Iraq Cities by Population 2026

Iraq Overview

The largest city in Iraq is Baghdad, with a population of 8,001,223 people.

Iraq is one of the world’s most populous countries, ranking 33rd with a population of just over 48 million. This country has many major cities that contribute heavily to this total population count. The largest city in the country is Baghdad, which has a population of over 8M. Its next most populous city, Basra, has a population of over 1.6M - a respectable number but still less than half of the population found in Baghdad. These are not the only cities with populations exceeding 1,000,000. There are three other cities that have populations of over 1,000,000, and these cities are Mosul, Erbil, and Kirkuk.

Iraq has 31% of its population living in the rural areas of the country. In 1960, this number was at 57%, and it has declined and will continue to decline as more people move away from rural areas to pursue employment in the larger urban areas, as well as migrants that move to the country for these same opportunities. Iraq’s population has not stopped growing over the last few decades, and it currently has a very healthy growth rate. Because of this continued population growth, it will be interesting to see how the population of the country as a whole, as well as its major cities, will handle the added inhabitants.