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.