The Iraqi people (; ) are people originating from the country of Iraq.
Iraqi Arabs are the largest ethnic group in Iraq, followed by Iraqi Kurds, then Iraqi Turkmen as the third largest ethnic group in the country. A minority of indigenous ethnic Assyrians also continue to exist in the country. 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.
The most spoken languages are Mesopotamian Arabic, Kurdish, Assyrian Syriac and Iraqi Turkmen dialects. The percentages of the different ethno-religious groups of Iraq vary from source to source due to the lack of recent official data.
After several postponements, the latest national census was held on 20 and 21 November 2024, with a total number of 120,000 field researchers who executed the census in all governorates on the set date. The detailed results, announced on 24 February 2025, showed that the Iraqi population had risen to 46,118,793, with 101 Male for every 100 Female. Named the ‘General Population and Housing Census’, it did not include a questionnaire on ethnicity, and was specifically designed to provide official data for developmental and welfare purposes.
Population
Structure of the population
Structure of the population (17.10.1997) (Official) Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 10,987,252 11,058,992 22,046,244 100 0–4 1,907,322 1,862,248 3,769,570 17.10 5–9 1,688,130 1,627,076 3,315,206 15.04 10–14 1,421,683 1,363,313 2,784,996 12.63 15–19 1,290,386 1,243,525 2,533,911 11.49 20–24 1,016,867 1,025,804 2,042,671 9.27 25–29 847,383 872,810 1,720,193 7.80 30–34 679,211 708,439 1,387,650 6.29 35–39 412,940 484,993 897,933 4.07 40–44 428,413 453,425 881,838 4.00 45–49 326,666 349,381 676,047 3.07 50–54 263,237 255,955 519,192 2.36 55–59 214,561 208,597 423,158 1.92 60–64 134,527 156,316 290,843 1.32 65–69 123,136 146,658 269,794 1.22 70–74 81,818 110,811 192,629 0.87 75–79 54,984 68,775 123,759 0.56 80-84 38,137 45,719 83,856 0.38 85+ 31,951 46,389 78,340 0.36 Unknown 25,900 28,758 54,658 0.25Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 5,017,135 4,852,637 9,869,772 44.77 15–64 5,614,191 5,759,245 11,373,436 51.59 65+ 330,026 418,352 748,378 3.39
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 20 135 407 19 719 025 39 854 432 100 0–4 3 001 938 2 845 630 5 847 568 14.67 5–9 2 801 593 2 637 323 5 438 915 13.65 10–14 2 503 802 2 337 380 4 841 183 12.15 15–19 2 196 837 2 075 647 4 272 484 10.72 20–24 1 918 965 1 770 996 3 689 961 9.26 25–29 1 505 098 1 463 422 2 968 520 7.45 30–34 1 317 918 1 356 230 2 674 148 6.71 35–39 1 123 350 1 184 338 2 307 688 5.79 40–44 1 059 298 1 073 442 2 132 741 5.35 45–49 782 854 806 097 1 588 951 3.99 50–54 461 586 574 816 1 036 401 2.60 55–59 524 741 549 131 1 073 872 2.69 60–64 361 381 394 984 756 365 1.90 65-69 237 890 247 820 485 710 1.22 70-74 155 203 156 175 311 378 0.78 75-79 81 749 98 501 180 250 0.45 80+ 101 202 147 093 248 296 0.62Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 8 307 333 7 820 333 16 127 666 40.47 15–64 11 252 030 11 249 103 22 501 133 56.46 65+ 576 044 649 589 1 225 633 3.08
Vital statistics UN estimates (based on UN WPP Revision 2024)
YearLive births per yearDeaths per yearNatural changeCBR1CDR1NC1IMR1Total fertility rateLife expectancy (years)1950 259,000 142,000 117,00045.725.120.6222.06.2038.981951 270,000 137,000 133,00046.723.823.0210.26.4040.651952 293,000 136,000 157,00049.423.026.4199.16.8442.201953 297,000 134,000 163,00048.822.026.8188.56.8443.711954 297,000 130,000 167,00047.620.826.7178.56.7645.211955 267,000 123,000 144,00041.719.222.5169.06.0046.581956 271,000 117,000 154,00041.417.823.6160.16.0047.881957 220,000 107,000 113,00032.916.016.9151.64.8049.211958 224,000 101,000 123,00032.914.818.1143.74.8050.411959 252,000 101,000 151,00036.414.621.8136.35.3051.031960 257,00098,000 159,00036.313.922.4129.45.3052.621961 289,000 100,000 189,00039.713.826.0123.15.8053.411962 352,000 105,000 247,00047.114.033.0117.26.8754.331963 363,000 109,000 254,00046.914.032.8111.86.9054.951964 373,000 110,000 263,00046.713.832.9107.46.9355.631965 384,000 109,000 275,00046.413.233.2102.16.9556.621966 395,000 109,000 286,00046.212.833.497.76.9757.351967 408,000 108,000 299,00046.112.233.893.57.0058.371968 422,000 110,000 312,00046.112.034.189.97.0558.781969 438,000 110,000 328,00046.211.634.686.07.1059.321970 450,000 110,000 340,00045.811.234.682.67.0860.191971 461,000 109,000 352,00045.410.734.779.07.0660.911972 471,000 110,000 362,00044.810.434.476.07.0161.391973 481,000 109,000 372,00044.310.034.273.06.9662.031974 492,000 117,000 375,00043.710.433.470.46.9360.901975 500,000 116,000 384,00043.010.033.067.76.8861.461976 508,000 108,000 400,00042.39.033.364.66.8163.721977 516,000 108,000 408,00041.68.732.962.16.7564.231978 525,000 110,000 416,00041.08.532.459.86.6964.401979 536,000 110,000 426,00040.48.332.157.76.6364.791980 546,000 128,000 418,00040.09.430.655.76.5761.501981 560,000 143,000 417,00039.810.129.653.86.5159.331982 573,000 143,000 429,00039.59.929.652.16.4559.731983 586,000 144,000 442,00039.49.729.750.56.3960.061984 607,000 147,000 460,00039.59.629.949.16.3360.221985 620,000 148,000 472,00039.19.329.747.76.2560.681986 626,000 149,000 477,00038.89.229.646.46.1860.871987 642,000 151,000 491,00038.59.029.545.36.1061.181988 662,000 184,000 477,00038.810.828.049.26.0257.471989 683,000 187,000 495,00039.110.728.453.35.9458.241990 713,606 195,036 518,57040.611.129.552.25.9357.591991 709,928 159,782 550,14640.09.031.046.25.8261.341992 722,490 130,586 591,90439.57.132.441.15.7265.341993 740,741 134,050 606,69138.67.031.640.35.6165.311994 777,798 143,447 634,35138.67.131.539.75.4965.031995 791,944 148,967 642,97738.06.631.439.15.3664.761996 806,382 153,509 652,87337.57.130.438.45.2564.621997 828,117 160,529 667,58837.37.230.137.95.1964.241998 846,632 162,481 684,15137.07.129.936.95.1164.401999 867,442 165,274 702,16836.77.029.736.35.0364.532000 881,887 166,114 740,00036.16.829.335.64.9264.862001 895,715 165,992 729,72335.56.529.034.94.8065.292002 904,796 165,371 739,42534.86.428.434.24.6765.722003 925,338 179,174 746,16434.56.727.833.64.5364.832004 947,136 185,575 761,56134.36.727.632.94.4564.632005 964,267 187,649 776,61833.96.727.232.34.4564.902006 1,000,546 203,198 797,34835.07.127.931.64.4664.032007 979,591 195,477 784,11434.56.927.630.84.4064.432008 974,582 172,477 802,10533.66.027.630.14.3766.472009 1,019,814 164,730 855,08433.95.528.429.34.3867.832010 1,074,309 167,937 906,37234.65.429.228.64.4668.092011 1,141,502 170,419 971,08335.55.330.227.74.5968.442012 1,172,290 172,325 999,96534.85.129.726.94.5468.832013 1,204,531 178,486 1,026,04534.15.129.026.24.4469.0520141,218,190 177,4461,040,74433.34.928.425.24.3169.682015 1,185,490 177,919 1,007,57131.64.726.626.94.0869.982016 1,146,998 200,060 946,93829.85.224.623.73.8468.6820171,113,403188,913929,49028.34.823.523.03.6469.7920181,113,895175,615938,28027.74.423.322.43.5571.1220191,122,563179,603942,96027.34.422.921.83.4871.2520201,130,421210,459919,96226.85.021.821.03.4269.6520211,139,167197,242941,92526.44.621.820.33.3670.7020221,145,989183,525962,46426.04.221.819.73.2972.0420231,159,682186,266973,41625.74.121.619.03.2572.3220241,177,772191,811985,96125.64.221.418.73.2272.4220251,187,570197,210990,36025.34.221.118.33.1772.53 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
Total fertility rate
Age groups19972006 15–19 56.2 68 20–24 210 187 25–29 276.2 221 30–34 257.9 188 35–39 196.5 136 40–44 101.4 56 45–49 31 9 Total 1,128.2 865 TFR 4.3
Years 1925192619271928192919301931193219331934Total Fertility Rate in Iraq7.137.177.217.257.297.337.377.417.457.48 Years 1935193619371938193919401941194219431944Total Fertility Rate in Iraq7.527.567.607.647.687.727.767.807.847.88 Years 19451946194719481949Total Fertility Rate in Iraq7.917.957.998.038.07
Life expectancy at birth Average life expectancy at birth of the total population.
PeriodLife expectancy inYearsPeriodLife expectancy inYears1950–195537.91985–199064.31955–196044.91990–199567.41960–196550.91995–200069.11965–197056.42000–200568.91970–197559.52005–201068.01975–198061.72010–201569.21980–198559.0
Ethnicity
Iraq's dominant ethnic group is Arabs, who account for more than three-quarters of the population.
According to the CIA World Factbook, citing a 1987 Iraqi government estimate, the population of Iraq is formed of 75-80% Arabs (including Marsh Arabs) followed by 15-20% Kurds and other minorities form 5% of the country's population, including the Turkmen, Kaka'i, Bedouins, Roma, Assyrians, 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; consequently, this skewed the number of other ethnic minorities, such as Iraq's third largest ethnic group – the Turkmen.
Languages
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 minority, in distinct dialects that differ from church affiliation and geographic origin. 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
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.
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). 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.
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". 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. About 94 percent of the population in Iraqi Kurdistan is Muslim.
See also Armenians in Iraq Assyrians in Iraq Homelessness in Iraq Iraqi diaspora Youth in Iraq
References
Further reading Zubaida, Sami. "Jews & Others in Iraq ." ISIM review 22 (2008): 6–7.
External links Population of Iraq 2023 populationpyramid
Linguist List partial inventory of languages and dialects of Iraq