Shafaq News/ The Nineveh Directorate of Statistics announced, on Monday, the completion of the third phase of the national census in two administrative units, making them the first in Iraq to finish this phase.

Nofal Suleiman, the Directorate’s manager, told Shafaq News that the third phase of the census has been fully completed in both the village of Wana and the center of Al-Hadhar District.

"Both Wana and Al-Hadhar are the first units in Iraq to complete the third phase of the census," Suleiman said, noting that Nineveh had already led the country in completing the first two phases of the census, and based on current indicators, it is expected to also lead in the third phase.

The population of Ninawa is estimated to be around 4 million people.

Iraq recently completed a nationwide census for the first time since 1987, following years of war and political instability that had hindered such efforts. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stated that the preliminary results of the census show the population of Iraq has reached 45.4 million, including foreign nationals and refugees.

According to the Central Statistical Organization, the country’s population is expected to exceed 51 million by 2030.