Urban Population: Iraq

Analysis# Iraq Urban Population Iraq's urban population reached 69.886% in 2024, approaching its all-time peak of 70.196% recorded in 1987. This represents a dramatic shift from 1960, when only 43.976% of Iraq's population lived in urban areas—a gain of 58.9 percentage points over six decades. The country has experienced sustained urbanization, with rural-to-urban migration driving consistent growth throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Since 2015, Iraq's urbanization rate has stabilized near the 70% mark, fluctuating minimally between 69.868% and 69.921%. The plateau suggests Iraq has largely completed its rapid urbanization phase and now maintains a mature urban population structure. Absent major demographic shifts or displacement events, Iraq's urban proportion is likely to remain stable around current levels.