Iraq Population

Iraq has maintained high fertility and, as a result, one of the youngest populations in the Middle East, growing rapidly despite decades of war and instability. A large share of its people are children and teenagers, creating intense demand for schooling and jobs that the economy has struggled to meet. That youth bulge is both a potential asset and a source of social pressure.

Iraq is home to about 47.5 million people in 2026, the 34th largest population of any country. In Western Asia, where it lies, that future is driven by fertility, longevity and the movement of people across its borders. It packs in roughly 111 people per square kilometre.

Growth continues for Iraq until around 2100, the year its population is set to crest at about 101 million. From there a slow fall takes it to roughly 101 million by century's end. It is projected to pass the 100 million mark around 2098.

The median age is set to climb from about 21 today to roughly 39 by 2100, even as life expectancy improves from about 72 years. That ageing slowly changes everything from the size of the workforce to the cost of care and pensions.

Fertility is around 3.22 births per woman, above the replacement level, which keeps natural growth positive for now.

The trajectory above is the UN's medium scenario. Wars, policy shifts, economic change and migration can all move the numbers, but the broad shape, growth followed by an eventual peak, is robust across the main variants.