Maysan: population, jobs, health, schools, poverty and governorate budgets
Maysan is a governorate of Iraq, number 17 of 18 by population. Maysan had an estimated 1,264,427 people in 2023, 2.9% of Iraq's 43,324,018, which makes it 2nd smallest of 18 governorates by population. This is an official projection, not a census count.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Maysan: In 2024 the unemployment rate for people aged 15 and over in Maysan was 20.0%, 3rd highest of 18 governorates and against 13.5% for Iraq.
- Health in Maysan: The Ministry of Health counted 13 hospitals in Maysan in 2023: 11 government hospitals (including specialised centres with beds) and 2 private. That is 1.03 hospitals per 100,000 people, 8th highest of 18 governorates.
- Education in Maysan: Maysan had 761 primary schools in the 2023/24 school year, with 339,386 pupils (46.2% girls) and 15,530 teachers. This covers government, private and religious schools.
- Poverty and living standards in Maysan: 16.3% of people in Maysan lived below the national poverty line in 2024, 7th lowest of 18 governorates and against 17.5% for Iraq.
- Government budget and revenue in Maysan: The Maysan governorate government spent 209.3 billion Iraqi dinars on capital (investment) projects in 2024 against an approved 176.7 billion, 118% of the approved amount. It ranks 3rd lowest of 14 governorates in the data.
Is the population of Maysan growing?
The official estimate for Maysan rose from 1,233,053 in 2022 to 1,264,427 in 2023, a rise of 2.5%, and by 7.9% since 2020 (1,171,802). The estimate for all of Iraq grew by 2.5% in 2023.
Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copyHow many people in Maysan live in rural areas?
The Ministry of Health projects that 26.1% of people in Maysan lived in rural areas in 2023 and 73.9% in urban areas, against 30.1% rural across Iraq. It ranks joint 6th lowest of 18 governorates for rural share.
Source: Ministry of Health, Iraq (Planning and Resources Development Department) · saved copyWhat is the dependency ratio in Maysan?
In 2024 Maysan had 76 dependants (children under 15 and people over 64) for every 100 people aged 15 to 64, against 65 for Iraq. That is the highest of 17 governorates with a published figure.
Source: Ministry of Planning and Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems, with UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) · saved copyHow 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
- Basra 3,305,189
- 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
- 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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