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Highlights from the Iraqi Census: A Focus on the Kurdistan Region

According to the nationwide Iraqi census conducted on November 20–21, the Kurdistan Region’s population stands at 6,370,668, accounting for 14% of Iraq’s total population of 45,407,895. While this figure includes internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, the precise proportion of these groups within Kurdistan’s population remains unclear.
Demographic Breakdown
- Gender Distribution:
- Males: 3,200,506 (50.4%)
- Females: 3,170,162 (49.6%)
- Urban-Rural Distribution:
- Urban residents: 84%
- Rural residents: 16%
- Age Distribution:
- Under 15 years: 31.9%
- Ages 15–64 years: 63.7%
- 65 years and above: 4.4%
Housing and Families
- Total Families: 1,379,163
- Housing Units: 2,028,937
- Average Family Size: 4.6 persons
- Population Growth Rate: 2.48%
Key Iraq vs. Kurdistan Comparative Points from Preliminary Census Data

Household Composition
- Kurdistan: Average household size is 4.6 persons.
- Iraq: Average household size is 5.3 persons.
Urban vs. Rural Settlement
- Kurdistan: 84% urban, 16% rural.
- Iraq: 70.3% urban, 29.7% rural.
Age Structure
- Working-age population (15–64 years):
- Kurdistan: 63.7%
- Iraq: 60.2%
- Youth population (under 15 years):
- Kurdistan: 31.9%
- Iraq: 36.1%
Demographic Indicators
- Population Growth Rate:
- Kurdistan: 2.48%
- Iraq: 2.3%
Notable Observation: Methodological Differences in Growth Rate Calculation
- Kurdistan: The growth rate reflects absolute growth, providing a localized snapshot.
- Iraq: The growth rate is calculated relative to 2009 data.
This methodological inconsistency might explain why Kurdistan shows a higher growth rate despite Iraq’s larger household size (5.3 vs. 4.6) and higher percentage of youth under 15 (36.1% vs. 31.9%). A unified methodology is required to accurately compare growth rates between Iraq and Kurdistan.