Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Iraq
Iraq: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 13.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Iraq, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in Iraq is 13.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Iraq peaked at 17.2% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 10.5%, in 1990.
That places Iraq 185th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.5% | — |
| 1991 | 10.5% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 10.7% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 10.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 10.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 10.7% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 10.8% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 10.8% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 11.2% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 12.0% | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 12.4% | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 13.2% | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 13.6% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 14.1% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 14.6% | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 15.1% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 15.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 15.0% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 14.9% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 14.9% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 14.8% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 15.5% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 16.3% | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 16.7% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 17.2% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 13.7% | -20.3% |
| 2018 | 14.1% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 14.5% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 13.7% | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 13.9% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 13.6% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 13.2% | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 13.3% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 13.3% | -0.6% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 13.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.4%, 31% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 13.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 21.3%, 62% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.8% | 10.5% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.8% | 12.0% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 13.7% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.5% | 13.2% | 13.9% | 6 |
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 labor force, female in Iraq?
- Labor force, female in Iraq was 13.3% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 17.2% in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.5% in 1990.
- How does Iraq rank for labor force, female?
- Iraq ranks 185th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.