Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iraq
Iraq: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 16.6% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iraq, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 16.6% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iraq peaked at 25.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 16.6%, in 2020.
Iraq ranks 134th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.0% | 16.9% | 17.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 21.7% | 19.7% | 23.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 24.2% | 24.0% | 24.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 24.8% | 24.6% | 25.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 23.9% | 23.0% | 24.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 20.3% | 18.9% | 21.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 17.4% | 16.7% | 18.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 16.6% | 16.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 131 Cuba 17.7% compare
- 132 United Kingdom 17.2% compare
- 135 Indonesia 16.5% compare
- 136 Tajikistan 16.2% compare
- 137 Afghanistan 15.9% compare
More population data for Iraq
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.99 million people (2100)
- Population density 231.84 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.22 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 318,461 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.22 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.22 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 2.2% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.25 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iraq?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iraq was 16.6% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 1980.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.6% in 2020.
- How does Iraq rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Iraq ranks 134th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.