Shafaq News/ Over 6,000 areas in Diyala province, northeastern Iraq, have been included in the general population census, Diyala's Director of Statistics, Ammar Al-Nuaimi, announced Wednesday.

Al-Nuaimi told Shafaq News Agency, “The census involves 5,300 researchers and 1,800 supervisors, managers, and assistants, covering more than 6,000 areas across 24 administrative units, including districts and sub-districts in Diyala.”

"The census researchers have reached the farthest points and villages, from Diyala's borders to its farthest areas, with the delineation, auditing, and updating process proceeding smoothly without issues,” he added. “Citizens across all areas have actively provided their data to the research teams.”

Notably, Iraq's population census began today, the first in decades, with a curfew imposed across all areas, except for certain categories.

Diyala province consists of five administrative districts: Baqubah, the provincial capital, along with Al-Muqdadiya, Al-Khalis, Khanaqin, and Balad Ruz. The province’s population is estimated to range between 1.2 and 1.5 million people.

Spanning approximately 17,600 square kilometers, Diyala stretches eastward from Baghdad's northeastern outskirts to the Iranian border, serving as a vital corridor linking the capital to Iran.

Parts of the province, including Khanaqin with its significant Kurdish population, are categorized as disputed territories between Iraq's federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).