The Iraqi Ministry of Planning announces a decrease in the poverty rate to 17 percent.

The Ministry of Planning announced today, Wednesday, a decrease in the poverty rate to 17 percent after the implementation of government measures, expecting the population of Iraq to exceed 44 million people.

The ministry's spokesperson, Abdul Zahra Al-Hindawi, said: "Iraq has witnessed significant measures in the past two years in the field of poverty reduction, especially concerning the social protection network that provided financial resources to poor families. Additionally, food baskets were provided through the ration card, which helped ensure regular and guaranteed food for the poor.

He added that "these measures have contributed to reducing poverty levels in Iraq, from about 23% two years ago to around 17% currently," noting that "these measures continue to support poor families in various fields.

Regarding the population increase in Iraq, Al-Hindawi confirmed that "Iraq has witnessed an annual population growth rate of 2.6%, which means the population increases by one million or more each year.

He added that "the estimated population of Iraq by the end of 2023 exceeded 43 million people, and it is expected that this number will exceed 44 million people by the end of 2024," noting that "the final and accurate population figure will be obtained through the population census to be conducted on the 20th and 21st of this month.

He explained that "the population in Iraq is divided into multiple age groups, where children aged 0 to 15 years make up more than 40% of the total population, while economically active individuals (aged 16 to 64 years) constitute about 57%, and the elderly aged 65 years and above make up only about 3%," noting that "based on these age groups, the dependency ratios for families, whether for children or the elderly, have become more apparent.