Population by labor force status in Iraq
Iraq: Population by labor force status was 16.94 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
16.94 million people
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
25th
of 186 countries
All-time high
16.94 million people
in 2025
All-time low
8.00 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Iraq, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by labor force status in Iraq is 16.94 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Iraq peaked at 16.94 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.00 million people, in 1991.
Iraq ranks 25th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Iraq, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.00 million people | — |
| 1992 | 8.21 million people | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 8.59 million people | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 8.98 million people | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 9.25 million people | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 9.52 million people | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 9.78 million people | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 10.06 million people | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 10.36 million people | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 10.67 million people | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 10.96 million people | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 11.27 million people | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 11.56 million people | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 11.83 million people | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 12.11 million people | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 12.12 million people | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 11.94 million people | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 12.10 million people | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 12.47 million people | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 12.80 million people | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 13.21 million people | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 13.78 million people | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 14.40 million people | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 14.85 million people | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 15.17 million people | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 15.42 million people | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 15.63 million people | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 15.84 million people | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 16.03 million people | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 16.21 million people | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 16.39 million people | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 16.56 million people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 16.72 million people | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 16.84 million people | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 16.94 million people | +0.6% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 16.94 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.99 million people, 8.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 16.94 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.91 million people, 5.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.19 million people | 8.00 million people | 10.36 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.70 million people | 10.67 million people | 12.47 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.71 million people | 12.80 million people | 16.03 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.61 million people | 16.21 million people | 16.94 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
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 population by labor force status in Iraq?
- Population by labor force status in Iraq was 16.94 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 16.94 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.00 million people in 1991.
- How does Iraq rank for population by labor force status?
- Iraq ranks 25th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).