"العراق والخليج الفارسي" [ظ‎‎٢‎٤‎٢] (٨٦٢/٤٨٩)

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360 DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION
statistics. The administrative estimates of the population since 1930
have shown a continuous and rapid increase despite local fluctuations:
Year
Thousands of persons
1930
2,824
1932
2,857
1935
3 , 56 o
1943
3,995
Between 1930 and 1935 the increase was evenly spread through most
of the provinces, but between 1935 and 1943 practically the whole
increase of 435,000 is accounted for by Baghdad province alone,
which has nearly doubled its population in 8 years. For, although in
the same period most other provinces have shown a steady increase or
have remained stable, two provinces, Sulaimaniya and Diwaniya,
have shown decreases which nearly cancel the increase in all the others
except Baghdad. Whether the increase of Baghdad province is due
mainly to influx from other areas is not easy to determine. There
certainly is internal migration into the urban area of Baghdad. But it
is arguable here and elsewhere that apparent increases reflect greater
efficiency and ingenuity on the part of the census officials as well as an
excess of births over deaths, and that the population of Iraq is more
stable than has been supposed.
Provinces. In northern Iraq, Mosul, Erbil, and Kirkuk have shown
steady increases from 1932 to 1943, but Sulaimaniya has fluctuated
violently (103,000 in 1932, 184,000 in 1935, 142,000 in 1943).
In central Iraq, Baghdad has shown a great increase {above). Dulaim
was stable; Diyala has been stable since 1935.
Of the Middle and Lower Euphrates provinces, Hilla and Karbala
have shown a slight increase. Diwaniya has fluctuated wildly (3 41,000,
416,000, and 292,000 in the three latter estimates). Muntafiq has
been stable.
Of the lower Tigris provinces, Kut and Basra have shown a steady
and Amara a slight increase.
Statistics exist for births and deaths only at the cities of Baghdad,
Mosul, and Basra. As the population of these cities are very imper
fectly estimated no useful percentage increases can be worked out.
The figures for a representative year (1937) were:
Registered number of births and deaths
• _
Baghdad
Mosul
Basra
Births
■ 9,483
3,438
1,709
Deaths
• 7,599
2,086
U 775
1,884 +
U 352 +
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