Iraq — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Iraq, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Iraq was 15.48% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 16.17% in 2021. The lowest was 7.96% in 2012 (about 1.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.73% per year.
Iraq ranks 15 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 8%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 9.00%, so Iraq sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 43%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 6 of 23 economies; Tunisia (15.11%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 20% in 2017. That is 9% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 40 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 64th of 187 in 1991 → 82nd of 187 in 2000 → 72nd of 187 in 2010 → 25th of 187 in 2020 → 14th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15.49% | +0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 15.29% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 15.24% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 15.41% | -0.8 pp |
| 2021 | 16.17% | +0.4 pp |
| 2020 | 15.77% | +1.7 pp |
| 2019 | 14.1% | +0.6 pp |
| 2018 | 13.46% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 13.02% | +2.2 pp |
| 2016 | 10.82% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 10.87% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 10.59% | +1.4 pp |
| 2013 | 9.22% | +1.3 pp |
| 2012 | 7.97% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 8.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 8.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 8.41% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 8.47% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 8.65% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 8.41% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 8.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 8.72% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 8.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 8.62% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 8.25% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 8.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 7.98% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 8.06% | -0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 8.27% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 8.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 8.43% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 8.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 8.36% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 8.35% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 8.64% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Iraq’s Unemployment in 1992?
8.35% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Iraq’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +79.2% in total — about 1.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 15.49%; 2024: 15.29%; 2023: 15.24%; 2022: 15.41%; 2021: 16.17%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.