Quick facts
Najaf overview
Najaf (orange) and the other large cities of Iraq
Najaf lies in Iraq at 32.03°N, 44.35°E, about 41 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Baghdad (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Nasiriyah (558,400) and larger than Al Hillah (455,700). 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 146 km away; the nearest large city is Al Hillah, 49 km from Najaf.
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 Najaf
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Al Hillah Babil | 49 km | 455,700 |
| Al Diwaniyah Al-Qadisiyah | 55 km | 318,801 |
| Abu Gharaq Babil | 56 km | 108,212 |
| Karbala Karbala | 72 km | 1,218,732 |
| Al-Musayab Babil | 84 km | 101,873 |
| Nāḩiyat al Iskandarīyah Babil | 96 km | 100,600 |
| An Nu‘mānīyah Wasit | 116 km | 110,000 |
| As Samawah Muthanna | 118 km | 152,890 |
Largest cities in Iraq
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Najaf?
Najaf has about 482,576 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Najaf the capital of Iraq?
No. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad (7,216,000 people), about 146 km away. Najaf is the 9th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Najaf compared with the rest of Iraq?
Its 482,576 residents are 1% of the 48,295,919 people living in Iraq today. Baghdad is larger with 7,216,000 people.
Where is Najaf?
In Iraq, at latitude 32.03 and longitude 44.35, 41 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Al Hillah (49 km), Al Diwaniyah (55 km), Abu Gharaq (56 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Najaf Population 2026 — Iraq. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/iraq/najaf/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/iraq/najaf/">Najaf 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.