Quick facts
Karbala overview
Karbala (orange) and the other large cities of Iraq
Karbala lies in Iraq at 32.62°N, 44.02°E, about 32 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Baghdad (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Basrah (1,326,564) and larger than Kirkuk (1,031,000). 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 88 km away; the nearest large city is Al-Musayab, 31 km from Karbala.
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 Karbala
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Musayab Babil | 31 km | 101,873 |
| Abu Gharaq Babil | 31 km | 108,212 |
| Al Hillah Babil | 41 km | 455,700 |
| Nāḩiyat al Iskandarīyah Babil | 43 km | 100,600 |
| Najaf Najaf | 72 km | 482,576 |
| Al Fallūjah Anbar | 85 km | 190,159 |
| BaghdadCapital Baghdad | 88 km | 7,216,000 |
| Al Diwaniyah Al-Qadisiyah | 109 km | 318,801 |
Largest cities in Iraq
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Karbala?
Karbala has about 1,218,732 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Karbala the capital of Iraq?
No. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad (7,216,000 people), about 88 km away. Karbala is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Karbala compared with the rest of Iraq?
Its 1,218,732 residents are 2.5% of the 48,295,919 people living in Iraq today. Baghdad is larger with 7,216,000 people.
Where is Karbala?
In Iraq, at latitude 32.62 and longitude 44.02, 32 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Al-Musayab (31 km), Abu Gharaq (31 km), Al Hillah (41 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Karbala Population 2026 — Iraq. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/iraq/karbala/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/iraq/karbala/">Karbala 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.