Quick facts
Basrah overview
Basrah (orange) and the other large cities of Iraq
Basrah lies in Basra in Iraq at 30.51°N, 47.78°E, about 4 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Baghdad (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Erbil (1,612,700) and larger than Karbala (1,218,732). The largest city in Iraq is Baghdad with 7,216,000 people; the capital, Baghdad, has 7,216,000.
The national capital, Baghdad, is about 448 km away; the nearest large city is Abū al-Kahṣīb, 12 km from Basrah.
Iraq as a whole has a live population of 48,295,919 (+2.1% a year) and ranks #34 of 238 countries — see the Iraq population page for the full statistics and the Iraq atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Basrah
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Abū al-Kahṣīb Basra | 12 km | 357,771 |
| Az Zubayr Basra | 15 km | 122,676 |
| Umm Qaşr Basra | 54 km | 107,620 |
| Al Qurnah Basra | 65 km | 134,174 |
| Al Madīnah Basra | 70 km | 255,000 |
| Al Fāw Basra | 89 km | 104,569 |
| Nasiriyah Dhi Qar | 158 km | 558,400 |
| Al ‘Amārah Maysan | 159 km | 323,302 |
Largest cities in Iraq
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Basrah?
Basrah has about 1,326,564 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Basrah the capital of Iraq?
No. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad (7,216,000 people), about 448 km away. Basrah is the 4th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Basrah compared with the rest of Iraq?
Its 1,326,564 residents are 2.7% of the 48,295,919 people living in Iraq today. Baghdad is larger with 7,216,000 people.
Where is Basrah?
In Basra, Iraq, at latitude 30.51 and longitude 47.78, 4 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Abū al-Kahṣīb (12 km), Az Zubayr (15 km), Umm Qaşr (54 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Basrah Population 2026 — Iraq. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/iraq/basrah/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/iraq/basrah/">Basrah Population 2026 — Iraq</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.