Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in Iraq

Iraq: Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) was -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
-1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Change on year
up 10.1%
World rank
181st
of 206 countries
All-time high
-1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2025
All-time low
-2.27 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2002
Years of data
27
1996–2025

Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate in Iraq, 1996–2025

-2.5-2-1.5-11996201020251996: -1.9 approx. -2.5 to +2.51998: -2.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52000: -2.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52002: -2.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.52003: -2.1 approx. -2.5 to +2.52004: -1.6 approx. -2.5 to +2.52005: -2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52006: -1.9 approx. -2.5 to +2.52007: -1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.52008: -1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.52009: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52010: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52011: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52012: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52013: -1.1 approx. -2.5 to +2.52014: -1 approx. -2.5 to +2.52015: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52016: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52017: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52018: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52019: -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52020: -1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.52021: -1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.52022: -1.4 approx. -2.5 to +2.52023: -1.4 approx. -2.5 to +2.52024: -1.1 approx. -2.5 to +2.52025: -1 approx. -2.5 to +2.5

Source: World Bank. Measured in approx. -2.5 to +2.5.

Analysis

In 2025, government effectiveness - governance estimate in Iraq stood at -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.

That represents a change of up 10.1% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government effectiveness - governance estimate in Iraq peaked at -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025 and was at its lowest, -2.27 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, in 2002.

Iraq ranks 181st of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.

Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in Iraq, 1996 to 2025.
Year approx. -2.5 to +2.5 Change
1996 -1.92 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 —
1998 -2.19 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +13.9%
2000 -2.19 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +0.0%
2002 -2.27 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +3.7%
2003 -2.09 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -7.7%
2004 -1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -22.6%
2005 -2.01 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +24.2%
2006 -1.9 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -5.5%
2007 -1.72 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -9.3%
2008 -1.32 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -23.7%
2009 -1.17 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -11.3%
2010 -1.22 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +4.6%
2011 -1.24 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +1.8%
2012 -1.16 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -6.7%
2013 -1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -3.6%
2014 -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -8.7%
2015 -1.16 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +13.9%
2016 -1.17 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +0.9%
2017 -1.17 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +0.0%
2018 -1.16 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.9%
2019 -1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +2.9%
2020 -1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +8.3%
2021 -1.31 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +1.0%
2022 -1.36 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +4.0%
2023 -1.43 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +4.9%
2024 -1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -21.0%
2025 -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -10.1%

Iraq compared with similar countries

  • Iraq's -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.023 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 44.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
  • Iraq's -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.1932 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 5.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s -2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.19 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.92 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 2
2000s -1.81 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.27 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.17 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 9
2010s -1.16 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.24 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 10
2020s -1.26 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.43 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 6

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 178 Guinea -0.8988 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  2. 179 Nigeria -0.9134 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  3. 180 Sierra Leone -0.9305 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  4. 182 Chad -1.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  5. 183 Lebanon -1.1 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  6. 184 Comoros -1.14 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare

See the full ranking of 206 places →

More reference data data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is government effectiveness - governance estimate in Iraq?
Government effectiveness - governance estimate in Iraq was -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025.
What is the lowest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was -2.27 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2002.
How does Iraq rank for government effectiveness - governance estimate?
Iraq ranks 181st out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
Is government effectiveness - governance estimate rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iraq data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate in Iraq. Statizoid. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/government-effectiveness-governance-estimate-approx-2-5-to-2-5-2/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5)
Unit
approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
206 places, 5,392 data points, 1996–2025
Last refreshed