Quick answerErbil is a city in Iraq, with 1,200,000 people inside the city limits in 2024. The wider metropolitan area had about 1.4 million people in 2024. It is best known for the Citadel of Erbil, the Oldest continuously inhabited city and the Capital of Kurdistan Region. Its official languages are Arabic and Kurdish, and its currency is the Iraqi dinar.
Erbil is the capital and most populous city of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with an estimated 1.2 million people in 2024. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dominated by its ancient Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Key facts
| Country | Iraq |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 1,200,000 (2024) |
| Population (metro) | 1,400,000 (2024) · Erbil metropolitan area, 2024 estimate |
| Elevation | 390 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Baghdad |
| Language | Arabic, Kurdish |
| Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD, د.ع) |
| Coordinates | 36.1912° N, 44.0092° E |
Overview
Erbil, also called Hawler in Kurdish, is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the capital of Erbil Governorate. The city had an estimated 1.2 million residents in 2024, with about 1.4 million in the metropolitan area, and it sits 390 metres above sea level, about 80 kilometres east of Mosul.
Erbil is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with human settlement dating back to the 5th millennium BCE. At the heart of the city is the ancient Citadel of Erbil, a UNESCO World Heritage site, alongside the Mudhafaria Minaret. The earliest historical reference to the region dates to the Third Dynasty of Ur, when King Shulgi mentioned the city of Urbilum, and it was later ruled by the Assyrians, the Medes and the Achaemenids.
Today Erbil is described as the Kurdistan Region's cultural, economic, industrial, educational and medical hub. It is home to the Kurdish Textile Museum, the Sami Abdulrahman Park, the Erbil Grand Bazaar and a large Christian community in the Ankawa district, and it has grown rapidly since 2003, including as a refuge for people displaced from elsewhere in Iraq and from Syria.
What Erbil is known for
- Citadel of Erbil
- Oldest continuously inhabited city
- Capital of Kurdistan Region
- Mudhafaria Minaret
- Sami Abdulrahman Park
- Kurdish Textile Museum
Landmarks
- Citadel of Erbil
- Mudhafaria Minaret
- Jalil Khayat Mosque
- Sami Abdulrahman Park
- Kurdish Textile Museum
- Erbil Grand Bazaar (Qaysari)
- Ankawa
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Erbil?
About 1.2 million people live in Erbil (an estimated 1.2 million in 2024). The wider metropolitan area has about 1.4 million people. That makes Erbil the most populous city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The CIA World Factbook gave a lower figure of 897,000 for 2023.
What is Erbil famous for?
Erbil is famous as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, settled since the 5th millennium BCE, and for its Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site that rises above the city centre. It is also known as the capital of the Kurdistan Region and as its cultural, economic and medical hub.
Where is Erbil located?
Erbil is in northern Iraq, in the Kurdistan Region, about 80 kilometres east of Mosul. It is the capital of Erbil Governorate and sits 390 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 36.19° N, 44.01° E, and its time zone is Arabia Standard Time.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Iraq — the country Erbil is in
- Baghdad — another city in Iraq
- Mosul — another city in Iraq
- Basra — another city in Iraq
- All cities in Iraq
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.