Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Iraq
Iraq: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 39.7% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Iraq, 1977–2021
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Iraq recorded 39.7% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Iraq peaked at 48.6% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 39.7%, in 2021.
That places Iraq 194th out of 199 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 48.6% | — |
| 1987 | 43.9% | -9.7% |
| 1997 | 42.3% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 41.7% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 41.0% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 42.9% | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 43.2% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 41.9% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 39.7% | -5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 48.6% | 48.6% | 48.6% | 1 |
| 1980s | 43.9% | 43.9% | 43.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 42.3% | 42.3% | 42.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 41.7% | 41.7% | 41.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 42.2% | 41.0% | 43.2% | 4 |
| 2020s | 39.7% | 39.7% | 39.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 191 Iran, Islamic Republic of 40.7% compare
- 192 Nepal 39.9% compare
- 193 Tajikistan 39.7% compare
- 195 Kosovo 37.9% compare
- 195 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 37.9% compare
- 197 Sudan 37.9% compare
More work & labour data for Iraq
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1939 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1833 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2038 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 65,560 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,931 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 50,009 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 50,640 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 100,649 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Iraq?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Iraq was 39.7% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 48.6% in 1977.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.7% in 2021.
- How does Iraq rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Iraq ranks 194th out of 199 countries with data for 2021.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.