Iraqi Planning Ministry announces successful pilot census

BAGHDAD – The Iraqi Ministry of Planning announced Thursday the successful completion of a pilot census across all provinces, including the Kurdistan Region.

Dhiaa Awad Kadhim, head of the Central Statistical Organization and Geographic Information Systems at the Ministry of Planning, reported during a press conference in Baghdad that the average household size was six individuals. Southern provinces recorded the highest average at seven members, while Sulaymaniyah had the lowest at four members.

The pilot census numbered approximately 71,000 buildings and collected data from 45,277 families. It recorded 273,000 individuals, including 136,599 males (50.1%) and over 136,000 females (49.9%). Data came from 41 urban districts and 45 villages, divided into 503 blocks.

Kadhim stated that over 1,000 employees participated in the census, which began on May 31, 2024. The process included organizing districts and villages, numbering buildings, and verifying them against statistical maps drawn from satellite images. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and tablets were used to complete electronic enumeration and numbering forms, with data transmitted in real-time to the central data center. The registration of family members proceeded smoothly.

The results also showed that 71% of residential units were owned by the families residing in them, while 17% were rented.

The population census is scheduled to take place in November this year. While this will be Iraq’s first census since 1997, the Kurdistan Region has not been included in an Iraqi population census since 1987.