Iraq Set to Begin National Population Census Tomorrow

Reports 10:54 AM - 2024-11-19

Iraq's map and a chart graph of population.

Iraq will begin its national population census on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, with the procedure anticipated to span two days. A curfew will run from midnight on November 19-20 to midnight on November 21-22.

The process has not been carried out in Iraq for nearly 40 years. The 2024 national population and housing census is the first to be conducted in Iraq since 1987. It involves more than 120,000 census enumerators dispersed across all regions of Iraq, asking each family over 70 questions.

On Friday, November 15, 2024, the first phase of the national census began in all of the country's provinces, including the Kurdistan Region. The teams have been visiting houses all over the 19 Iraqi provinces during the first stage to register family members living in each of the houses and obtain their documentation.

Fahmi Burhan: It is Important for Kurds to be in Their Locale During Census

Fahmi Burhan, Chairman of the General Board for Kurdistani Areas Outside the Region, told PUKMEDIA: "We believed that the timing of the census was unsuitable; however, now that the process is underway, the presence of Kurds in the Kurdistani regions is significant, despite many Kurds being displaced and absent from their cities in the disputed areas."

"Since the founding of the Iraqi state, no decade has passed without the displacement of Kurds from Kirkuk; thus, it is vital for them to return during this census, register themselves, and maintain the city's authenticity." Burhan stated.

Kirkuk, Sinjar, Duz, and Dibis are part of the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad. Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution was largely drafted to address the issue of the disputed areas. The disputed areas stretch across the provinces of Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Saladin, where the former Iraqi Ba'ath regime made great efforts to Arabise the population, which was the cause of these disputes.

In a historic appeal on February 9, 2004, attended by members of the Iraqi Governing Council in Kirkuk, President Mam Jalal reaffirmed the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk with a map of the Ottoman period. The participation of Kirkukis in the 2024 census is a completion of Mam Jalal's historic appeal. 

The Census is Not Intended to Resolve Disputes 

Mahmoud Othman, Executive Director of the General Population and Housing Census in the Kurdistan Region, explained in an interview with PUKMEDIA: "The population census and the active participation of Kurds in it are highly significant. It helps in determining the budgets of governorates, and in the case of disputed areas, participation can affirm the Kurdish identity of these regions."  

He added: "Over the past 20 years, numerous attempts to carry out a census have failed due to political interference and the overall situation in Iraq. The process has been postponed multiple times until the Federal Court finally decided to proceed with a general census." 

Othman emphasised that "according to the Federal Court's ruling, the census results will not be used to resolve disputes but serve other purposes, such as accurately determining the population of each governorate, estimating their budgets, and allocating seats in the Iraqi parliament. Consequently, the census will not negatively impact the implementation of Article 140 of the Constitution."
 
The Executive Director of the General Census in the Kurdistan Region highlighted the importance of participation, stating: "It is crucial for citizens of the Kurdistan Region and the disputed areas to take part in the census and respond to the 70 questions posed to them, as each question serves a specific purpose." 

He explained that concerns regarding areas covered by Article 140 of the Constitution had been addressed, adding: "The Ministry of Planning in the Kurdistan Region raised these concerns with the Iraqi President and the Iraqi Prime Minister. As a result, the Iraqi Council of Ministers decided not to announce census results for the disputed areas until they are compared with the population census of 1957."

Iraq’s First Census in 27 Years  

The upcoming census marks Iraq’s first in 27 years. Article 11 of the 2023 Statistics and Geographic Information Systems Law mandates a population and housing census every 10 years.  

Iraq’s census history dates back to 1920, when it was conducted under British administration, followed by a 1927 census, which was later annulled due to significant errors. Subsequent censuses were undertaken in 1934 for election purposes, 1947, and 1957, which was the final census of the royal era. During the republic, censuses were conducted in 1965, 1977, 1987, and 1997.  

The 2024 census is regarded as a vital development initiative, updating demographic data and poverty indicators. Its completion is seen as essential to Iraq’s future planning and governance.



PUKMEDIA