Rural population in Iraq
Iraq: Rural population was 30.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Iraq, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Iraq stood at 30.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Iraq peaked at 56.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 29.8%, in 1987.
Iraq ranks 128th of 217 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 56.0% | — |
| 1961 | 54.5% | -2.7% |
| 1962 | 53.0% | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 51.4% | -2.9% |
| 1964 | 50.0% | -2.8% |
| 1965 | 48.6% | -2.6% |
| 1966 | 47.5% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 46.3% | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 45.2% | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 44.1% | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 43.0% | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 42.0% | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 41.0% | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 40.0% | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 39.1% | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 38.2% | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 37.3% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 36.5% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 35.7% | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 34.9% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 34.0% | -2.5% |
| 1981 | 33.1% | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 32.3% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 31.5% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 30.9% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 30.3% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 30.0% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 29.8% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 29.8% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 30.0% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 30.3% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 30.6% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 31.0% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 31.4% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 31.8% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 32.4% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 32.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 32.5% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 32.5% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 32.4% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 32.2% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 32.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 31.9% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 31.8% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 31.6% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 31.4% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 31.3% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 31.1% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 31.0% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 30.9% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 30.8% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 30.6% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 30.3% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 30.1% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 30.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 30.1% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 30.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 30.1% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.7% | 44.1% | 56.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 38.8% | 34.9% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.2% | 29.8% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.7% | 30.3% | 32.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.7% | 31.0% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.4% | 30.1% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.1% | 30.1% | 30.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More agriculture & rural data for Iraq
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -8.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0341 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 184.67 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3006 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2016)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.1% (2014)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Iraq?
- Rural population in Iraq was 30.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 56.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.8% in 1987.
- How does Iraq rank for rural population?
- Iraq ranks 128th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.