Iraqi planning ministry says poverty fell to 17%, citing census and survey data

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Planning said Monday that poverty and unemployment rates have declined in recent years, with poverty dropping from 22% to 17% and unemployment from 16% to 13%.

Ministry spokesperson Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi told the Iraqi News Agency that the figures were based on data from the national population census and field survey research conducted last year. He said recommendations from a recent joint scientific conference with the Ministry of Higher Education would be submitted to the government to support measures addressing unemployment.

Iraq conducted its first nationwide census in nearly four decades from Nov. 20–22, 2024, with support from the United Nations Population Fund and 120,000 researchers deployed across all 18 governorates. Final results published in late November recorded a total population of 46,118,793, including 45,787,000 Iraqi citizens and 340,131 foreign residents, across 8,054,385 households. The population is 50.2% male and 49.8% female, with a national average household size of 5.7 people and a population growth rate of 2.5%.