Largest cities in Iraq, 1975 to 2050

Baghdad leads Iraq with 6.39 million people in 2025, ahead of Basra at 2.03 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Baghdad ranks #1 with 6.39M, ahead of Basra (2.03M) and Mosul (1.67M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Baghdad is projected to rank #1 with 7.46M, ahead of Basra (2.81M) and Mosul (2.53M).
Baghdad holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.
Biggest climber: Al Hillah, from #11 in 1975 to #5 in 2050.
Baghdad grew 3.1× between 1975 and 2025.

About this chart

Baghdad stands well above the other cities in Iraq: its 6.39 million people in 2025 are about 3.15 times the 2.03 million in second-place Basra. Baghdad also led the 1975 ranking, when the UN series put it at 2.04 million. Mosul occupies third place in 2025 at 1.67 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Baghdad to lead in 2050 at 7.46 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Iraq, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇮🇶 Baghdad	🇮🇶 Erbil	🇮🇶 Mosul	🇮🇶 Basra	🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah	🇮🇶 Al Mushahidah	🇮🇶 Ad Diwaniyah	🇮🇶 Al-Najaf	🇮🇶 Jafar Muhammad Ali	🇮🇶 Nasiriyah	🇮🇶 Al Hillah	🇮🇶 Kirkuk	🇮🇶 Karbala	🇮🇶 Duhok
1975	2.04M	0.40M	0.37M	0.35M	0.25M	0.22M	0.19M	0.17M	0.15M	0.14M	0.13M	0.12M	0.10M
1976	2.13M	0.41M	0.38M	0.36M	0.26M	0.22M	0.20M	0.18M	0.15M	0.14M	0.14M	0.12M	0.11M
1977	2.22M	0.42M	0.39M	0.38M	0.26M	0.23M	0.20M	0.19M	0.16M	0.15M	0.14M	0.13M	0.12M
1978	2.32M	0.43M	0.40M	0.40M	0.27M	0.23M	0.21M	0.20M	0.16M	0.15M	0.15M	0.14M	0.13M
1979	2.41M	0.45M	0.42M	0.41M	0.28M	0.24M	0.22M	0.21M	0.17M	0.16M	0.16M	0.14M	0.14M
1980	2.51M	0.46M	0.43M	0.43M	0.29M	0.24M	0.22M	0.21M	0.17M	0.16M	0.16M	0.15M	0.14M
1981	2.58M	0.47M	0.44M	0.44M	0.29M	0.25M	0.23M	0.23M	0.17M	0.16M	0.17M	0.16M	0.15M
1982	2.66M	0.48M	0.46M	0.46M	0.30M	0.27M	0.23M	0.24M	0.18M	0.17M	0.17M	0.17M	0.16M
1983	2.73M	0.50M	0.47M	0.48M	0.31M	0.28M	0.24M	0.25M	0.18M	0.17M	0.18M	0.19M	0.17M
1984	2.80M	0.51M	0.48M	0.49M	0.31M	0.29M	0.25M	0.26M	0.18M	0.18M	0.19M	0.20M	0.18M
1985	2.88M	0.52M	0.50M	0.51M	0.32M	0.30M	0.25M	0.27M	0.19M	0.18M	0.19M	0.21M	0.19M
1986	2.96M	0.53M	0.51M	0.53M	0.32M	0.31M	0.26M	0.29M	0.19M	0.19M	0.20M	0.22M	0.20M
1987	3.05M	0.54M	0.52M	0.54M	0.33M	0.31M	0.27M	0.30M	0.19M	0.19M	0.20M	0.23M	0.21M
1988	3.13M	0.55M	0.53M	0.56M	0.33M	0.31M	0.27M	0.32M	0.19M	0.20M	0.21M	0.24M	0.21M
1989	3.22M	0.56M	0.54M	0.57M	0.34M	0.31M	0.28M	0.33M	0.19M	0.20M	0.21M	0.25M	0.22M
1990	3.31M	0.57M	0.56M	0.59M	0.34M	0.32M	0.29M	0.34M	0.20M	0.21M	0.21M	0.26M	0.23M
1991	3.40M	0.58M	0.58M	0.63M	0.35M	0.33M	0.30M	0.37M	0.21M	0.22M	0.22M	0.28M	0.24M
1992	3.48M	0.60M	0.60M	0.67M	0.36M	0.35M	0.32M	0.39M	0.22M	0.24M	0.23M	0.29M	0.26M
1993	3.57M	0.61M	0.62M	0.71M	0.38M	0.36M	0.34M	0.42M	0.23M	0.25M	0.23M	0.31M	0.27M
1994	3.66M	0.63M	0.64M	0.75M	0.39M	0.38M	0.35M	0.44M	0.24M	0.26M	0.24M	0.33M	0.29M
1995	3.75M	0.65M	0.67M	0.79M	0.40M	0.39M	0.37M	0.47M	0.25M	0.28M	0.25M	0.35M	0.30M	0.07M
1996	3.85M	0.66M	0.69M	0.83M	0.41M	0.41M	0.39M	0.50M	0.26M	0.29M	0.26M	0.37M	0.32M	0.08M
1997	3.96M	0.68M	0.72M	0.86M	0.42M	0.43M	0.41M	0.52M	0.27M	0.31M	0.27M	0.39M	0.34M	0.09M
1998	4.06M	0.69M	0.74M	0.90M	0.44M	0.45M	0.43M	0.55M	0.28M	0.32M	0.28M	0.41M	0.36M	0.10M
1999	4.17M	0.71M	0.77M	0.94M	0.45M	0.47M	0.44M	0.57M	0.29M	0.34M	0.29M	0.43M	0.38M	0.11M
2000	4.27M	0.72M	0.79M	0.98M	0.46M	0.49M	0.46M	0.60M	0.30M	0.36M	0.29M	0.45M	0.40M	0.12M
2001	4.31M	0.75M	0.82M	1.02M	0.48M	0.50M	0.48M	0.63M	0.31M	0.38M	0.32M	0.48M	0.42M	0.15M
2002	4.34M	0.78M	0.85M	1.06M	0.50M	0.52M	0.50M	0.65M	0.33M	0.40M	0.35M	0.50M	0.45M	0.18M
2003	4.38M	0.82M	0.88M	1.10M	0.52M	0.53M	0.52M	0.68M	0.34M	0.42M	0.38M	0.53M	0.47M	0.21M
2004	4.41M	0.85M	0.91M	1.15M	0.55M	0.54M	0.54M	0.70M	0.35M	0.44M	0.41M	0.55M	0.49M	0.25M
2005	4.45M	0.88M	0.94M	1.19M	0.57M	0.55M	0.56M	0.73M	0.36M	0.46M	0.44M	0.58M	0.52M	0.28M
2006	4.51M	0.91M	0.96M	1.22M	0.57M	0.55M	0.57M	0.75M	0.37M	0.47M	0.46M	0.60M	0.53M	0.31M
2007	4.58M	0.94M	0.97M	1.25M	0.58M	0.55M	0.58M	0.77M	0.37M	0.49M	0.47M	0.62M	0.55M	0.33M
2008	4.65M	0.97M	0.99M	1.28M	0.59M	0.55M	0.59M	0.78M	0.38M	0.50M	0.49M	0.64M	0.57M	0.36M
2009	4.71M	0.99M	1.00M	1.31M	0.60M	0.55M	0.60M	0.80M	0.38M	0.51M	0.51M	0.66M	0.59M	0.39M
2010	4.78M	1.02M	1.02M	1.34M	0.61M	0.55M	0.61M	0.82M	0.39M	0.53M	0.52M	0.69M	0.60M	0.41M
2011	4.90M	1.07M	1.08M	1.40M	0.64M	0.58M	0.64M	0.86M	0.41M	0.55M	0.58M	0.73M	0.64M	0.46M
2012	5.03M	1.11M	1.14M	1.46M	0.67M	0.60M	0.66M	0.89M	0.43M	0.58M	0.63M	0.77M	0.68M	0.50M
2013	5.15M	1.16M	1.20M	1.53M	0.71M	0.63M	0.69M	0.93M	0.46M	0.61M	0.69M	0.81M	0.71M	0.54M
2014	5.28M	1.20M	1.27M	1.59M	0.74M	0.66M	0.72M	0.96M	0.48M	0.64M	0.74M	0.85M	0.75M	0.59M
2015	5.41M	1.24M	1.33M	1.66M	0.77M	0.68M	0.74M	1.00M	0.50M	0.66M	0.80M	0.90M	0.79M	0.63M
2016	5.55M	1.26M	1.36M	1.70M	0.78M	0.69M	0.75M	1.04M	0.51M	0.68M	0.82M	0.93M	0.81M	0.68M
2017	5.70M	1.28M	1.39M	1.74M	0.79M	0.70M	0.77M	1.07M	0.51M	0.70M	0.84M	0.96M	0.84M	0.72M
2018	5.84M	1.30M	1.42M	1.78M	0.80M	0.71M	0.78M	1.11M	0.51M	0.72M	0.86M	0.99M	0.87M	0.77M
2019	5.99M	1.32M	1.45M	1.82M	0.81M	0.71M	0.79M	1.15M	0.51M	0.73M	0.88M	1.02M	0.89M	0.81M
2020	6.13M	1.34M	1.48M	1.86M	0.82M	0.72M	0.80M	1.18M	0.52M	0.75M	0.89M	1.05M	0.92M	0.85M
2021	6.18M	1.39M	1.52M	1.89M	0.83M	0.74M	0.82M	1.20M	0.53M	0.76M	0.93M	1.07M	0.94M	0.88M
2022	6.24M	1.44M	1.55M	1.93M	0.85M	0.76M	0.84M	1.22M	0.54M	0.78M	0.96M	1.09M	0.96M	0.90M
2023	6.29M	1.49M	1.59M	1.96M	0.87M	0.78M	0.86M	1.24M	0.55M	0.79M	0.99M	1.11M	0.98M	0.92M
2024	6.34M	1.53M	1.63M	2.00M	0.89M	0.80M	0.88M	1.26M	0.56M	0.80M	1.02M	1.13M	1.00M	0.95M
2025	6.39M	1.58M	1.67M	2.03M	0.91M	0.81M	0.89M	1.27M	0.57M	0.81M	1.06M	1.15M	1.02M	0.97M
2026	6.45M	1.62M	1.70M	2.07M	0.93M	0.83M	0.91M	1.30M	0.58M	0.83M	1.09M	1.17M	1.04M	1.00M
2027	6.50M	1.66M	1.73M	2.10M	0.94M	0.85M	0.93M	1.33M	0.59M	0.84M	1.13M	1.20M	1.06M	1.02M
2028	6.56M	1.69M	1.77M	2.13M	0.96M	0.87M	0.95M	1.36M	0.60M	0.85M	1.17M	1.22M	1.08M	1.05M
2029	6.61M	1.73M	1.80M	2.16M	0.98M	0.90M	0.97M	1.39M	0.61M	0.87M	1.21M	1.24M	1.10M	1.08M
2030	6.67M	1.77M	1.84M	2.19M	1.00M	0.92M	0.99M	1.41M	0.62M	0.88M	1.25M	1.26M	1.13M	1.11M
2031	6.71M	1.81M	1.87M	2.23M	1.03M	0.94M	1.02M	1.43M	0.64M	0.89M	1.29M	1.28M	1.15M	1.14M
2032	6.75M	1.85M	1.91M	2.26M	1.05M	0.96M	1.04M	1.45M	0.65M	0.90M	1.33M	1.30M	1.17M	1.17M
2033	6.79M	1.90M	1.95M	2.30M	1.08M	0.98M	1.07M	1.47M	0.66M	0.91M	1.37M	1.33M	1.19M	1.20M
2034	6.83M	1.94M	1.98M	2.33M	1.11M	1.00M	1.10M	1.49M	0.67M	0.92M	1.41M	1.35M	1.21M	1.23M
2035	6.87M	1.99M	2.02M	2.36M	1.13M	1.02M	1.12M	1.51M	0.68M	0.93M	1.45M	1.37M	1.24M	1.26M
2036	6.91M	2.03M	2.06M	2.39M	1.16M	1.04M	1.14M	1.53M	0.69M	0.95M	1.49M	1.39M	1.26M	1.28M
2037	6.95M	2.07M	2.09M	2.42M	1.18M	1.06M	1.16M	1.54M	0.70M	0.96M	1.53M	1.42M	1.28M	1.31M
2038	6.99M	2.11M	2.13M	2.46M	1.20M	1.08M	1.18M	1.56M	0.71M	0.98M	1.57M	1.44M	1.30M	1.34M
2039	7.04M	2.14M	2.16M	2.49M	1.22M	1.10M	1.20M	1.58M	0.72M	0.99M	1.62M	1.47M	1.32M	1.37M
2040	7.08M	2.18M	2.20M	2.52M	1.24M	1.12M	1.21M	1.60M	0.73M	1.01M	1.66M	1.49M	1.34M	1.39M
2041	7.13M	2.22M	2.23M	2.54M	1.26M	1.14M	1.23M	1.62M	0.74M	1.02M	1.70M	1.51M	1.36M	1.42M
2042	7.17M	2.25M	2.27M	2.57M	1.28M	1.16M	1.25M	1.63M	0.76M	1.04M	1.74M	1.53M	1.39M	1.45M
2043	7.22M	2.28M	2.30M	2.60M	1.30M	1.18M	1.27M	1.65M	0.77M	1.05M	1.78M	1.55M	1.41M	1.48M
2044	7.27M	2.31M	2.34M	2.63M	1.32M	1.20M	1.29M	1.67M	0.78M	1.07M	1.83M	1.57M	1.44M	1.51M
2045	7.31M	2.35M	2.38M	2.65M	1.34M	1.22M	1.30M	1.68M	0.79M	1.08M	1.87M	1.59M	1.46M	1.54M
2046	7.34M	2.38M	2.41M	2.68M	1.36M	1.24M	1.32M	1.70M	0.80M	1.10M	1.91M	1.61M	1.48M	1.56M
2047	7.37M	2.41M	2.44M	2.72M	1.38M	1.26M	1.34M	1.72M	0.81M	1.12M	1.95M	1.63M	1.51M	1.58M
2048	7.40M	2.44M	2.47M	2.75M	1.39M	1.27M	1.36M	1.73M	0.82M	1.13M	1.99M	1.64M	1.53M	1.61M
2049	7.43M	2.47M	2.50M	2.78M	1.41M	1.29M	1.37M	1.75M	0.83M	1.15M	2.02M	1.66M	1.55M	1.63M
2050	7.46M	2.50M	2.53M	2.81M	1.43M	1.31M	1.39M	1.76M	0.84M	1.16M	2.06M	1.68M	1.57M	1.65M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Iraq?

Baghdad is the largest city in Iraq in the UN 2025 series, with about 6.39 million people. Basra follows at 2.03 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Iraq in 2050?

The UN projects Baghdad to rank first in 2050, with about 7.46 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Baghdad also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Baghdad, with 2.04 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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