Quick answerIraq is a country in Western Asia, with a population of 46,118,793 (2024). Its capital is Baghdad, its official languages are Arabic and Kurdish, and its currency is the Iraqi dinar (IQD). It covers 438,317 square kilometres (169,235 square miles), and its time zone is Asia/Baghdad.
Iraq is a country in West Asia, home to about 46 million people at the 2024 census. Its capital and largest city is Baghdad, and its official languages are Arabic and Kurdish.
Key facts
| Capital | Baghdad |
|---|---|
| Population | 46,118,793 (2024) · 46.1 million |
| Population density | 105.4 people per km² (land area) |
| Area | 438,317 km² (169,235 sq mi) total · 437,367 km² (168,868 sq mi) land |
| Official languages | Arabic (official), Kurdish (official) |
| Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD, د.ع) |
| Time zone | Asia/Baghdad |
| Government | Federal parliamentary republic under confessionalism |
| Coastline | 58 km |
| Highest point | Cheekha Dar, 3,611 m |
| Life expectancy | 72.3 years (2023) |
| Calling code | +964 |
| Driving side | Right |
| Internet domain | .iq |
Overview
Iraq sits in West Asia, in the Middle East, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, with Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, and Jordan and Syria to the west. It covers 438,317 square kilometres and has a short 58-kilometre coastline on the Persian Gulf. The north is mountainous, rising to Cheekha Dar at 3,611 metres, while the centre and south are the flat alluvial plain of Mesopotamia, watered by the two rivers, with desert in the west.
About 46.1 million people lived in Iraq in the 2024 census, the first full census since 1987. About 72 per cent of Iraqis live in towns and cities, above all in Baghdad, the capital, with about 7.8 million people, Mosul, with about 1.8 million, and Basra, with about 1.5 million. Arabic and Kurdish are the official languages, and life expectancy at birth was 72.3 years in 2023. Iraq is ethnically diverse, with Iraqi Arabs the majority alongside Kurds, Turkmens, Assyrians and Yazidis, and most Iraqis are Muslims, about 61 per cent Shia and 35 per cent Sunni.
Iraq is the heart of ancient Mesopotamia, often called the cradle of civilisation. Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria rose on the plains between the rivers, giving the world cuneiform writing, the wheel, the calendar and the first law codes. After the Arab conquest in the 7th century, Baghdad became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and, during the Islamic Golden Age, one of the largest cities in the world, home to the House of Wisdom. The city was destroyed by the Mongols in 1258, and the land later came under Ottoman rule until the 20th century.
Iraq became independent in 1932, a republic in 1958, and lived through decades of war and instability, including the Iran-Iraq War, the invasion of Kuwait, the 2003 US-led invasion, and the war against the Islamic State from 2013 to 2017. Today it is a federal parliamentary republic in the process of reconstruction, with one of the largest oil reserves in the world, about 145 billion barrels, and a growing tourism sector built on its ancient sites, from Babylon and Ur to the citadel of Erbil.
Notable facts
- Iraq's population was 46,118,793 in the 2024 census, the first full census since 1987.
- Iraq is the heart of ancient Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilisation, where Sumer invented cuneiform writing and where the wheel and the first law codes appeared.
- Baghdad was founded in 762 CE and became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, home of the House of Wisdom and one of the largest cities in the world during the Islamic Golden Age.
- The Ziggurat of Ur, built in the 21st century BCE near modern Nasiriyah, is one of the best-preserved ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia.
- Iraq holds about 145 billion barrels of proved crude oil reserves, the fifth-largest total in the world, and oil provides about 90 per cent of government revenue.
How Iraq compares
Comparison table — Iraq next to 3 similar countries (neighbours first, then the same subregion).
| Country | Population | Area | Density | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iraq ★ | 46,118,793 (2024) | 438,317 km² | 105.4 people per km² | Baghdad |
| Iran | 92,417,681 (2025) | 1,648,195 km² | 56.7 people per km² | Tehran |
| Turkey | 86,092,168 (2025) | 783,562 km² | 111.9 people per km² | Ankara |
| Afghanistan | 41,454,761 (2023) | 652,864 km² | 63.6 people per km² | Kabul |
Cities in Iraq
- Baghdad Known for House of Wisdom
- Mosul Known for Ruins of Nineveh
- Basra Known for Shatt al-Arab
- Erbil Known for Citadel of Erbil
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Iraq?
The capital of Iraq is Baghdad. It is also the largest city, with 7,837,463 people in the 2024 census and 9,780,429 in the Baghdad governorate. Founded in 762 CE on the banks of the Tigris, it became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and one of the great cities of the Islamic Golden Age.
What is the population of Iraq?
Iraq had a population of 46,118,793 in the 2024 census, the first full census since 1987. About 72 per cent of Iraqis live in towns and cities, above all in Baghdad, Mosul and Basra. The United Nations estimate for 1 July 2023 was lower, at about 45.1 million, because it predates the census.
What language is spoken in Iraq?
Arabic and Kurdish are the official languages of Iraq. Arabic is spoken across most of the country, while Kurdish is the main language of the Kurdistan Region in the north. Assyrian, Turkmen and Armenian are recognised regional languages.
What currency is used in Iraq?
Iraq uses the Iraqi dinar (IQD). Banknotes come in denominations up to 50,000 dinars. Cash is still common in markets and small shops, but cards are increasingly accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger stores in Baghdad and Erbil.
Where is Iraq?
Iraq is in West Asia, in the Middle East, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It borders Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, and Jordan and Syria to the west, with a short 58-kilometre coastline on the Persian Gulf.
What time zone is Iraq in?
Iraq uses a single time zone, Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), across the whole country. The IANA time zone name is Asia/Baghdad. There is no daylight saving time, so the clocks stay the same all year.
Quick quiz
Three questions from the facts on this page. No sign-up, no score is saved.
Keep exploring
- Baghdad — capital of Iraq
- Mosul — city in Iraq
- Basra — city in Iraq
- Erbil — city in Iraq
- Iran — neighbouring country
- Jordan — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Kuwait — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Saudi-arabia — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Syria — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Turkey — neighbouring country
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
- Wikipedia — Iraq
- Iraq Commission of Statistics and GIS, Ministry of Planning, 2024 Census results (March 2025)
- United Nations, World Population Prospects 2024 (via Wikipedia — List of countries and dependencies by population (United Nations))
- Wikipedia — List of countries and dependencies by length of coastline (CIA World Factbook figures)
- Wikipedia — List of countries by median age (CIA World Factbook 2024 estimates)
- Wikipedia — List of countries by life expectancy (United Nations, 2023 estimates)
- Wikipedia — Urbanization by sovereign state (CIA World Factbook 2023 urbanization)
- US Energy Information Administration, Iraq country analysis (via EBSCO, 2025)
- mledoze/countries (skeleton: borders, capital, languages, tld, coordinates, subregion)
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.