Iraq has a population density of 274.7 people per square mile compared to 348 people in Syria. Iraq has 102,181 sq ft of land per person vs 80,788 sq ft in Syria. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Iraq and Syria are ranked 87th and 71st, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.3% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Syria, hence the population density in Iraq is 21.1% lower than in Syria.
Population density comparison
Iraq
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 274.7 ppl/mi² | 348 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 87/197 | 71/197 |
| Population |
47813338
|
26304877
|
| Land area | 167,619 sq mi | 70,900 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 101,493 sq ft | 80,112 sq ft |
| Rural population | 28.1% | 42% |
| Urban population | 71.9% | 58% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 24.4% | 19% |
Iraq vs Syria:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Iraq increased by 68.2%, compared to a 34.5% growth in Syria.
In 2004, Iraq ranked 108th for population density and is in 87th place now. Syria was 77th in 2004 and ranks 71st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iraq
|
Syria
|
|
| 2024 | 274.7 | 348 |
| 2023 | 268.9 | 333 |
| 2022 | 262.9 | 317 |
| 2021 | 257 | 305 |
| 2020 | 251.3 | 296.9 |
| 2019 | 245.7 | 287.1 |
| 2018 | 240.2 | 276.1 |
| 2017 | 234.7 | 271.2 |
| 2016 | 229.5 | 270.7 |
| 2015 | 224.1 | 274 |
| 2014 | 218.1 | 285.9 |
| 2013 | 210.5 | 306 |
| 2012 | 200.7 | 321 |
| 2011 | 191.8 | 323 |
| 2010 | 185.1 | 317 |
| 2009 | 179.2 | 310 |
| 2008 | 171.6 | 305 |
| 2007 | 168.1 | 294.5 |
| 2006 | 169.5 | 277 |
| 2005 | 168.2 | 265.4 |
| 2004 | 163.3 | 258.7 |
| 2003 | 158.7 | 252.4 |
| 2002 | 154 | 246.2 |
| 2001 | 149.2 | 240.3 |
| 2000 | 144.6 | 234.5 |
| 1999 | 140 | 228.7 |
| 1998 | 135.5 | 223 |
| 1997 | 131.3 | 217.3 |
| 1996 | 127.3 | 211.6 |
| 1995 | 123.3 | 206 |
| 1994 | 119.3 | 200.2 |
| 1993 | 113.7 | 194.4 |
| 1992 | 108.4 | 188.6 |
| 1991 | 105.2 | 182.9 |
| 1990 | 104.1 | 177.3 |
| 1989 | 102.8 | 171.6 |
| 1988 | 100.1 | 166 |
| 1987 | 97.8 | 160.5 |
| 1986 | 95.2 | 155.1 |
| 1985 | 92.9 | 149.7 |
| 1984 | 90.7 | 144.6 |
| 1983 | 87.9 | 139.6 |
| 1982 | 85.3 | 134.9 |
| 1981 | 82.9 | 130.5 |
| 1980 | 80.5 | 126.2 |
| 1979 | 78 | 122.1 |
| 1978 | 75.5 | 118 |
| 1977 | 73 | 114 |
| 1976 | 70.6 | 110.2 |
| 1975 | 68.4 | 106.5 |
| 1974 | 66.1 | 102.9 |
| 1973 | 63.9 | 99.5 |
| 1972 | 61.8 | 96.2 |
| 1971 | 59.7 | 93 |
| 1970 | 57.7 | 89.9 |
| 1969 | 55.7 | 87 |
| 1968 | 53.8 | 84.3 |
| 1967 | 52 | 81.6 |
| 1966 | 50.2 | 79 |
| 1965 | 48.6 | 76.6 |
| 1964 | 47 | 74.3 |
| 1963 | 45.4 | 72 |
| 1962 | 43.9 | 69.9 |
| 1961 | 42.6 | 67.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iraq
|
Syria
|
|
| 2024 | 71.9% | 58% |
| 2023 | 71.6% | 57.4% |
| 2022 | 71.4% | 56.8% |
| 2021 | 71.1% | 56.1% |
| 2020 | 70.9% | 55.5% |
| 2019 | 70.7% | 54.8% |
| 2018 | 70.5% | 54.2% |
| 2017 | 70.3% | 53.5% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | 52.8% |
| 2015 | 69.9% | 52.2% |
| 2014 | 69.8% | 51.5% |
| 2013 | 69.6% | 52.5% |
| 2012 | 69.4% | 53.6% |
| 2011 | 69.3% | 54.6% |
| 2010 | 69.1% | 55.6% |
| 2009 | 69% | 55.2% |
| 2008 | 68.9% | 54.9% |
| 2007 | 68.9% | 54.5% |
| 2006 | 68.8% | 54.1% |
| 2005 | 68.8% | 53.8% |
| 2004 | 68.7% | 53.4% |
| 2003 | 68.7% | 53% |
| 2002 | 68.6% | 52.7% |
| 2001 | 68.5% | 52.3% |
| 2000 | 68.5% | 51.9% |
| 1999 | 68.4% | 51.6% |
| 1998 | 68.4% | 51.2% |
| 1997 | 68.4% | 50.8% |
| 1996 | 68.6% | 50.5% |
| 1995 | 68.8% | 50.1% |
| 1994 | 69% | 49.8% |
| 1993 | 69.2% | 49.6% |
| 1992 | 69.3% | 49.3% |
| 1991 | 69.5% | 49.1% |
| 1990 | 69.7% | 48.9% |
| 1989 | 69.9% | 48.7% |
| 1988 | 70.1% | 48.5% |
| 1987 | 70% | 48.3% |
| 1986 | 69.4% | 48.1% |
| 1985 | 68.8% | 47.9% |
| 1984 | 68.1% | 47.7% |
| 1983 | 67.5% | 47.5% |
| 1982 | 66.8% | 47.3% |
| 1981 | 66.2% | 47% |
| 1980 | 65.5% | 46.7% |
| 1979 | 64.9% | 46.4% |
| 1978 | 64.2% | 46% |
| 1977 | 63.4% | 45.7% |
| 1976 | 62.4% | 45.4% |
| 1975 | 61.4% | 45.1% |
| 1974 | 60.4% | 44.7% |
| 1973 | 59.3% | 44.4% |
| 1972 | 58.3% | 44.1% |
| 1971 | 57.2% | 43.8% |
| 1970 | 56.2% | 43.3% |
| 1969 | 55.1% | 42.7% |
| 1968 | 54% | 42% |
| 1967 | 52.9% | 41.3% |
| 1966 | 51.9% | 40.7% |
| 1965 | 50.7% | 40% |
| 1964 | 49.1% | 39.3% |
| 1963 | 47.5% | 38.7% |
| 1962 | 46% | 38% |
| 1961 | 44.4% | 37.4% |
| 1960 | 42.9% | 36.8% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 68.7% to 71.9% in Iraq and from 53.4% to 58% in Syria.
Densely populated cities
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