Iraq has a population density of 286.5 people per square mile compared to 573 people in North Korea. Iraq has 102,181 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. Iraq and North Korea rank 86th and 52nd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Iraq has 0.57% of the world's population and 0.29% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, making the population density in Iraq 50% lower than in North Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Iraq
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 286.5 | 573 |
| 2025 | 280.5 | 572 |
| 2024 | 274.7 | 570 |
| 2023 | 268.9 | 568 |
| 2022 | 262.9 | 566 |
| 2021 | 257 | 564 |
| 2020 | 251.3 | 562 |
| 2019 | 245.7 | 560 |
| 2018 | 240.2 | 558 |
| 2017 | 234.7 | 555 |
| 2016 | 229.5 | 553 |
| 2015 | 224.1 | 550 |
| 2014 | 218.1 | 547 |
| 2013 | 210.5 | 545 |
| 2012 | 200.7 | 542 |
| 2011 | 191.8 | 540 |
| 2010 | 185.1 | 537 |
| 2009 | 179.2 | 535 |
| 2008 | 171.6 | 533 |
| 2007 | 168.1 | 530 |
| 2006 | 169.5 | 528 |
| 2005 | 168.2 | 525 |
| 2004 | 163.3 | 522 |
| 2003 | 158.7 | 518 |
| 2002 | 154 | 515 |
| 2001 | 149.2 | 512 |
| 2000 | 144.6 | 509 |
| 1999 | 140 | 505 |
| 1998 | 135.5 | 501 |
| 1997 | 131.3 | 497 |
| 1996 | 127.3 | 492 |
| 1995 | 123.3 | 488 |
| 1994 | 119.3 | 482 |
| 1993 | 113.7 | 475 |
| 1992 | 108.4 | 468 |
| 1991 | 105.2 | 461 |
| 1990 | 104.1 | 454 |
| 1989 | 102.8 | 447 |
| 1988 | 100.1 | 441 |
| 1987 | 97.8 | 435 |
| 1986 | 95.2 | 428 |
| 1985 | 92.9 | 422 |
| 1984 | 90.7 | 416 |
| 1983 | 87.9 | 410 |
| 1982 | 85.3 | 404 |
| 1981 | 82.9 | 398 |
| 1980 | 80.5 | 392 |
| 1979 | 78 | 387 |
| 1978 | 75.5 | 381 |
| 1977 | 73 | 376 |
| 1976 | 70.6 | 371 |
| 1975 | 68.4 | 365 |
| 1974 | 66.1 | 359 |
| 1973 | 63.9 | 352 |
| 1972 | 61.8 | 344 |
| 1971 | 59.7 | 335 |
| 1970 | 57.7 | 326 |
| 1969 | 55.7 | 318 |
| 1968 | 53.8 | 309 |
| 1967 | 52 | 300 |
| 1966 | 50.2 | 291.9 |
| 1965 | 48.6 | 284.3 |
| 1964 | 47 | 277.3 |
| 1963 | 45.4 | 270.3 |
| 1962 | 43.9 | 263.8 |
| 1961 | 42.6 | 257.9 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/iraq/north-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Iraq increased by 69.1%, compared to a 8.64% growth in North Korea.
In 2006, Iraq ranked 110th by population density and is 86th now. North Korea was 40th in 2006 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Iraq
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 286.5 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 86/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
48289334
|
26659144
|
| Land area | 167,619 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 101,493 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.1% | 36.1% |
| Urban population | 69.9% | 63.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 23.3% | 10.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iraq
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 69.9% | 63.9% |
| 2023 | 69.9% | 63.5% |
| 2022 | 69.9% | 63.2% |
| 2021 | 69.9% | 62.9% |
| 2020 | 69.9% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 69.9% | 62.4% |
| 2018 | 69.9% | 62.1% |
| 2017 | 69.9% | 61.8% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | 61.6% |
| 2015 | 69.9% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 69.7% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 69.4% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 69.2% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 69.1% | 60.5% |
| 2010 | 69.1% | 60.3% |
| 2009 | 69% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 68.9% | 60% |
| 2007 | 68.7% | 59.9% |
| 2006 | 68.6% | 59.8% |
| 2005 | 68.4% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 68.2% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 68.1% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 67.9% | 59.5% |
| 2001 | 67.8% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 67.6% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 67.5% | 59.4% |
| 1998 | 67.5% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 67.5% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 67.6% | 59.2% |
| 1995 | 67.8% | 59.1% |
| 1994 | 68.2% | 59% |
| 1993 | 68.6% | 58.9% |
| 1992 | 69% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 69.4% | 58.6% |
| 1990 | 69.7% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 70% | 58.3% |
| 1988 | 70.2% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 70.2% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 70% | 57.7% |
| 1985 | 69.7% | 57.5% |
| 1984 | 69.1% | 57.4% |
| 1983 | 68.5% | 57.2% |
| 1982 | 67.7% | 57.1% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | 57% |
| 1980 | 66% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 65.1% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 64.3% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 63.5% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 62.7% | 56.8% |
| 1975 | 61.8% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 60.9% | 56.5% |
| 1973 | 60% | 56.1% |
| 1972 | 59% | 55.6% |
| 1971 | 58% | 54.9% |
| 1970 | 57% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 55.9% | 53.3% |
| 1968 | 54.8% | 52% |
| 1967 | 53.7% | 50.5% |
| 1966 | 52.5% | 49% |
| 1965 | 51.4% | 47.5% |
| 1964 | 50% | 46.2% |
| 1963 | 48.6% | 45% |
| 1962 | 47% | 43.7% |
| 1961 | 45.5% | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 44% | 40.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/iraq/north-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 68.2% to 69.9% in Iraq and from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea.
Densely populated cities
|
Iraq
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Baghdad | 8.13M |
| Mosul | 1.79M |
| Basra | 1.33M |
| Kirkuk | 975K |
| Sulaymaniyah | 878K |
| Ramadi | 875K |
| Erbil | 846K |
| Najaf | 725K |
| Karbala | 690K |
| Nasiriyah | 542K |
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/iraq/north-korea | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Wikidata (2005–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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