Regions of Iraq: population and official figures
Iraq is divided into 18 regions. The largest by population is Baghdad with 9,265,213 people (21.4% of the total); the smallest is Al-Muthanna with 925,440. Population figures are official 2023 projections from the Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems. Health data are from the Ministry of Health 2023 report. Kurdistan Region governorates are missing from the school and budget tables because those sources do not cover them.
Who governs Iraq's regions?
Kurdistan Region (federal region with 4 governorates): Kurdistan Parliament directly elected; it forms the Kurdistan Regional Government. Own security forces, laws and budget within the federal Constitution.
How local power works in Iraq · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 18 regions, largest first
| # | Region | Population | Year | Growth (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baghdad | 9,265,213 | 2023 | +2.9% |
| 2 | Nineveh | 4,238,733 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 3 | Basra | 3,305,189 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 4 | Sulaymaniyah | 2,457,189 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 5 | Dhi Qar | 2,380,943 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 6 | Babil | 2,346,696 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 7 | Erbil | 2,107,755 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 8 | Anbar | 2,013,300 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 9 | Diyala | 1,830,503 | 2023 | +0.9% |
| 10 | Kirkuk | 1,815,834 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 11 | Salah al-Din | 1,812,822 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 12 | Najaf | 1,672,312 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 13 | Wasit | 1,566,789 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 14 | Duhok | 1,468,805 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 15 | Al-Qadisiyah | 1,467,127 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 16 | Karbala | 1,384,941 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 17 | Maysan | 1,264,427 | 2023 | +2.5% |
| 18 | Al-Muthanna | 925,440 | 2023 | +2.5% |
Cities: the largest cities of Iraq.
More on Iraq: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning): Demographic and population indicators: population estimates by governorate 2020-2023, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 adcd57959fa5…)
- Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning): Employment and unemployment indicators: rates by governorate 2014, 2016 and 2024 (household socio-economic surveys), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7895d40228d9…)
- Ministry of Health, Iraq (Planning and Resources Development Department): Annual Statistical Report 2023 (tables 1-1, 3-4, 3-43, 4-1, 4-11, 4-15, 5-1, 5-3, 5-2, 6-3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b0bd2930683c…)
- Ministry of Planning and Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems, with UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI): Multidimensional Poverty in Iraq 2024: Analytical Report (Table 4, Table 16, Annex 2, Annex 3), based on the Iraq Household Socio-Economic Survey 2023-24, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2918b603f085…)
- Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems with the Ministry of Education: Primary education statistics in Iraq (excluding the Kurdistan Region), school year 2023/2024, tables 5, 6, 8, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0329a6fdef93…)
- Ministry of Finance, Iraq: Open Budget: Global Budget Trends 2015-2024, approved budget and actual spend by entity (governorates), in Iraqi dinars, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 42a1e38e626e…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.