Population census begins in al-Sulaymaniyah with limited technical issues
Shafaq News/ The Director of Planning in al-Sulaymaniyah launches the population census in all areas of the province, on Sunday.
The Director, Shwan Jabar, further highlighted the importance of this project in providing accurate data to support government planning and the development of essential services.
He told Shafaq News that the census process “passes through several basic stages that focused on counting and numbering.” Field teams have gathered information about houses, streets, neighborhoods, and alleys to create a comprehensive database in preparation for subsequent steps.
“Today marks the beginning of collecting personal information for each household, including the number of members, their ages, and basic data. This phase is set to last for three days,” he added.
Regarding the remaining stages, he explained that “on November 20 and 21, there will be a review of the information collected in the second phase, in addition to recording births and deaths to ensure the database is up to date.”
Jabar noted, “After completing these stages, the census will move to a more detailed phase, which includes questions about the economic, health, and educational status of each household. This phase is scheduled to start after November 22.”
Citizens were encouraged to cooperate with census teams, urging households to ensure at least one family member is present to facilitate data collection, as accuracy in data recording is crucial, he confirmed.
Jabar also acknowledged “some limited technical issues” faced by field teams during the first phase, which were related to the system's main source. However, these issues “were quickly resolved, and the census process resumed smoothly without significant delays.”
The census, scheduled for November 20-21, marks Iraq's first nationwide count since 1997. It aims to provide a comprehensive population assessment, including data from the Kurdistan Region and disputed regions. In 2022, Iraq's Ministry of Planning estimated the country’s population at over 42 million.
