Minister of Planning: Iraq is witnessing rapid population growth

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[size=52]Minister of Planning: Iraq is witnessing rapid population growth[/size]

[size=45]Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Muhammad Ali Tamim, confirmed that Iraq is witnessing rapid population growth, with the percentage of population in cities doubling at the expense of the countryside.[/size]
[size=45]This came in a speech he delivered during the conference (Iraq and Climate Change Initiative), which was held by the European Union mission in Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]The Minister said in his speech: We continued to formulate policies and make decisions that would confront climate change, and build real partnerships between various sectors to ensure the achievement and sustainability of economic growth, ensure food and water security, and shift towards the uses of clean and renewable energy.[/size]
[size=45]He added that Iraq is witnessing steady population growth, which has led to a major expansion of cities, with the proportion of the urban population reaching 70% compared to 30% of the rural population, adding: We have made plans about land uses, setting energy efficiency standards, and building cities. Sustainable.[/size]
[size=45]The minister also pointed out that the new residential cities announced by Iraq take into account all requirements for protecting the environment and confronting climate change.[/size]
[size=45]In the field of reducing carbon emissions, Tamim said, “We have prepared a plan to launch a package of projects financed by carbon bonds, which aim to reduce carbon emissions and enhance Iraq’s stock of carbon bonds through optimal investment of associated gas and reducing the rate of its combustion in all oil fields.”[/size]
[size=45]He went on to say that Iraq is on the cusp of a new phase, after its security, economic, political, and services recovery, and today we are facing an important development opportunity, which depends on economic reform and achieving development, in accordance with the priorities of the government program.[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi Minister of Planning continued, “We express our sincere desire for more cooperation with European Union countries, to support the Iraqi government’s efforts to confront climate change.”[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry of Planning, through statistics published in July 2013, estimated the country’s population at (43) million and (324) thousand people, with the annual population growth rate reaching (2.5%).[/size]
[size=45]The percentage of males is (50.5%), and the percentage of females is (49.5%) of the total population, according to the statement, which indicated that the percentage of the population in the age group under 15 years constitutes about (40%) of the total population, while The percentage of the population aged 15-64 years is (57%), and youth within the age group (15-24) years constitute (28%) of the total population.[/size]
[size=45]According to the statistics included in the statement, about (50%) of the population is concentrated in the governorates of (Baghdad, Nineveh, Basra, Dhi Qar), and the urban population constitutes (70%) compared to (30%) the proportion of the rural population.[/size]
[size=45]The statistics noted a significant improvement in the health of infants and children under five years of age after the death rates within this category declined to less than (20) deaths per (100,000) live births, which reflected positively on the improvement in the life expectancy rate and its rise to (74) years. .[/size]
[size=45]Planning statistics indicated a decline in the fertility rate from (3.66) in 2018, to (3.3) births for women aged (15-49) years in 2022.[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry continued by saying that it is expected that the population of Iraq will enter the fourth stage of demographic transformations until it enters the stage (demographic gift), in which fertility rates decrease to the replacement level and the proportion of age groups of dependency decreases, compared to an increase in the proportions of age groups of working age.[/size]
[size=45]It is noteworthy that the last census took place in Iraq was in 1997, which showed that the population of Iraq was about 19 million people in all regions of Iraq except the governorates of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where officials at the time estimated the number of people in the region at about three million citizens.[/size]
[size=45]Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime at the hands of the American forces and their allies, the political forces have not been able to agree on conducting the census, which is considered the basis for distributing wealth in the country, drawing up development plans, evaluating their results, and setting the correct plans for reconstruction.[/size]
[size=45]Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning Muhammad Ali Tamim announced last July the date of conducting the general census of population and housing. He set November of next year, 2024, as the initial date for its implementation.[/size]
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