Total dependency ratio in Iraq
Iraq: Total dependency ratio was 68.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
68.0%
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
53rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
107.2%
in 1977
All-time low
68.0%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Iraq, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 68.0% for total dependency ratio in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Iraq peaked at 107.2% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 68.0%, in 2023.
Iraq ranks 53rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 69.9% | — |
| 1951 | 70.5% | +0.8% |
| 1952 | 71.4% | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 72.6% | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 73.9% | +1.7% |
| 1955 | 74.8% | +1.2% |
| 1956 | 75.5% | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 75.7% | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 75.4% | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 75.5% | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 75.9% | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 76.7% | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 78.6% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 80.9% | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 83.0% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 85.1% | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 87.0% | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 88.4% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 89.5% | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 90.6% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 92.1% | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 94.0% | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 96.6% | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 99.8% | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 102.7% | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 105.1% | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 106.9% | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 107.2% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 106.6% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 105.8% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 105.1% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 104.5% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 103.9% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 103.1% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 102.3% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 101.3% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 100.2% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 99.1% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 98.0% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 96.9% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 95.7% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 94.6% | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 93.7% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 92.8% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 92.1% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 91.3% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 90.5% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 89.8% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 89.2% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 88.5% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 87.8% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 87.1% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 86.4% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 85.6% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 84.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 83.9% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 82.9% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 82.0% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 81.0% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 80.1% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 79.3% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 78.8% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 78.4% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 78.0% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 77.4% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 76.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 75.9% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 75.1% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 74.1% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 73.1% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 72.0% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 70.8% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 69.4% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 68.0% | -2.0% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 68.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 1.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 68.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 52.2%, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 73.5% | 69.9% | 75.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 83.6% | 75.9% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 101.7% | 92.1% | 107.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 101.4% | 96.9% | 105.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.8% | 88.5% | 95.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.2% | 80.1% | 87.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.7% | 73.1% | 79.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.1% | 68.0% | 72.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More reference data data for Iraq
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2116 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3911 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.235 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 13.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 30.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Iraq?
- Total dependency ratio in Iraq was 68.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 107.2% in 1977.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.0% in 2023.
- How does Iraq rank for total dependency ratio?
- Iraq ranks 53rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. 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 Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).