Unemployment rate in Iraq
Iraq: Unemployment rate was 15.48 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
15.48
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
15th
of 186 countries
All-time high
16.17
in 2021
All-time low
7.96
in 2012
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Iraq, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Iraq is 15.48, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 42.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Iraq peaked at 16.17 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7.96, in 2012.
Iraq ranks 15th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.64 | — |
| 1992 | 8.35 | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 8.36 | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 8.22 | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 8.43 | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 8.52 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 8.27 | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 8.06 | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 7.98 | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 8.04 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 8.25 | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 8.62 | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 8.96 | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 8.71 | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 8.57 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 8.41 | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 8.65 | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 8.47 | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 8.41 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 8.27 | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 8.19 | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 7.96 | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 9.22 | +15.8% |
| 2014 | 10.59 | +14.8% |
| 2015 | 10.87 | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 10.82 | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 13.02 | +20.3% |
| 2018 | 13.46 | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 14.1 | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 15.77 | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 16.17 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 15.41 | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 15.24 | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 15.29 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 15.48 | +1.3% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 15.48 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.63, 2.7× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 15.48 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.31 | 7.98 | 8.64 | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.51 | 8.04 | 8.96 | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.65 | 7.96 | 14.1 | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.56 | 15.24 | 16.17 | 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 unemployment rate in Iraq?
- Unemployment rate in Iraq was 15.48 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 16.17 in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.96 in 2012.
- How does Iraq rank for unemployment rate?
- Iraq ranks 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. 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).