Iraq
Asia · Western Asia
Oil-rich but unstable, rebuilding post-war; the Kurdistan region is more accessible.
At a Glance
📈Iraq's Human Development Index
0.673
Medium human development#126 of 191 countries worldwide, #33 of 43 in Asia.
Higher than 34% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Iraq
Iraq is the cradle of civilisation, the land of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where writing, cities, and law were first developed, with Babylon, Ur, and Nineveh among its ancient treasures. The culture is one of the richest in the Arab world, with a tradition of poetry, music, and cuisine that runs deep. It remains a challenging destination requiring careful planning, but the ancient sites and the warmth of Iraqi hospitality reward those who make the journey.
- Mesopotamia is where writing was invented — cuneiform emerged 5,300 years ago.
- Has the world's fifth-largest proven oil reserves yet ranks poorly on every development index.
- Baghdad was the intellectual capital of the Islamic Golden Age — the House of Wisdom housed thousands of scholars.
- Literacy fell from 78% in the 1980s to below 50% by 2020 — wars reversed decades of progress.
Quick Facts
Capital
Baghdad
Languages
Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani
Currency
ع.د IQD
Area
434,130 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
45Mbps
Mobile
65Mbps
GDP / Capita
$5K
PPP / Capita
$14K
Inflation
0.3%
Unemployment
15.5%
GNI / Capita
$6K
FDI Inflows
-2.7%
Cost of Living
28.4
Price Level Index
62nd pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.497 → 0.673 (+0.176)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is Iraq's Human Development Index?
Iraq's Human Development Index is 0.673 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #126 of 191 countries.
Is Iraq safe?
Iraq scores 2.66 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #138 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Iraq?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Iraq at 28.4 (New York = 100); that is #23 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Iraq?
Life expectancy at birth in Iraq is 72.4 yrs (World Bank), ranked #112 of 195 countries.