Iraq's Planning Minister: Population census 96% completed in 15 provinces

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Mohammed Ali Tamim, announced on Sunday that the population census operations are nearing their end, in 15 provinces, indicating that the actual completion rate has reached more than 96%.

During the ninth session of the advisory body in the ministry, held on Sunday, Tamim noted that the work is witnessing remarkable progress in the provinces of the Kurdistan Region (Erbil, Duhok, Halabja, and Al-Sulaymaniyah), where the completion rate reached about 65%.

“What has been achieved so far represents a great success for the ministry, in a large-scale project such as the census. Actual work began last May, and the ministry has successfully met all requirements and implemented each stage in record time,” Minister Tamim said.

He pointed out that the situation has become reassuring in light of the great efforts provided by the Commission of Statistics and GIS.

Census Background

The Iraqi government has announced plans to conduct the country's first general population and housing census in 27 years on November 20, 2024. To facilitate this effort, authorities have partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Iraq last conducted a nationwide population census in 1987, followed by a 1997 count that excluded the Kurdistan Region. For years, the country has relied on estimates from unofficial research institutes and organizations. In 2022, the Planning Ministry estimated Iraq’s population to be over 42 million.

The census has faced repeated delays due to concerns about its potential politicization, particularly in disputed areas like Kirkuk. These regions, which are home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen, are also rich in oil reserves. Ethnic groups fear that the census may reveal demographic shifts that could undermine their political ambitions.