Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq
Iraq: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 83.2% in 2007. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq, 1820–2007
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 83.2% for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in 2007.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq peaked at 87.8% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Iraq ranks 155th of 190 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | — |
| 1835 | 0.0% | — |
| 1840 | 0.0% | — |
| 1845 | 0.0% | — |
| 1850 | 0.0% | — |
| 1855 | 0.0% | — |
| 1860 | 0.0% | — |
| 1865 | 0.0% | — |
| 1870 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1890 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1900 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1905 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1910 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1915 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1920 | 0.1% | +36.4% |
| 1925 | 1.3% | +780.0% |
| 1930 | 2.2% | +70.5% |
| 1935 | 4.7% | +107.1% |
| 1940 | 5.2% | +11.6% |
| 1945 | 6.1% | +17.1% |
| 1950 | 10.0% | +64.0% |
| 1955 | 15.5% | +54.9% |
| 1960 | 28.0% | +81.0% |
| 1965 | 36.0% | +28.6% |
| 1970 | 34.0% | -5.6% |
| 1971 | 34.2% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 34.9% | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 36.4% | +4.3% |
| 1974 | 38.7% | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 42.6% | +10.1% |
| 1976 | 50.3% | +18.0% |
| 1977 | 55.2% | +9.9% |
| 1978 | 59.2% | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 87.8% | +48.2% |
| 1981 | 87.3% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 82.5% | -5.5% |
| 1985 | 79.8% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 81.5% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 82.9% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 85.3% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 82.8% | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 74.6% | -10.0% |
| 1996 | 68.9% | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 77.9% | +13.1% |
| 2000 | 75.8% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 79.9% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 78.9% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 83.2% | +5.4% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 83.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.1%, 88% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 83.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 96.2%, 87% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | +780.0% | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| 1935 | +107.1% | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| 1885 | +100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.3% | 2 |
| 1930s | 3.5% | 2.2% | 4.7% | 2 |
| 1940s | 5.6% | 5.2% | 6.1% | 2 |
| 1950s | 12.7% | 10.0% | 15.5% | 2 |
| 1960s | 32.0% | 28.0% | 36.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 42.8% | 34.0% | 59.2% | 9 |
| 1980s | 83.7% | 79.8% | 87.8% | 8 |
| 1990s | 73.8% | 68.9% | 77.9% | 3 |
| 2000s | 79.5% | 75.8% | 83.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More education data for Iraq
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 148,363 (2007)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 818,729 (2007)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 55,944 (2007)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 52,985 (2007)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.04 million (2007)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2007)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2004)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2007)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1713 units per person (2007)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iraq was 83.2% in 2007, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 87.8% in 1980.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Iraq rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Iraq ranks 155th out of 190 countries with data for 2007.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.