Largest Cities and Urban Centers by Population in Iraq

198 cities and urban centers in Iraq with 20,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by population at the census of November 25, 2024 (by Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology, Iraq).

Rank	City or Urban Center	Also Known As	Native Name	Population
1	Baghdad	-	بغداد	7,837,463
2	Mosul	Al-Mawṣil	الموصل	1,529,384
3	Basra	Al-Baṣrah	البصرة	1,293,052
4	Kirkuk	-	كركوك	1,249,197
5	Erbil	Arbīl, Hewlêr	أربيل	1,001,219
6	Najaf	An-Najaf	النجف	830,664
7	Sulaymaniyah	As-Sulaymāniyah, Silêmanî	السليمانية	828,850
8	Kerbala	Karbalā'	كربلاء	784,219
9	Nasiriyah	An-Nāṣiriyah	الناصرية	704,976
10	Amara	Al-'Amārah	العمارة	668,356
11	Kut	Al-Kūt	الكوت	506,067
12	Hillah	Al-Ḥillah	الحلة	470,917
13	Dohuk	Dahūk, Dihok	دهوك	452,967
14	Diwaniyah	Ad-Dīwāniyah	الديوانية	396,257
15	Baqubah	Ba'qūbah	بعقوبة	385,551
16	Abu al-Kahsib	-	أبو الخصيب	357,771
17	Az-Zubayr	Zubayr	الزبیر	351,185
18	Fallujah	Al-Fallūjah	الفلوجة	308,457
19	Zakhu	Zaxo	زاخو	297,254
20	Ramadi	Ar-Ramādī	الرمادي	295,105
21	Al-Hur	-	الحر	288,807
22	Shatt al-'Arab	-	شط العرب	273,837
23	Samawah	As-Samāwah	السماوة	256,689
24	Samarra'	-	سامراء	203,089
25	Ash-Shatrah	-	الشطرة	198,705
26	Tal'afar	-	تلعفر	178,457
27	Simele	Sumaīl, Sêmêl	سمیل	152,512
28	Tikrit	-	تكريت	150,628
29	Al-Kufah	-	الكوفة	149,217
30	Kalar	Kelar	كلار	147,530
31	Al-Wahdah	-	الوحدة	147,085
32	Khasnahzan	Kesnezan	كةسنةزان	146,639
33	Suq ash-Shuyukh	-	سوق الشیوخ	143,688
34	Bakrah Ju	Bekreco	بكرة جو	139,614
35	Al-Hindiyah	-	الھندیة	139,578
36	Al-Harithah	-	الھارثة	138,699
37	Al-Qurnah	-	القرنة	134,174
38	Baharkah	Behirke	بحركة	130,518
39	Al-Mahmudiyah	-	المحمودیة	122,384
40	Tuz Khurmatu	-	طوز خورماتو	120,712
41	Ranyah	Raniye	رانیة	114,173
42	Ar-Rifa'i	-	الرفاعي	108,105
43	Al-Iskandriah	-	الاسكندریة	107,980
44	Al-Majar al-Kabir	-	المجر الكبير	107,559
45	Akre	'Ākra	ئاكرى	105,370
46	Al-Musayab	-	المسیب	101,873
47	Khanaqin	-	خانقین	101,504
48	Al-Muqdadiyah	-	المقدادیة	98,006
49	Al-Hamzah	-	الحمزة	93,977
50	Al-Qasim	-	القاسم	93,546
51	As-Suwairah	-	الصویرة	91,954
52	Soran	Sūrān	سؤران	91,589
53	Ar-Rumaitah	-	الرمیتة	89,532
54	Al-Qa'im	-	القائم	87,666
55	An-Nasir & As-Salam	-	النصر والسلام	87,418
56	Qaladiza	Qeladizê	قلدز	85,791
57	An-Nu'maniyah	-	النعمانیة	85,388
58	Al-Hay	-	الحي	83,316
59	Talhah	Aṣ-Ṣādiq	طلحة / الصادق	82,531
60	Diyana	-	دیانا	80,564
61	Al-'Aziziyah	-	العزیزیة	78,555
62	Said Sadiq	Seyd Sadiq	سید صادق	77,122
63	Al-Midainah	-	المدینة	76,252
64	Halabjah	Helebce	حلبجة	75,922
65	Ash-Shamal	-	الشمال	72,458
66	Qal'at Sikar	-	قلعة سكر	72,128
67	Hit	-	ھیت	70,052
68	Balad	-	بلد	69,499
69	Al-Khalis	-	الخالص	68,793
70	Kuysanjaq	Koya	كؤیسنجق	68,379
71	Baladruz	-	بلدروز	67,772
72	Ash-Shirqat	-	الشرقاط	67,339
73	Faidah	-	فایدة	65,525
74	Dhashta Hawli'r	Benṣalāwah, Deşta Hewlêrê	دةشتى ھةولیَر/ بنصلاوة	65,187
75	Jalawla'	-	جلولاء	63,875
76	Haji 'Awa	Hacîawe	حاجي ئاوا	63,180
77	Al-Madhatiyah	-	المدحتية	62,886
78	Baiji	-	بیجي	61,604
79	Darahtuu	Daretû	دارةتوو	61,360
80	Al-Manadhirah	-	المناذرة	61,156
81	Al-Gharraf	-	الغراف	60,163
82	An-Nasr	-	النصر	60,027
83	'Az Aldin Salim	Al-Huwaīr	عز الدین سلیم / الهوير	58,834
84	Ash-Shamiyah	-	الشامیة	57,651
85	Haditha	-	حدیثة	56,038
86	Khur az-Zubayr	-	خور الزبير	55,085
87	Ad-Dair	-	الدیر	53,638
88	Umm Qasr	-	أم قصر	53,179
89	Ad-Dujail	-	الدجیل	52,491
90	Darbandikhan	Derbendîxan	دربندخان	52,113
91	Buhruz	Ashnūnā	بھرز / أشنونا	51,093
92	Ad-Dawayah	-	الدوایة	50,948
93	Jwar Qurnah	Çiwarqurne	جوار قورنة	50,499
94	Khabat	Xebat	خبات	49,377
95	Rizkari	Rizgarî	رزكاري	48,822
96	Al-Fuhud	-	الفھود	48,763
97	Al-Habbaniyah	-	الحبانیة	48,653
98	Al-Jibayish	-	الجبایش	46,673
99	Al-Karmah	-	الكرمة	46,054
100	Al-Khidir	-	الخضر	46,046
101	Daquq	-	داقوق	45,661
102	Rizkary	Rizgarî	رِزكارى	45,154
103	Al-Hashmiyah	-	الھاشمیة	45,049
104	New Halabja	Ḥalabjah Tāzah, Helebcey Taze	حلبجة تازة	43,889
105	Bazyan	-	بازیان	43,663
106	Jamjamal	Çemçemal	جمجمال	42,593
107	Bardarash	Berdereş	بردرش	41,175
108	Al-Fajr	-	الفجر	40,718
109	Ainkawah	Enkawa	عنكاوة	40,708
110	Ghammas	-	غماس	40,319
111	Shiladiza	Shêldze	شێﻼدزێ	39,879
112	KuthaAl-Mashrū'	-	كوثى	39,711
113	Qal'at SalihMadhar	-	قلعة صالح	39,698
114	Al-Mustafa / Az-Zuwain	-	المصطفى (الزوين)	39,631
115	'Afak	-	عفك	39,350
116	Al-Hawijah	-	الحویجة	38,902
117	Pirmam	Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn	بيرمام	38,686
118	Ash-Shafi	-	الشافي	37,291
119	Al-Husayniyah	-	الحسینیة	37,088
120	Banjwin	Pêncwîn	بنجوین	36,767
121	Al-Mada'in	-	المدائن	35,884
122	Al-Faw	-	الفاو	35,765
123	Saddat al-Hindiyah	-	سدة الھندیة	35,720
124	Al-Ba'aj	-	البعاج	35,355
125	Abi Gharaq	-	أبي غرق	35,169
126	Ash-Shikhan	-	الشیخان	34,623
127	Qushtabah	Quştepe	قوشتبة	34,290
128	Sayyid ash-Shuhada'	-	سيد الشهداء	33,860
129	Al-Mahawil	-	المحاویل	33,543
130	Kifri	-	كفري	33,334
131	Al-Haydariyah	-	الحیدریة	33,292
132	Al-'Amiriyah	-	العامریة	33,205
133	Al-Kahla'	-	الكحلاء	33,093
134	Birah Makrun	Pîremegirûn	بیرة مكرون	32,604
135	Shaqlawah	Şeqlawe	شقلاوة	32,599
136	At-Tarmiyah	-	الطارمية	32,575
137	Harir	-	ھریر	32,171
138	Altun Kubri	-	التون كوبري	31,542
139	Bani Sa'd	-	بني سعد	31,062
140	Az-Zubaidiyah	-	الزبیدیة	31,022
141	Qasruk	Qesrok	قسروك	30,990
142	Ad-Dibs	-	الدبس	30,936
143	Ar-Rutbah	-	الرطبة	30,811
144	Al-Fadliyah	-	الفضلیة	30,117
145	Al-Mishkhab	-	المشخاب	30,038
146	Shurash	Şoriş	شورش	29,960
147	Al-Batha'a	-	البطحاء	29,905
148	Al-Budair	-	البدیر	29,442
149	Al-Latifiyah	-	اللطیفیة	29,426
150	Kan'an	-	كنعان	28,731
151	Al-Maimunah	-	المیمونة	28,015
152	Baghdida	Al-Ḥamdāniyah	بغديدا / الحمدانية	27,894
153	Tanjaru	Tancero	تانجرو	27,859
154	'Ain at-Tamur	-	عین التمر	27,205
155	Ba'shiqah	-	بعشیقة	27,090
156	Al-Kifl	-	الكفل	26,844
157	Al-'Abasiyah	-	العباسیة	26,338
158	Sinjar	-	سنجار	26,250
159	Makhmur	-	مخمور	26,068
160	Ad-Dagharah	-	الدغارة	26,059
161	Al-Muwafaqiyah	-	الموفقیة	26,024
162	Tel Keppe	Talkayf	تلكیف	25,958
163	Al-'Alam	-	العلم	25,662
164	Ad-Dulu'iah	-	الضلوعیة	25,462
165	Barwanah	-	بروانة	25,237
166	'Ali al-Gharbi	-	علي الغربي	25,106
167	Karmat Bani Sa'id	-	كرمة بني سعید	24,723
168	Kurkusak	Kewergosk	كوركوسك	24,196
169	Ad-Dawr	-	الدور	23,866
170	Al-Hirah	-	الحیرة	23,611
171	Ar-Rashid	-	الرشید	23,518
172	Hamam al-'Alil	-	حمام العلیل	23,355
173	Wasit	-	واسط	23,243
174	Shiykh Sa'ad	-	شیخ سعد	22,973
175	Safwan	-	سفوان	22,929
176	Zumar	-	زمار	22,372
177	Takiyah	Tekiye	تة كیة	22,299
178	Warmawa	Warmawe	وارماوا	22,189
179	Ash-Shinaqiyah	-	الشناقیة	22,034
180	'Aur	-	أور	21,940
181	Tazah Khurmatu	-	تازة خورماتو	21,788
182	'Anah	-	عنھ	21,675
183	Al-Qayarah	-	القیارة	21,652
184	Hibhib	-	ھبھب	21,373
185	Qarah Tabah	-	قرة تبة	20,358
186	Rabi'ah	-	ربیعة	20,275
187	Khalifan	Xelîfan	خلیفان	19,891
188	As-Saqlawiyah	-	الصقلاویة	19,568
189	Az-Zab	-	الزاب	19,471
190	Ash-Shumaly	-	الشوملي	19,443
191	Ash-Shafi'iyah	-	الشافعیة	19,009
192	Ibrahimiyyah	-	ابراهيمية	19,003
193	Al-Yusufiyah	-	الیوسفیة	18,913
194	Al-Islah	-	الاصلاح	18,558
195	Darkar	Drkar	دركار	18,449
196	Bartallah	-	برطلة	18,154
197	Al-Qahtanyah	-	القحطانیة	17,863
198	Al-Qairawan	Bulaīj	القیروان / بليج	14,778

Source: Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology, Iraq (2024 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

88 urban areas in Iraq with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

Rank	Urban Area	Population Estimate (2026)	Yearly Change	Land Area (km²)	Density (P/km²)	World Rank	Projections (2030)	Projections (2050)
1	Baghdād (Baghdad)	6,445,878	+0.86%	707	9,112	63	6,666,450	7,464,523
2	Basra	2,065,575	+1.55%	208	9,931	242	2,193,661	2,811,545
3	Mosul	1,699,667	+2.03%	169	10,081	292	1,837,479	2,525,221
4	Erbil	1,619,485	+2.26%	242	6,698	306	1,766,107	2,503,739
5	Al-Najaf	1,301,652	+2.17%	132	9,861	400	1,414,462	1,761,206
6	Kirkuk	1,174,769	+1.84%	120	9,822	442	1,261,205	1,675,853
7	Al Hillah	1,093,692	+3.51%	236	4,630	471	1,247,394	2,062,503
8	Karbala	1,043,417	+1.97%	113	9,250	496	1,125,513	1,566,924
9	Duhok	996,893	+2.73%	84	11,925	520	1,105,663	1,652,559
10	Sulaymaniyah	926,126	+1.98%	117	7,943	566	999,371	1,427,557
11	Ad Diwaniyah	913,313	+2.06%	77	11,923	570	988,652	1,390,084
12	Zakho	834,163	+2.35%	62	13,498	634	912,711	1,330,547
13	Al Mushahidah	833,903	+2.45%	237	3,516	635	915,490	1,310,753
14	Nasiriyah	826,974	+1.59%	75	11,085	643	879,673	1,162,486
15	Amarah	656,745	+1.70%	68	9,602	831	701,277	894,649
16	Jafar Muhammad Ali	581,667	+1.85%	76	7,694	955	624,805	835,975
17	Al-Kut	501,101	+1.97%	65	7,757	1,113	540,516	731,906
18	Ramadi	466,632	+3.74%	79	5,877	1,209	536,427	666,033
19	As Samawah	404,150	+2.54%	47	8,673	1,421	445,289	656,055
20	Fallujah	363,248	+0.98%	38	9,460	1,585	377,461	472,528
21	Al-Shatrah	314,871	+2.29%	27	11,662	1,843	343,746	488,713
22	Shorsh	251,904	+2.52%	25	10,157	2,350	277,261	384,722
23	Gayara	249,951	+2.91%	41	6,126	2,370	278,995	535,946
24	Tal Afar	244,918	+3.05%	28	8,810	2,419	274,776	416,460
25	Az Zubayr	224,365	+1.62%	30	7,479	2,652	238,879	317,202
26	Suq al Shyukh	210,495	+2.13%	20	10,631	2,860	228,413	349,283
27	Samarra	203,799	+1.30%	29	7,076	2,961	214,401	255,794
28	Al Qurna	196,795	+4.16%	26	7,628	3,077	229,558	343,311
29	Abu Gharaq	195,673	+3.06%	27	7,301	3,094	219,599	355,109
30	Kalar	172,811	+2.28%	21	8,151	3,546	188,601	286,681
31	Al-Rumaitha	163,758	+2.19%	18	8,998	3,735	178,105	291,049
32	Tuz Khormato	161,479	+2.21%	17	9,728	3,792	175,742	273,090
33	Soran	152,609	+2.50%	19	7,866	4,027	167,869	250,582
34	Al Kifl	146,044	+3.90%	32	4,564	4,224	168,849	388,073
35	Domeez	143,837	+10.01%	17	8,363	4,289	201,408	346,006
36	Qaryat at Taliah	143,363	+1.39%	23	6,127	4,302	151,328	191,621
37	Al Majar al Kabir	140,801	+1.87%	10	13,804	4,377	151,331	201,096
38	Al Hai	140,329	+2.15%	15	9,355	4,395	152,380	229,450
39	Al Midhatiya	131,961	+2.09%	21	6,284	4,679	142,998	227,289
40	Baqubah	124,477	+1.64%	34	3,683	4,991	132,619	160,336
41	Al Hamzah	123,846	+2.23%	14	8,722	5,012	134,875	189,963
42	Al Khalis	123,491	+1.53%	14	8,821	5,032	131,042	163,059
43	Qaryat Jarf al Milh	117,138	+3.23%	26	4,540	5,318	132,290	212,723
44	Al-Hirah	115,584	+3.00%	15	7,810	5,388	129,454	183,109
45	Ash Shamiya	115,257	+1.95%	14	8,233	5,417	124,254	209,699
46	Al Baaj	114,777	+2.32%	7.20	15,941	5,441	125,436	189,162
47	Shaikh Muhammad	113,663	+3.91%	16	7,016	5,494	131,425	238,256
48	Al-Qa'im	113,539	+1.26%	25	4,506	5,501	119,263	140,918
49	Al Qasim	104,765	+2.50%	12	9,031	5,974	115,241	168,218
50	Qalat Sukkar	104,524	+2.25%	10	10,247	5,988	113,935	165,447
51	Tikrit	104,495	+3.33%	29	3,603	5,990	118,399	172,148
52	Afak	101,836	+3.23%	11	9,258	6,135	114,972	171,767
53	Al-Rifa'i	97,924	+2.86%	15	6,442	6,389	109,107	186,400
54	Baiji	95,064	+2.85%	16	5,797	6,572	105,898	190,192
55	Allayi	93,431	+3.58%	31	3,053	6,706	106,797	207,003
56	Haditha	92,632	+1.55%	22	4,173	6,770	98,370	134,482
57	koya	91,623	+2.81%	14	6,452	6,853	101,905	159,641
58	Sharqat	91,033	+2.51%	17	5,293	6,899	100,172	151,725
59	Al-Midaina	88,601	+2.49%	22	3,991	7,106	97,417	154,246
60	Qalat Saleh	87,865	+1.91%	8.00	10,983	7,161	94,561	156,122
61	Akre	83,936	+3.06%	13	6,359	7,515	94,214	173,157
62	An Numaniyah	82,829	+4.08%	14	5,752	7,631	96,341	140,260
63	Mahmoudiyah	80,051	+2.18%	12	6,901	7,894	87,037	109,679
64	Al Gharraf	78,376	+1.94%	8.00	9,797	8,069	84,458	116,093
65	الجبايش	77,645	+2.56%	15	5,176	8,143	85,595	143,007
66	Al Khidhr	76,221	+3.95%	13	6,049	8,277	88,247	141,235
67	Al ‘Azīzīyah	75,604	+1.60%	11	6,750	8,340	80,429	98,242
68	The underground border	75,522	+2.69%	11	6,866	8,355	83,660	131,071
69	بلد	74,143	+3.73%	11	6,865	8,510	85,204	98,539
70	Bani Saad	73,080	+1.58%	13	5,622	8,621	77,696	106,022
71	Halabja	72,444	+2.27%	13	5,488	8,685	79,029	121,253
72	Umm Qasr	70,274	+3.33%	18	3,993	8,941	79,640	110,198
73	Khanich	68,654	+2.84%	11	6,241	9,139	76,444	122,147
74	As Suwayrah	67,491	+1.62%	11	6,026	9,288	71,861	93,283
75	Hīt	66,037	+1.57%	11	5,896	9,515	70,182	89,395
76	Al Khalidiyah	60,542	+1.67%	13	4,587	10,352	64,589	82,303
77	Al Mishkhab	60,050	+2.13%	11	5,459	10,423	65,173	103,136
78	Xebat	59,598	+2.45%	9.20	6,478	10,497	65,441	159,612
79	Qaladiza	57,910	+2.35%	10	5,677	10,766	63,364	92,818
80	Qaryat Imam ash Asharqi	57,688	+3.89%	12	4,652	10,809	66,657	142,260
81	Sab al Bor	57,450	+1.82%	10	5,632	10,850	61,628	78,562
82	Sinjar	56,178	+2.37%	9.20	6,106	11,103	61,498	96,973
83	At Taji	55,538	+1.57%	19	2,923	11,222	59,020	85,452
84	Bardarash	55,469	+2.74%	8.00	6,934	11,236	61,539	95,754
85	Pirmam	54,794	+2.20%	9.00	6,088	11,363	59,624	88,778
86	Al Fajr	52,961	+2.06%	5.00	10,592	11,722	57,330	81,887
87	Ghammas	52,327	+2.42%	5.20	10,063	11,843	57,382	88,697
88	Rizgari	51,535	+2.51%	11	4,685	11,966	56,714	83,612

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

Data topics

Reference

Tools

Largest Cities and Urban Centers by Population in Iraq

See also