Iraq announces "highly successful" completion of population census final phase

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Iraq announced the "successful" completion of the third and final phase of fieldwork for its general population and housing census, which spanned around 20 days.

The Iraqi Ministry of Planning stated that “the census phases were highly successful and fully electronic, starting with numbering and listing from September 1 to October 31, followed by the population count from November 20 to 22, and concluding with detailed demographic data collection.”

The census encompassed all Iraqi provinces, including the Kurdistan Region, along with remote areas, nomadic communities, and various types of establishments.

“The government successfully conducted Iraq's first electronic population census in 37 years… The census received support and recognition from international organizations and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), which praised the project's professionalism and adherence to global standards,” the ministry highlighted.

Preliminary census results will be released in February, after completing data classification, coding, and detailed reports on the population's demographic and social characteristics, the ministry affirmed.

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.