Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Iraq
Iraq: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 72.32 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
72.32 years
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
129th
of 215 countries
All-time high
72.32 years
in 2023
All-time low
56.69 years
in 1988
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Iraq, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in Iraq is 72.32 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Iraq peaked at 72.32 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 56.69 years, in 1988.
Iraq ranks 129th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Iraq, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 60.53 years | — |
| 1971 | 61.33 years | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 61.82 years | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 62.34 years | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 60.99 years | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 61.43 years | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 63.57 years | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 63.9 years | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 64.17 years | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 64.42 years | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 60.92 years | -5.4% |
| 1981 | 58.65 years | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 58.98 years | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 59.29 years | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 59.54 years | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 59.8 years | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 60.03 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 60.26 years | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 56.69 years | -5.9% |
| 1989 | 57.5 years | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 57.59 years | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 61.34 years | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 65.34 years | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 65.31 years | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 65.03 years | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 64.76 years | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 64.62 years | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 64.24 years | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 64.41 years | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 64.53 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 64.86 years | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 65.29 years | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 65.72 years | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 64.83 years | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 64.63 years | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 64.9 years | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 64.03 years | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 64.43 years | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 66.47 years | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 67.83 years | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 68.09 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 68.44 years | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 68.83 years | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 69.05 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.68 years | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 69.98 years | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 68.68 years | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 69.79 years | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 71.12 years | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 71.25 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 69.65 years | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 70.7 years | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 72.04 years | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 72.32 years | +0.4% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 72.32 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 74.01 years, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 72.32 years is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 76.51 years, 95% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 62.45 years | 60.53 years | 64.42 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 59.17 years | 56.69 years | 60.92 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.72 years | 57.59 years | 65.34 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.3 years | 64.03 years | 67.83 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.49 years | 68.09 years | 71.25 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.18 years | 69.65 years | 72.32 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 126 Guatemala 72.6 years compare
- 127 Venezuela 72.51 years compare
- 128 Uzbekistan 72.39 years compare
- 130 Kyrgyzstan 72.25 years compare
- 131 Saint Kitts and Nevis 72.14 years compare
- 132 Mongolia 72.12 years compare
More population data for Iraq
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.65 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,515 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.07 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4379 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.169 (2100)
- Population density 231.84 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.99 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Iraq?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Iraq was 72.32 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 72.32 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.69 years in 1988.
- How does Iraq rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Iraq ranks 129th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release