Demographics of Iraq explained

Place:Iraq
Size Of Population:46,041,962 (2024)
Nation:Iraqi
Official:Arabic, Kurdish
Age 0–14 Years:37.02%
Age 65 Years:3.33%
Growth:2% (2022 est.)
Birth:34.23 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Death:3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net Migration:-0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Sr At Birth:1.05 male(s)/female
Sr Under 15:1.04 male(s)/female
Sr 65 Years Over:0.65 male(s)/female
Total Mf Ratio:1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality:19.62 deaths/1,000 live births
Life:73.18 years
Life Male:71.3 years
Life Female:75.15 years
Fertility:3.25 children born/woman (2022 est.)

The Iraqi people (Arabic: العراقيون; Kurdish: گه‌لی عیراق; Syriac: ܥܡܐ ܥܝܪܩܝܐ; Turkish: Iraklılar) are people originating from the country of Iraq.[1]

Iraqi Arabs are the largest ethnic group in Iraq,[2] followed by Iraqi Kurds, then Iraqi Turkmen as the third largest ethnic group in the country.[3] [4] Studies indicate that Mesopotamian Arabs, who make up the overwhelming majority of Iraq's population, are genetically distinct from other Arab populations in the Arabs of the Arabian peninsula.[5] [6]

The population was estimated to be 43,533,592 in 2021[7] Turkmens (3 million), Assyrians (0.5 million), Yazidis (500,000), Armenians, Marsh Arabs, and Shabaks (250,000). Other minorities include Mandaeans (3,000), Roma (50,000) and Circassians (2,000).[8] The most spoken languages are Mesopotamian Arabic, Kurdish, Assyrian Syriac and Iraqi Turkmen dialects. The percentages of different ethno-religious groups residing in Iraq vary from source to source due to the last Iraqi census having taken place over 30 years ago. A new census of Iraq was planned to take place in 2020,[9] but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] It was rescheduled to November 2022[11] [12] but was postponed again with an "electronic national population census" planned in the last quarter of 2023.[13]

Population

39,650,145 (2021 estimate),[14] (estimate), up from 31,234,000 (April 2009 IMF estimate)[15]

Vital statistics

UN estimates

Year[16] Live births per yearDeaths per yearNatural change CBR1CDR1NC1IMR1Total fertility rateLife expectancy (years)
1950259,000142,000117,00045.725.120.6222.06.2038.98
1951270,000137,000133,00046.723.823.0210.26.4040.65
1952293,000136,000157,00049.423.026.4199.16.8442.20
1953297,000134,000163,00048.822.026.8188.56.8443.71
1954297,000130,000167,00047.620.826.7178.56.7645.21
1955267,000123,000144,00041.719.222.5169.06.0046.58
1956271,000117,000154,00041.417.823.6160.16.0047.88
1957220,000107,000113,00032.916.016.9151.64.8049.21
1958224,000101,000123,00032.914.818.1143.74.8050.41
1959252,000101,000151,00036.414.621.8136.35.3051.03
1960257,00098,000159,00036.313.922.4129.45.3052.62
1961289,000100,000189,00039.713.826.0123.15.8053.41
1962352,000105,000247,00047.114.033.0117.26.8754.33
1963363,000109,000254,00046.914.032.8111.86.9054.95
1964373,000110,000263,00046.713.832.9107.46.9355.63
1965384,000109,000275,00046.413.233.2102.16.9556.62
1966395,000109,000286,00046.212.833.497.76.9757.35
1967408,000108,000299,00046.112.233.893.57.0058.37
1968422,000110,000312,00046.112.034.189.97.0558.78
1969438,000110,000328,00046.211.634.686.07.1059.32
1970450,000110,000340,00045.811.234.682.67.0860.19
1971461,000109,000352,00045.410.734.779.07.0660.91
1972471,000110,000362,00044.810.434.476.07.0161.39
1973481,000109,000372,00044.310.034.273.06.9662.03
1974492,000117,000375,00043.710.433.470.46.9360.90
1975500,000116,000384,00043.010.033.067.76.8861.46
1976508,000108,000400,00042.39.033.364.66.8163.72
1977516,000108,000408,00041.68.732.962.16.7564.23
1978525,000110,000416,00041.08.532.459.86.6964.40
1979536,000110,000426,00040.48.332.157.76.6364.79
1980546,000128,000418,00040.09.430.655.76.5761.50
1981560,000143,000417,00039.810.129.653.86.5159.33
1982573,000143,000429,00039.59.929.652.16.4559.73
1983586,000144,000442,00039.49.729.750.56.3960.06
1984607,000147,000460,00039.59.629.949.16.3360.22
1985620,000148,000472,00039.19.329.747.76.2560.68
1986626,000149,000477,00038.89.229.646.46.1860.87
1987642,000151,000491,00038.59.029.545.36.1061.18
1988662,000184,000477,00038.810.828.049.26.0257.47
1989683,000187,000495,00039.110.728.453.35.9458.24
1990708,000190,000518,00039.410.628.852.25.8858.44
1991707,000153,000554,00039.58.531.046.25.8162.52
1992722,000123,000599,00039.36.732.641.15.7266.71
1993744,000125,000619,00039.16.632.640.35.6466.90
1994782,000133,000649,00038.76.632.139.75.5366.74
1995796,000138,000658,00038.06.631.439.15.4066.46
1996810,000142,000668,00037.46.630.938.45.2966.39
1997835,000150,000685,00037.46.730.737.95.2465.84
1998853,000156,000697,00037.06.830.336.95.1565.49
1999873,000154,000719,00036.76.530.236.35.0666.18
2000891,000152,000740,00036.36.230.135.64.9566.82
2001905,000154,000752,00035.66.029.634.94.8467.03
2002916,000156,000759,00035.06.029.034.24.7167.08
2003937,000175,000761,00034.66.528.133.64.6265.64
2004963,000186,000776,00034.66.727.932.94.5865.03
2005975,000193,000782,00034.06.727.332.34.4864.84
2006998,000213,000785,00033.87.226.631.64.4463.59
2007976,000210,000766,00033.67.226.430.84.3763.55
2008972,000193,000779,00033.56.726.830.14.3464.94
20091,019,000184,000836,00033.76.127.629.34.3666.45
20101,071,000183,000888,00034.35.928.428.64.4367.06
20111,132,000182,000950,00035.15.629.427.74.5467.66
20121,159,000184,000974,00034.65.529.126.94.4868.02
20131,192,000191,0001,001,00033.85.428.426.24.3868.25
20141,216,000190,0001,026,00033.15.227.925.24.2868.91
20151,193,000187,0001,006,00031.65.026.624.54.0969.44
20161,168,000199,000970,00030.25.125.023.73.9068.99
20171,146,000184,000962,00028.94.624.323.03.7370.41
20181,154,000174,000980,00028.44.324.122.43.6671.51
20191,168,000179,000989,00028.14.323.821.83.6071.58
20201,179,000223,000957,00027.75.222.521.03.5569.12
20211,192,000207,000985,00027.44.822.620.33.5070.38
1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1,000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1,000); NC = natural change (per 1,000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1,000 births

Fertility ages average in 1997–2006

Age groups[17] [18] 19972006
15–1956.268
20–24210187
25–29276.2221
30–34257.9188
35–39196.5136
40–44101.456
45–49319
Total1,128.2865
TFR4.3

Life expectancy at birth

Average life expectancy at age 0 of the total population.[19]

PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195537.91985–199064.3
1955–196044.91990–199567.4
1960–196550.91995–200069.1
1965–197056.42000–200568.9
1970–197559.52005–201068.0
1975–198061.72010–201569.2
1980–198559.0

Structure of the population

Structure of the population (1 July 2013) (Estimates):[20]

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total17,710,75017,083,44434,794,194100
0–42,495,1312,405,8624,900,99314.09
5–92,374,9082,191,8074,566,71413.12
10–142,232,7122,048,8914,281,60312.31
15–191,937,7141,825,9633,763,67710.82
20–241,701,8841,593,6793,295,5639.47
25–291,424,7391,316,4622,741,2017.88
30–341,176,4331,134,8822,311,3166.64
35–39983,5701,044,3252,027,8955.83
40–44933,785897,9361,831,7225.26
45–49746,884763,3111,510,1954.34
50–54508,498562,2741,070,7723.08
55–59356,581393,511750,0932.16
60–64345,830378,456724,2852.08
65–69187,626218,991406,6171.17
70–74133,277138,375271,6510.78
75–7981,74290,630172,3730.50
80+89,43678,087167,5230.48
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–148,005,3277,674,80215,680,12939.01
15–243,976,0853,829,0867,805,17119.24
25–546,900,9846,752,79713,653,78133.97
55–64788,602839,2911,627,8934.05
65+632,753794,4891,427,2423.55

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020):[21]

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total20 135 40719 719 025 39 854 432100
0–43 001 9382 845 6305 847 56814.67
5–92 801 593 2 637 3235 438 91513.65
10–142 503 8022 337 3804 841 18312.15
15–192 196 8372 075 6474 272 48410.72
20–241 918 9651 770 9963 689 9619.26
25–291 505 0981 463 4222 968 5207.45
30–341 317 9181 356 2302 674 1486.71
35–391 123 3501 184 3382 307 6885.79
40–441 059 2981 073 4422 132 7415.35
45–49782 854806 0971 588 9513.99
50–54461 586574 8161 036 4012.60
55–59524 741549 1311 073 8722.69
60–64361 381394 984756 3651.90
65-69237 890247 820485 7101.22
70-74155 203156 175311 3780.78
75-7981 74998 501180 2500.45
80+101 202147 093248 2960.62
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–148 307 3337 820 33316 127 66640.47
15–6411 252 03011 249 10322 501 13356.46
65+576 044649 5891 225 6333.08

Ethnicity

See main article: Iraqi people and Minorities in Iraq.

Iraq's dominant ethnic group are Arabs, who account for more than three-quarters of the population.

According to the CIA World Factbook, citing a 1987 Iraqi government estimate,[22] the population of Iraq is formed of 70-80% Arabs followed by 15-20% Kurds.[22] and also Marsh Arabs.

in addition, the estimate claims that other minorities form 5% of the country's population, including the Turkmen, Kaka'i, Bedouins, Roma, Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs, Circassians, Mandaeans, and Persians. However, the International Crisis Group points out that figures from the 1987 census, as well as the 1967, 1977, and 1997 censuses, "are all considered highly problematic, due to suspicions of regime manipulation" because Iraqi citizens were only allowed to indicate belonging to either the Arab or Kurdish ethnic groups;[23] consequently, this skewed the number of other ethnic minorities, such as Iraq's third largest ethnic group – the Turkmen.

Languages

See also: Languages of Iraq. Arabic and Kurdish are the two official languages of Iraq. Arabic is taught across all schools in Iraq, however in the north the Kurdish language is the most spoken. Eastern Aramaic languages, such as Syriac and Mandaic are spoken, as well as the Iraqi Turkmen language, and various other indigenous languages.

Kurdish, including several dialects, is the second largest language and has regional language status in the north of the country. Aramaic, in antiquity spoken throughout the whole country, is now only spoken by the Assyrian Chaldean minority. The Iraqi Turkmen dialect is spoken in parts of northern iraq, numerous languages of the Caucasus are also spoken by minorities, notably the Chechen community.

Religions

See main article: Religion in Iraq, Islam in Iraq and Christianity in Iraq.

The CIA World Factbook estimated in 2015 that between 95-98% of Iraqis followed Islam, with 61-64% being Shia and 29-34% being Sunni. Christianity accounted for 2%, and the rest (1-4%) practiced Yazidism, Mandaeism, and other religions.[24]

While there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, recent reporting indicates that the overall Christian population may have dropped by as much as 50 percent since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (2010 estimate).[22] The percentage of Christians has fallen from 6% in 1991 or 1.5 million to about one third of this. Estimates say there are 500,000 Christians in Iraq.[25]

Nearly all Iraqi Kurds identify as Sunni Muslims. A 2014 survey in Iraq concluded that "98% of Kurds in Iraq identified themselves as Sunnis and only 2% identified as Shias".[26] The religious differences between Sunni Arabs and Sunni Kurds are small. While 98 percent of Shia Arabs believe that visiting the shrines of saints is acceptable, 71 percent of Sunni Arabs did and 59 percent of Sunni Kurds support this practice.[26] About 94 percent of the population in Iraqi Kurdistan is Muslim.[27]

Demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[28]

Age structure

(2018 est.)

0–14 yearsmale 8,005,327/female 7,674,802
15-24 yearsmale 3,976,085/female 3,829,086
25-54 yearsmale 6,900,984/female 6,752,797
55-64 yearsmale 788,602/female 839,291
65 years and overmale 632,753/female 794,489

Ethnic groups

Arab

70-80%

Kurd

15-25%

Turkoman

9-13%

Assyrian/Chaldean and Other: 2%

Languages

Arabic (official)

Kurdish (official)

Iraqi Turkmen dialect (official only in majority speaking area)

Assyrian dialect (Neo-Aramaic) (official only in majority speaking area)

Median age

total: 20.2 years

male: 20 years

female: 20.5 years (2019 est.)

Population growth rate

2.5% (2018 est.)

Crude birth rate

30 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Crude death rate

3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.94 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Net migration rate

−1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 70.5% of total population (2018)

rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2015–20 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0–14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

55–64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

50 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total population: 37.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 34.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.9 years

male: 72.6 years

female: 77.2 years (2018 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

51.5% (2011)

Health expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2011)

Physicians density

0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

30.4% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

8.5% (2011)

Nationality

noun: Iraqi(s)

adjective: Iraqi

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.7%

male: 85.7%

female: 73.7% (2015 est.)

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Iraqi – a native or inhabitant of Iraq. Reference.com. 2010-12-10.
  2. Book: Office, Great Britain Foreign . Documents on British Foreign Policy, 1919-1939 . 1958 . H.M. Stationery Office . en.
  3. Web site: Minorities in Iraq: EU Research Service.
  4. Book: Mitchell, T. F.. Pronouncing Arabic. 1990–1993. Clarendon Press. 0198151519. Oxford [England]. 37. 18020063.
  5. Nadia Al-Zahery. Maria Pala. Vincenza Battaglia. Viola Grugni. Mohammed A. Hamod. Baharak Hooshiar Kashani. Anna Olivieri. Antonio Torroni. Augusta S. Santachiara-Benerecetti. Ornella Semino. 2011. In search of the genetic footprints of Sumerians: a survey of genetic variation in the Arabs of Iraq. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 11. 288. 10.1186/1471-2148-11-288. 3215667. 21970613 . free .
  6. Book: Cavalli-Sforza. L. Luca. The History and Geography of Human Genes. Menozzi. Paolo. Piazza. Alberto. 2018-06-05. Princeton University Press. 9780691187266. 10.2307/j.ctv301gjp. 242032876.
  7. Web site: Population, total - Iraq . . data.worldbank.org . 3 November 2019.
  8. Web site: Minorities in Iraq - European Research Service.
  9. Web site: Iraq prepping to conduct a census in 2020. rudaw.net. 2019-05-01.
  10. Web site: COVID-19 postpones Iraq's Census for the current year. shafaq.com. 2021-08-21. 2021-08-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20210821004205/https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/COVID-19-postpones-Iraq-s-Census-for-the-current-year. dead.
  11. Web site: Iraq Planning National Census for End of 2022 . Bas News . 18 March 2022.
  12. Web site: IRAQ AIMS TO START CENSUS IN NOVEMBER 2022: OFFICIAL . NRT . 18 March 2022 . 4 November 2021.
  13. Web site: Iraq to hold National Census next year Iraq Business News . iraq-business news . 4 October 2022 . 13 June 2022.
  14. Web site: Middle East :: Iraq — The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency. cia.gov. 15 May 2021.
  15. Web site: Iraq. International Monetary Fund. 2009-04-27.
  16. Web site: World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision .
  17. Web site: الجهاز المركزي للاحصاء - Demographic Statistics . 2014-03-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140305055657/http://cosit.gov.iq/en/population-manpower-staatistics/life . 2014-03-05 .
  18. Web site: UNICEF DATA - Child Statistics.
  19. Web site: World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations. esa.un.org. 2018-08-26.
  20. Web site: United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040921002557/http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm . 2004-09-21.
  21. Web site: UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics .
  22. Web site: Iraq. The World Factbook. 22 June 2014.
  23. Web site: 2008. Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds: Conflict or Cooperation?. International Crisis Group. 16. 19 June 2018. 8 August 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190808043240/http://www.genocidewatch.org/images/Iraq_08_11_13_Turkey_and_Iraqi_Kurds_Conflict_or_Cooperation.pdf. dead.
  24. Web site: 27 April 2022 . Iraq - the World Factbook . https://web.archive.org/web/20240320130209/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ . 2024-03-20.
  25. Web site: MINORITIES IN IRAQ: EU Research Service.
  26. Web site: Who are the Iraqi Kurds?. 20 August 2014 .
  27. Web site: Religious Neutrality in Iraqi Kurdistan. HuffPost. 18 June 2012.
  28. Web site: Middle East :: IRAQ. CIA The World Factbook. 2019-04-08.