Population of the Kurdistan Region Reaches 6.5 Million; Erbil Surpasses Sulaymaniyah and Halabja Combined

26-11-2025 12:31

Peregraf – New population statistics released by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning show significant demographic shifts across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, according to the general census conducted on October 20, 2024. The total population of Iraq has reached 46,118,793, including 6,519,129 residents in the four governorates of the Kurdistan Region: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja. The Kurdistan Region now represents 14.13% of Iraq’s population.

Erbil Becomes the Most Populous Governorate in the Kurdistan Region

According to the census, Erbil governorate has recorded a population of 2,517,534, overtaking the combined population of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja for the first time. The two eastern governorates together have 2,401,724 residents. This marks a demographic shift, as Sulaymaniyah and Halabja were previously ahead of Erbil. Erbil now has 115,810 more people than the two governorates combined.

Duhok governorate follows with 1,599,871 residents.

Urbanization at 85% in the Kurdistan Region

The census data highlights a high degree of urbanization in the Kurdistan Region, where 85% of the population lives in cities and only 15% in rural areas.
A total of 5,513,276 people reside in urban areas, while 1,005,853 live in villages.

Breakdown by governorate:

  • Duhok: 1,273,546 urban (80%), 326,325 rural (20%)
  • Sulaymaniyah & Halabja: 2,137,095 urban (89%), 264,629 rural (11%)
  • Erbil: 2,102,635 urban (84%), 414,899 rural (16%)

Iraq’s Urban-Rural Divide

In the rest of Iraq’s governorates, the rural population is significantly higher. Out of 39,599,664 people living outside the Kurdistan Region, 26,850,373 are urban residents (68%) and 12,749,291 live in rural areas (32%).

Gender Distribution

Nationally, males represent 50.22% of the population and females 49.78%. However, females outnumber males in several governorates, including Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, Anbar, and Saladin.

Examples include:

  • Kirkuk: 1,022,866 females vs. 1,011,761 males
  • Nineveh: 2,134,758 females vs. 2,127,222 males

Baghdad Approaches 10 Million Residents

All Iraqi and Kurdistan Region governorates now have populations above one million. Baghdad remains the largest, with 9,780,429 residents. Muthanna is the smallest, at 1,043,087.

After Baghdad, Nineveh ranks second with 4,261,980, followed by Basra with 3,664,168.
Erbil is the fourth-largest governorate in Iraq, Sulaymaniyah ranks seventh, Kirkuk eighth, and Duhok fifteenth.

Population by Governorate

  • Baghdad: 9,780,429
  • Nineveh: 4,261,980
  • Basra: 3,664,168
  • Erbil: 2,517,534
  • Dhi Qar: 2,499,468
  • Babil: 2,482,324
  • Sulaymaniyah & Halabja: 2,401,724
  • Kirkuk: 2,034,627
  • Anbar: 2,004,418
  • Najaf: 1,950,833
  • Diyala: 1,934,504
  • Saladin: 1,774,542
  • Karbala: 1,754,065
  • Wasit: 1,643,406
  • Duhok: 1,599,871
  • Diwaniyah: 1,477,310
  • Maysan: 1,294,503
  • Muthanna: 1,043,087