Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq

Iraq: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 16.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
16.2%
World rank
10th
of 187 countries
All-time high
16.2%
in 2021
All-time low
8.0%
in 2012
Years of data
6
2007–2021

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq, 2007–2021

0510152007201420212007: 8.62012: 82014: 10.62016: 10.82017: 132021: 16.2

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2021, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq stood at 16.2%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 103.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq peaked at 16.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 2012.

That places Iraq 10th out of 187 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Iraq, 2007 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2007 8.6%
2012 8.0% -7.9%
2014 10.6% +33.0%
2016 10.8% +2.2%
2017 13.0% +20.3%
2021 16.2% +24.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8.6% 8.6% 8.6% 1
2010s 10.6% 8.0% 13.0% 4
2020s 16.2% 16.2% 16.2% 1

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 7 Curaçao 19.1% compare
  2. 8 Lesotho 18.7% compare
  3. 9 Jordan 16.8% compare
  4. 11 Malawi 15.4% compare
  5. 12 Tunisia 15.1% compare
  6. 13 Syrian Arab Republic 14.9% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq?
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq was 16.2% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2021.
What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 2012.
How does Iraq rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Iraq ranks 10th out of 187 countries with data for 2021.
Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 103.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iraq data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 6,054 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.