Population growth (annual %) (UNICEF) in Iraq
Iraq: Population growth (annual %) (UNICEF) was 2.12 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.12
Change on year
down 5.6%
World rank
10th
of 74 countries
All-time high
4.8
in 1993
All-time low
-0.789
in 2007
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population growth in Iraq, 1961–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in Iraq stood at 2.12.
That represents a change of down 5.6% on the previous year and down 39.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Iraq peaked at 4.8 in 1993 and was at its lowest, -0.789, in 2007.
That places Iraq 10th out of 74 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (UNICEF) in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.43 | — |
| 1962 | 3 | +23.7% |
| 1963 | 3.37 | +12.2% |
| 1964 | 3.36 | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 3.38 | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 3.39 | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 3.4 | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 3.43 | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 3.44 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 3.47 | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 3.45 | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 3.44 | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 3.45 | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 3.39 | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 3.31 | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 3.27 | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 3.33 | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 3.37 | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 3.22 | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 3.15 | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 3 | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 2.81 | -6.3% |
| 1983 | 2.97 | +5.6% |
| 1984 | 3.12 | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 2.41 | -22.9% |
| 1986 | 2.46 | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 2.74 | +11.4% |
| 1988 | 2.32 | -15.4% |
| 1989 | 2.66 | +14.6% |
| 1990 | 1.24 | -53.4% |
| 1991 | 1.05 | -15.1% |
| 1992 | 2.96 | +181.1% |
| 1993 | 4.8 | +62.3% |
| 1994 | 4.77 | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 3.35 | -29.8% |
| 1996 | 3.19 | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 3.09 | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 3.14 | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 3.23 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 3.28 | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 3.12 | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 3.16 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 3.02 | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 2.85 | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 2.96 | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 0.7333 | -75.3% |
| 2007 | -0.789 | -207.6% |
| 2008 | 2.02 | -356.0% |
| 2009 | 3.68 | +82.3% |
| 2010 | 3.23 | -12.3% |
| 2011 | 3.53 | +9.3% |
| 2012 | 4.54 | +28.5% |
| 2013 | 4.72 | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 3.53 | -25.2% |
| 2015 | 2.73 | -22.8% |
| 2016 | 2.39 | -12.3% |
| 2017 | 2.23 | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 2.33 | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 2.28 | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 2.22 | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 2.24 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 2.29 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 2.25 | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 2.12 | -5.6% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 2.12 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.337, 6.3× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 2.12 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.57, 1.4× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNICEF) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +356.0% | -0.789 | 2.02 |
| 2007 | -207.6% | 0.7333 | -0.789 |
| 1992 | +181.1% | 1.05 | 2.96 |
| 2009 | +82.3% | 2.02 | 3.68 |
| 2006 | -75.3% | 2.96 | 0.7333 |
| 1993 | +62.3% | 2.96 | 4.8 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.24 | 2.43 | 3.44 | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.37 | 3.22 | 3.47 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.76 | 2.32 | 3.15 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.08 | 1.05 | 4.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4 | -0.789 | 3.68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.15 | 2.23 | 4.72 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.23 | 2.12 | 2.29 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 7 Malta 2.87 compare
- 8 Palestine 2.36 compare
- 9 Armenia 2.31 compare
- 11 Uzbekistan 1.97 compare
- 12 Tajikistan 1.92 compare
- 13 Turkmenistan 1.75 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)
- Population growth rate 0.169 (2100)
- Population density 231.84 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.99 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Iraq?
- Population growth in Iraq was 2.12 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 4.8 in 1993.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.789 in 2007.
- How does Iraq rank for population growth?
- Iraq ranks 10th out of 74 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).