Iraq vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
Iraq
15.5%
in 2025
Sub-Saharan Africa
5.7%
in 2025
Iraq rank
15th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
12th
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time
- Iraq
- Sub-Saharan Africa
How they compare
Iraq currently reports 15.5% against 5.7% in Sub-Saharan Africa, a difference of 9.8%.
That makes Iraq's figure about 2.7 times Sub-Saharan Africa's.
Across all 35 years both countries report, Iraq has been ahead every year.
Iraq ranks 15th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th of 187 countries.
Iraq has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iraq | Sub-Saharan Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.3% | 6.4% | 1.9% | Iraq |
| 2000s | 8.5% | 6.0% | 2.5% | Iraq |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 5.9% | 4.8% | Iraq |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 6.1% | 9.4% | Iraq |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), Iraq or Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Iraq, at 15.5% against 5.7% in Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between Iraq and Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 9.8%, with Iraq ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Iraq and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Iraq ranks 15th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.