Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq
Iraq: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 26.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq, 2003–2018
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq is 26.4%, measured in 2018.
The figure is down 20.7% on the previous year and up 312.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq peaked at 54.2% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 2008.
Iraq ranks 43rd of 134 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 54.2% | — |
| 2004 | 17.6% | -67.5% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | +7.4% |
| 2006 | 20.9% | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 15.3% | -26.8% |
| 2008 | 6.4% | -58.2% |
| 2012 | 33.2% | +418.8% |
| 2013 | 31.3% | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 34.6% | +10.5% |
| 2016 | 53.2% | +53.8% |
| 2017 | 33.3% | -37.4% |
| 2018 | 26.4% | -20.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.2% | 6.4% | 54.2% | 6 |
| 2010s | 35.3% | 26.4% | 53.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
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)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 231.84 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.99 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Iraq was 26.4% in 2018, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 54.2% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 2008.
- How does Iraq rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Iraq ranks 43rd out of 134 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 312.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.