Iran vs Iraq: Labor force participation rate
Iran
41.0%
in 2025
Iraq
41.5%
in 2025
Iran rank
174th
Iraq rank
173rd
Labor force participation rate over time
- Iran
- Iraq
How they compare
Iraq currently reports 41.5% against 41.0% in Iran, a difference of 0.5%.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Iran ahead.
Iran ranks 174th and Iraq ranks 173rd of 186 countries.
Iran has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | Iraq | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 45.2% | 42.3% | 2.8% | Iran |
| 2000s | 44.5% | 41.8% | 2.6% | Iran |
| 2010s | 42.4% | 41.8% | 0.6% | Iran |
| 2020s | 41.1% | 41.0% | 0.1% | Iran |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force participation rate, Iran or Iraq?
- Iraq, at 41.5% against 41.0% in Iran as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force participation rate between Iran and Iraq?
- 0.5%, with Iraq ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Iraq?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Iran and Iraq rank globally for labor force participation rate?
- Iran ranks 174th and Iraq ranks 173rd of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Labor force participation rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).