Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq
Iraq: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 27.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq stood at 27.1%.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq peaked at 35.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 26.6%, in 2018.
Iraq ranks 97th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 35.4% | — |
| 1992 | 35.3% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 35.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 35.4% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 35.5% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 35.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 35.4% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 34.9% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 34.4% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 33.9% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 33.6% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 33.5% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 33.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 33.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 33.8% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 33.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 33.7% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 32.8% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 31.9% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 29.9% | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 28.9% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 27.8% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 28.6% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 28.2% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 27.5% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 26.6% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 27.1% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 27.2% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 27.0% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 27.0% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 27.1% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 27.1% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 27.1% | +0.3% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 27.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 91% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 27.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 19.4%, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 35.2% | 34.4% | 35.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 33.4% | 31.9% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.2% | 26.6% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.1% | 27.0% | 27.2% | 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq was 27.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 35.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.6% in 2018.
- How does Iraq rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Iraq ranks 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. 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
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).