Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iraq

Iraq: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 16.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
16.2%
World rank
10th
of 185 countries
All-time high
16.2%
in 2021
All-time low
8.0%
in 2012
Years of data
6
2007–2021

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iraq, 2007–2021

0510152007201420212007: 8.6 %2012: 8 %2014: 10.6 %2016: 10.8 %2017: 13 %2021: 16.2 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Iraq recorded 16.2% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2021. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 103.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iraq peaked at 16.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 2012.

That places Iraq 10th out of 185 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.

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 Curacao 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 Syria 14.9% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iraq?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iraq was 16.2% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2021.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 2012.
How does Iraq rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Iraq ranks 10th out of 185 countries with data for 2021.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.