Iraq at its true size
Iraq covers 437,072 km², number 58 of 194 countries by area. Home to 47,020,774 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 437,072 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 47,020,774 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 108 per km² |
| Capital | Baghdad |
| Local time in Baghdad | |
| Time zone | UTC+3 IANA |
| Currency | Iraqi dinar (IQD) Wikidata |
| Languages | Arabic, Kurdish language |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Western Asia, Asia |
| Status | Independent state |
| Member of | OPEC |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +964 |
| Codes | IQ · IRQ · 368 |
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Where Iraq ranks
Among the independent states, in 42 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#34 of 19447 million people#14 of 48 in Asia
- Population density#82 of 194108 people per km²#29 of 48 in Asia
- Urban population#74 of 19270% urban#19 of 47 in Asia
- Fertility rate#48 of 1923.22 births per woman#5 of 47 in Asia
- Population growth#42 of 192+2.10% a year#9 of 47 in Asia
- Birth rate#47 of 19225.6 births per 1,000 people#4 of 47 in Asia
- Death rate#184 of 1924.2 deaths per 1,000 people#39 of 47 in Asia
- Children under 15#48 of 19236.0% under 15#4 of 47 in Asia
- People over 65#156 of 1923.4% aged 65 and over#40 of 47 in Asia
- Net migration#73 of 1920.0 per 1,000 people#21 of 47 in Asia
- Refugees abroad#25 of 1905.76 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#7 of 47 in Asia
Health & education
Economy
- GNI per capita#107 of 185$5,690 a person#24 of 45 in Asia
- Internet users#95 of 18482% online#28 of 43 in Asia
- GDP per capita (PPP)#111 of 184$14,267 a person#29 of 45 in Asia
- GDP growth#183 of 187−2.2% a year#43 of 45 in Asia
- Inflation#156 of 176+0.3% a year#35 of 42 in Asia
- Unemployment#14 of 17815.5% of the labour force#3 of 47 in Asia
- Extreme poverty#103 of 1490.5% under $3.00 a day#20 of 33 in Asia
- Income inequality (Gini)#121 of 149a Gini index of 29.8#25 of 33 in Asia
- Jobs in agriculture#117 of 1788.2% of jobs#33 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in industry#30 of 17826.5% of jobs#13 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in services#70 of 17865.3% of jobs#14 of 47 in Asia
- Foreign investment#178 of 184-3.0% of GDP#44 of 44 in Asia
- Exports#74 of 16839.8% of GDP#19 of 42 in Asia
- Military spending#43 of 1552.5% of GDP#17 of 38 in Asia
- Mobile subscriptions#127 of 191100 subscriptions per 100 people#34 of 47 in Asia
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#47 of 1855.18 tonnes a person#20 of 47 in Asia
- Forest area#173 of 1922% forest#40 of 47 in Asia
- Renewable energy#173 of 1901.1% renewable#35 of 47 in Asia
- Access to electricity#1 of 192100.0% with electricity#1 of 47 in Asia
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#13 of 19149.5 µg/m³#10 of 47 in Asia
- Protected land#182 of 1911.5% of the land protected#45 of 47 in Asia
- Arable land#90 of 19011.3% of the land arable#21 of 47 in Asia
- Water stress#30 of 17659.6% of its available fresh water#20 of 47 in Asia
- Precipitation#164 of 180216 mm a year#37 of 47 in Asia
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Iraq’s area, lit up on the map →
- Morocco0.98×Iraq and Morocco are almost exactly the same size.
- Sweden0.98×Iraq and Sweden are almost exactly the same size.
- Uzbekistan0.97×Iraq and Uzbekistan are almost exactly the same size.
- Yemen0.96×Iraq is 4% smaller than Yemen.
- Papua New Guinea0.94×Iraq is 6% smaller than Papua New Guinea.
- Paraguay1.07×Iraq is 7% larger than Paraguay.
How many times does Iraq fit into…
- Russia: about 39 times
- Canada: about 23 times
- United States: about 22 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Iraq shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Rivers
- Euphrates2,800 km
- Tigris1,850 km
Summits
- Cheekha Dar3,611 m
Lakes
- Lake Tharthar2,710 km²
- Razzaza Lake1,501 km²
- Lake Hammar1,300 km²
- Lake Habbaniyah140 km²
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Iraq. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Iraq
- How big is Iraq?
- Iraq covers 437,072 km², which makes it number 58 of 194 countries by area. About 47,020,774 people live there (2025), 108 per km².
- Is Iraq bigger than Morocco?
- Iraq and Morocco are almost exactly the same size. Iraq: 437,072 km²; Morocco: 446,550 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Iraq?
- Iraq lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Iraq?
- Iraq shares a land border with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait.