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.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.9% | — |
| 1955 | 17.2% | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | +14.9% |
| 1965 | 23.8% | +20.5% |
| 1970 | 24.0% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 24.4% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 25.1% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 24.6% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 24.9% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 23.0% | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 21.7% | -5.7% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | -13.0% |
| 2010 | 18.2% | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 16.7% | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | -0.2% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 16.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25.9%, 64% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 16.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 22.7%, 73% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
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
- 133 Guadeloupe 17.1% compare
- 135 Indonesia 16.5% compare
- 136 Tajikistan 16.2% compare
- 137 Afghanistan 15.9% 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 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.