Age dependency breakdown in Iraq

Iraq: Age dependency breakdown was 5.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
5.7%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
201st
of 236 countries
All-time high
9.3%
in 1976
All-time low
4.6%
in 1953
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Age dependency breakdown in Iraq, 1950–2023

0246810195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for age dependency breakdown in Iraq is 5.7%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in Iraq peaked at 9.3% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 1953.

Iraq ranks 201st of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.

Age dependency breakdown in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Age dependency breakdown in Iraq, 1950 to 2023.
Year % Change
1950 4.7%
1951 4.7% -1.0%
1952 4.6% -1.0%
1953 4.6% -0.6%
1954 4.6% +0.7%
1955 4.7% +2.2%
1956 4.9% +3.4%
1957 5.1% +4.5%
1958 5.4% +5.0%
1959 5.6% +5.0%
1960 5.9% +4.7%
1961 6.2% +4.6%
1962 6.5% +4.4%
1963 6.7% +4.1%
1964 7.0% +3.9%
1965 7.3% +3.8%
1966 7.5% +3.6%
1967 7.8% +3.2%
1968 8.0% +2.8%
1969 8.2% +2.4%
1970 8.3% +2.3%
1971 8.5% +2.2%
1972 8.7% +2.3%
1973 8.9% +2.3%
1974 9.1% +1.8%
1975 9.2% +1.3%
1976 9.3% +0.8%
1977 9.3% -0.1%
1978 9.2% -0.7%
1979 9.1% -0.9%
1980 9.0% -1.1%
1981 8.9% -1.2%
1982 8.8% -1.3%
1983 8.7% -1.4%
1984 8.5% -1.7%
1985 8.4% -2.0%
1986 8.2% -2.3%
1987 8.0% -2.5%
1988 7.7% -2.9%
1989 7.5% -3.3%
1990 7.2% -3.5%
1991 7.0% -3.3%
1992 6.8% -2.7%
1993 6.6% -2.4%
1994 6.5% -2.3%
1995 6.3% -2.2%
1996 6.2% -2.0%
1997 6.1% -1.9%
1998 6.0% -1.8%
1999 5.9% -1.6%
2000 5.8% -1.5%
2001 5.7% -1.3%
2002 5.6% -1.1%
2003 5.6% -1.0%
2004 5.5% -0.8%
2005 5.5% -0.7%
2006 5.5% -0.7%
2007 5.4% -0.6%
2008 5.4% -0.4%
2009 5.4% -0.3%
2010 5.4% -0.2%
2011 5.4% -0.2%
2012 5.3% -0.4%
2013 5.3% -0.0%
2014 5.4% +0.3%
2015 5.4% +0.4%
2016 5.4% +0.9%
2017 5.5% +1.6%
2018 5.6% +2.1%
2019 5.7% +2.0%
2020 5.8% +0.7%
2021 5.8% -0.1%
2022 5.8% -0.3%
2023 5.7% -0.9%

Iraq compared with similar countries

  • Iraq's 5.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.7%, 49% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • Iraq's 5.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.1%, 80% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 4.9% 4.6% 5.6% 10
1960s 7.1% 5.9% 8.2% 10
1970s 9.0% 8.3% 9.3% 10
1980s 8.4% 7.5% 9.0% 10
1990s 6.4% 5.9% 7.2% 10
2000s 5.5% 5.4% 5.8% 10
2010s 5.4% 5.3% 5.7% 10
2020s 5.8% 5.7% 5.8% 4

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 198 Liberia 5.8% compare
  2. 199 Maldives 5.7% compare
  3. 200 Sudan 5.7% compare
  4. 202 Tanzania 5.6% compare
  5. 203 Benin 5.6% compare
  6. 204 Ethiopia 5.5% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is age dependency breakdown in Iraq?
Age dependency breakdown in Iraq was 5.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 1976.
What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 1953.
How does Iraq rank for age dependency breakdown?
Iraq ranks 201st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
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 Age dependency breakdown. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Age dependency breakdown in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/age-dependency-breakdown/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Age dependency breakdown
Unit
%
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).