Bibliography on the 1947 census of Iraq
Endnotes
The Miami News
Miami FLCurfew Clamps Iraq As Census Is Taken
(Special From The New York Times)
BAGHDAD, Oct. 20. — (London Times) — All Iraq was under a dawn to dusk curfew today while the country’s first real census was taken. Frontiers were closed and the Taurus Express from Turkey via Syria was held up at Mosul.
Except for police, clerks, students and teachers going from house to house taking the census, streets were empty and curfew breakers faced heavy penalties.
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, TXAncient Baghdad Shuts up Shop As Census Takers Count Noses
By WILLIAM H. NEWTON
Scripps-Howard Staff WriterBAGHDAD, Oct. 24. — Three million, seven hundred thousand Arabs and I have been confined to quarters.
It doesn’t make any difference if you’re a shiek, a pasha, a nabob or sahib, you stay inside your house.
They are taking a census in Iraq, a difficult undertaking in a nation of the Middle East. People move around so much. You count them in one place and a few hours later, you’re likely to find yourself counting the same noses somewhere else.
So the government decided everybody—and they mean everybody—would have to stay home for one day and be counted. Every shop in Baghdad closed.
Not a Soul Stirring
There isn’t a soul stirring on the streets in this ancient Arabian city except a policeman or two.
Now and then a census-taker, his pockets full of yellow documents, darts out of one house and into another.
One of them called on me. He was accompanied by the hotel manager. Everything went well until the census-taker asked me where I was born.
Never Heard of It
I was born,I replied,in Colombus, O.His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
And just where, Sahib,he said,just where is this place Ohio?
Idiot,shouted the hotel manager.Ohio, she is in Ohio.
And so,said the census-taker, scribbling, away,what is your grandfather’s name?Rest of the census formalities were completed without incident, but I still don’t know when I am ever going to get out of this country.
To leave Iraq, you must secure an exit visa from the government and the government and everything else is closed today. The weekly plane departs early tomorrow morning.
Visa Is Important
I wish to depart on this plane,I told a local airline agent last night.
But certainly, Sahib,he said,you have, of course, the exit visa.
No,I said.I cannot get an exit visa because it is night and the government offices are all closed. They will not be open tomorrow because of the census. And the plane leaves early the next morning.
This is true,he said. Then his face brightened.Ah,he smiled triumphantly,you may get the exit visa the morning.It’s a Problem
How can I get the exit visa this morning when it is already tonight?I said.
I am sorry, Sahib, you must get the exit visa this morning,he said.This is the rule. Then we will put you not he airplane and everything will be fine.In this ancient city of the Arabian nights there is no sign of Aladdin and his lamp. But I ran into another famous character.
You may wonder whatever became of the thief of Baghdad. I found him. He runs the only taxi-cab between the airfield and the city.
1947 Nov 13
Argus-Leader
Sioux Falls, SDIRAQ CENSUS FIGURES TOP ESTIMATED TOTAL Baghdad, Nov. 13 — (AP) — Jamil Abdul Wahba Pasha, minister of social affairs, revealed that the total population of Iraq, according to the recent census, is 4,794,949 while the total population of Baghdad district is 807,576.
The census apparently falls behind general expectation but still shows an increase of a million and a half above previous official estimates.
Johnson City Press
Johnson City, TN
1947 Nov 14Iraq’s Population Is Now 4,794,945
BAGHDAD (AP)—Jamil Abdul Wahba Pasha, minister of social affairs, revealed that the total population of Iraq, according to the recent census, is 4,794,949 while the total population of the Baghdad district is 807,576.
The census apparently falls behind general expectations but still shows an increase of a million and a half above previous official estimates.