierra Leone 2.2% compare
- 38 Solomon Islands 2.2% compare
- 39 Equatorial Guinea 2.2% compare
- 41 Tajikistan 2.2% compare
- 42 Comoros 2.1% compare
- 43 Gabon 2.1% compare
More population data for Iraq
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.65 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,515 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.07 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4379 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 231.84 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.99 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is natural population growth rate in Iraq?
- Natural population growth rate in Iraq was 2.2% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 1971.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1957.
- How does Iraq rank for natural population growth rate?
- Iraq ranks 40th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.