Population Growth and Distribution in Zakho/Iraq during 1947-2017 (An Urban Geographical Study)

Abstract

Local and central governments give too much attention to population growth and distribution studies as they significantly contribute to economic growth and urban development plans. This study has been conducted in Zakho and its focus is on the population size and growth from 1947 to 2017 and the distribution number and ratio for the final phase in 2017. The study also focuses on the population status of this city based on the data that are obtained from Statistic Department in Duhok governorate and interviews with people with expertise in this area. The problem of the study is that many population changes have occurred in recent years that weren’t connected to national population census that happens once every decade. Due to political and instability conditions, the last national population census was thirty years ago. Thus, it resulted in creating a population defect between cities and rural areas as the population growth in cities increased. The aim of this study is to showcase the phases of development of the size and growth of the population and is to analyze the numbers and ratios of the geographical distribution. The study shed lights on the population density through Lorenz Curve to identify the range of the factual distribution than the ideal distribution. This paper suggests that the political and instability conditions are the reasons behind the population changes in terms of growth, size, and density. There is a prominent imbalance in the population distribution in areas and districts in Zakho. The research contains an introduction, results, and suggestions for the population growth and distribution in Zakho from 1947 to 2017. It has four chapters that cover the population size, growth, and distribution. Lorenz Curve is used as a key to analyze the study’s suggestion. The results have shown that Zakho has absorbed a huge numbers of internally displaced people; the city has also experienced an imbalanced growth and density of the population.