Shafaq News- Baghdad

Baghdad’s roads are struggling to accommodate a growing number of vehicles as Iraq’s car market expands, driven by new dealerships and installment-payment offers, particularly from Chinese companies.

Official figures reviewed by Shafaq News show that registered vehicles increased from 7,026,106 in 2020 to 7,457,927 in 2021 and 7,982,304 in 2022. The number reached 8,096,075 in 2023 and 8,287,604 in 2024.

However, the General Traffic Directorate has cited more than seven million registered vehicles since early 2026 —a figure below the 2024 total, raising questions about whether its statistics are up to date. Accurate figures for 2025 and 2026 remain unavailable.

Read more: Baghdad traffic: 3 million vehicles, buses short of drivers

When Car Sales Outpace Roads

Colonel Haider Shaker, head of the General Traffic Directorate’s media division, told Shafaq News that vehicle numbers in Baghdad now exceed the capacity of its streets. Traffic authorities work daily to ease congestion across Karkh and Rusafa, the capital’s western and eastern sides, but Shaker warned that continued large-scale vehicle imports without corresponding infrastructure expansion would worsen traffic conditions.

According to the Trade Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Hanoun, the ministry regulates commercial activity and registers vehicle importers and dealerships, while other agencies oversee technical standards, inspections, customs, and vehicle registration. Linking import volumes to road capacity requires a government decision and coordination among relevant authorities.

The state-owned General Automobiles and Machinery Company (GAMCO) has prepared a study on regulating vehicle imports and submitted proposals to the Ministerial Council for the Economy covering import volumes, car types, and the entry of older or damaged vehicles, he said.

Architect Ghassan Hassan Al-Khafaji identified the widening gap between vehicle ownership and road development as a growing challenge for Iraqi cities, particularly Baghdad, Basra, Najaf, and Nasiriyah.

Speaking to Shafaq News, he called for a national sustainable transport strategy that would expand public transportation, redistribute urban services, introduce smart traffic management systems, regulate vehicle imports, and encourage walking and cycling.

The Economic Price of More Cars

Economist Nabil Jabbar Al-Tamimi warned that rising car imports reflect growing consumer spending while increasing Iraq’s dependence on foreign markets and demand for foreign currency. He told Shafaq News that this trend could also put pressure on the Central Bank’s reserves, particularly given challenges facing Iraq’s oil revenues and exports.

Chinese hybrid and electric vehicles could help reduce gasoline consumption and dependence on fossil fuels, but realizing those benefits would require a government strategy supporting a gradual shift toward more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Iraq still imports gasoline to cover part of its domestic demand because local production remains insufficient. Al-Tamimi warned that adding more conventional cars would increase fuel consumption and place further pressure on the economy

Read more: New roads, old jams: Baghdad struggles to untangle daily gridlock