Sulaymaniyah: population, jobs, health, schools, poverty and governorate budgets
Sulaymaniyah is a governorate of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, number 4 of 18 by population. Sulaymaniyah had an estimated 2,457,189 people in 2023, 5.7% of Iraq's 43,324,018, which makes it 4th largest of 18 governorates by population. This is an official projection, not a census count.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Sulaymaniyah: In 2024 the unemployment rate for people aged 15 and over in Sulaymaniyah was 13.6%, 9th lowest of 18 governorates and against 13.5% for Iraq.
- Health in Sulaymaniyah: The Ministry of Health counted 79 hospitals in Sulaymaniyah in 2023: 50 government hospitals (including specialised centres with beds) and 29 private. That is 3.22 hospitals per 100,000 people, the highest of 18 governorates.
- Poverty and living standards in Sulaymaniyah: 7.9% of people in Sulaymaniyah lived below the national poverty line in 2024, 2nd lowest of 18 governorates and against 17.5% for Iraq.
Is the population of Sulaymaniyah growing?
The official estimate for Sulaymaniyah rose from 2,396,206 in 2022 to 2,457,189 in 2023, a rise of 2.5%, and by 7.9% since 2020 (2,277,171). 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 Sulaymaniyah live in rural areas?
The Ministry of Health projects that 15.3% of people in Sulaymaniyah lived in rural areas in 2023 and 84.7% in urban areas, against 30.1% rural across Iraq. It ranks 2nd lowest of 18 governorates for rural share.
Source: Ministry of Health, Iraq (Planning and Resources Development Department) · saved copyHow many children are out of school in Sulaymaniyah?
12.4% of people in Sulaymaniyah were deprived on school attendance in 2024, meaning they live in a household with a school-age child out of school, against 26.1% across Iraq (the lowest of 18 governorates).
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 many years of schooling do people in Sulaymaniyah have?
26.6% of people in Sulaymaniyah were deprived on years of schooling in 2024, an indicator of the national multidimensional poverty index, against 31.5% across Iraq (3rd lowest of 18 governorates).
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 governorate of the Kurdistan Regions 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 governorate of the Kurdistan Regions of Iraq
- Baghdad 9,265,213
- Nineveh 4,238,733
- Basra 3,305,189
- 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 (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 (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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