UN: Iraq’s Economically Active Population Surpasses 60% for the First Time

Baghdad-INA
The advisor to the United Nations Population Fund, Mahdi Al-Alaq, confirmed today, Tuesday, that the percentage of the economically active population has increased to more than 60% for the first time in Iraq, while pointing out that the closeness of the percentage of males and females reflects the credibility of the population census results.
 
Al-Alaq said, in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The basic results reflected by the general population census showed a change in the age structure of the population, while the number of people by gender did not witness a change as expected."
 
The statement added that "the number of males is close to or slightly higher than the number of females, which is a demographic phenomenon, as the equal number of males and females gives a high impression of the credibility of the census results."
 
 It pointed out that "there is a turning pointing the percentage of the economically active population, i.e. the age group from 15 to 64 years, as this percentage rose for the first time to 60.4 percent."
 
The statement explained that "this turning point represents an important opportunity for the country, as it leads to a decrease in supporting rates, meaning that 60 percent of the population now supports 40 percent of the population, and this is the first time in Iraq's history."
 
It continued: "If the workforce and employment rates are not invested properly, this demographic gift may turn into a burden."