Basra: population, jobs, health, schools, poverty and governorate budgets

Basra is a governorate of Iraq, number 3 of 18 by population. Basra had an estimated 3,305,189 people in 2023, 7.6% of Iraq's 43,324,018, which makes it 3rd largest of 18 governorates by population. This is an official projection, not a census count.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Basra: In 2024 the unemployment rate for people aged 15 and over in Basra was 18.0%, 4th highest of 18 governorates and against 13.5% for Iraq.
• Health in Basra: The Ministry of Health counted 27 hospitals in Basra in 2023: 17 government hospitals (including specialised centres with beds) and 10 private. That is 0.82 hospitals per 100,000 people, 7th lowest of 18 governorates.
• Education in Basra: Basra had 1,593 primary schools in the 2023/24 school year, with 620,027 pupils (49.2% girls) and 29,245 teachers. This covers government, private and religious schools.
• Poverty and living standards in Basra: 27.9% of people in Basra lived below the national poverty line in 2024, 4th highest of 18 governorates and against 17.5% for Iraq.
• Government budget and revenue in Basra: The Basra governorate government spent 889.8 billion Iraqi dinars on capital (investment) projects in 2024 against an approved 830.1 billion, 107% of the approved amount. It ranks 2nd highest of 14 governorates in the data.

How governorates are governed in Iraq

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.

Every tier of government in Iraq

Other governorates of Iraq

• Baghdad 9,265,213
• Nineveh 4,238,733
• Sulaymaniyah 2,457,189
• Dhi Qar 2,380,943
• Babil 2,346,696
• Erbil 2,107,755
• Anbar 2,013,300
• Diyala 1,830,503
• Kirkuk 1,815,834
• Salah al-Din 1,812,822
• Najaf 1,672,312
• Wasit 1,566,789
• Duhok 1,468,805
• Al-Qadisiyah 1,467,127
• Karbala 1,384,941
• Maysan 1,264,427
• Al-Muthanna 925,440

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Sources

• 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…)
• 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 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…)
• 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 (Ministry of Planning): Demographic and population indicators: population estimates by governorate 2020-2023, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 adcd57959fa5…)

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