Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Iraq
Iraq: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 69.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
69.9%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
104th
of 236 countries
All-time high
70.2%
in 1987
All-time low
35.0%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Iraq, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iraq is 69.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iraq peaked at 70.2% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 35.0%, in 1950.
Iraq ranks 104th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 35.0% | — |
| 1951 | 35.5% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 36.2% | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 36.9% | +2.0% |
| 1954 | 37.7% | +2.1% |
| 1955 | 38.6% | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 39.5% | +2.3% |
| 1957 | 40.4% | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 41.4% | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 42.6% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 44.0% | +3.3% |
| 1961 | 45.5% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 47.0% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 48.6% | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 50.0% | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 51.4% | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 52.5% | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 53.7% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 54.8% | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 55.9% | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 57.0% | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 58.0% | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 59.0% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 60.0% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 60.9% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 61.8% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 62.7% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 63.5% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 64.3% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 65.1% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 66.0% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 67.7% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 68.5% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 69.1% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 69.7% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 70.0% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 70.2% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 70.2% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 70.0% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 69.7% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 69.4% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 69.0% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 68.6% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 68.2% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 67.8% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 67.6% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 67.5% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 67.5% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 67.5% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 67.6% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 67.8% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 67.9% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 68.1% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 68.2% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 68.4% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 68.6% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 68.7% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 68.9% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 69.0% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 69.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 69.1% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 69.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 69.4% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.7% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 69.9% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 69.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 69.9% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 69.9% | +0.1% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 69.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 69.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 88% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 38.4% | 35.0% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 50.3% | 44.0% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 61.2% | 57.0% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.8% | 66.0% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 68.3% | 67.5% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.3% | 67.6% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.6% | 69.1% | 69.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.9% | 69.9% | 69.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
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 population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iraq?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iraq was 69.9% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 70.2% in 1987.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.0% in 1950.
- How does Iraq rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Iraq ranks 104th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.