Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Iraq

Iraq: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 69.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
69.9%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
106th
of 238 countries
All-time high
70.2%
in 1987
All-time low
2.5%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025

Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Iraq, 1000–2025

020406080100015122025

Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2025, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Iraq stood at 69.9%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Iraq peaked at 70.2% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1000.

That places Iraq 106th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1000s 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 1
1100s 2.6% 2.6% 2.6% 1
1200s 2.8% 2.8% 2.8% 1
1300s 2.9% 2.9% 2.9% 1
1400s 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 1
1500s 3.2% 3.2% 3.2% 1
1600s 3.4% 3.4% 3.4% 1
1700s 3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 1
1710s 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 1
1720s 4.3% 4.3% 4.3% 1
1730s 4.7% 4.7% 4.7% 1
1740s 5.2% 5.2% 5.2% 1
1750s 5.7% 5.7% 5.7% 1
1760s 6.2% 6.2% 6.2% 1
1770s 6.8% 6.8% 6.8% 1
1780s 7.5% 7.5% 7.5% 1
1790s 8.2% 8.2% 8.2% 1
1800s 9.0% 9.0% 9.0% 1
1810s 9.8% 9.8% 9.8% 1
1820s 10.8% 10.8% 10.8% 1
1830s 11.8% 11.8% 11.8% 1
1840s 12.9% 12.9% 12.9% 1
1850s 14.1% 14.1% 14.1% 1
1860s 15.5% 15.5% 15.5% 1
1870s 17.0% 17.0% 17.0% 1
1880s 18.6% 18.6% 18.6% 1
1890s 20.3% 20.3% 20.3% 1
1900s 22.3% 22.3% 22.3% 1
1910s 24.4% 24.4% 24.4% 1
1920s 26.7% 26.7% 26.7% 1
1930s 29.3% 29.3% 29.3% 1
1940s 32.1% 32.1% 32.1% 1
1950s 38.4% 35.0% 42.6% 10
1960s 50.3% 44.0% 55.9% 10
1970s 61.2% 57.0% 65.1% 10
1980s 68.8% 66.0% 70.2% 10
1990s 68.3% 67.5% 69.7% 10
2000s 68.3% 67.6% 69.0% 10
2010s 69.6% 69.1% 69.9% 10
2020s 69.9% 69.9% 69.9% 6

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 103 Tunisia 70.7% compare
  2. 104 Hungary 70.7% compare
  3. 105 Paraguay 70.4% compare
  4. 107 Austria 69.7% compare
  5. 108 Italy 69.7% compare
  6. 109 Ukraine 69.6% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More reference data data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Iraq?
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Iraq was 69.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 70.2% in 1987.
What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1000.
How does Iraq rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
Iraq ranks 106th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iraq data come from?
The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Do more people live in urban or rural areas?
Unit
%
Source
HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
239 places, 24,444 data points, 1000–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modelled historical data.