Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq

Iraq: Literacy rates vs average years of schooling was 84.06 in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
84.06
World rank
86th
of 128 countries
All-time high
85.6
in 2017
All-time low
12.5
in 1950
Years of data
7
1950–2021

Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq, 1950–2021

204060801950198520211950: 12.52000: 742012: 77.22014: 82.22016: 83.32017: 85.62021: 84.1

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq is 84.06, measured in 2021.

That represents a change of up 8.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq peaked at 85.6 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 12.5, in 1950.

That places Iraq 86th out of 128 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq, 1950 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1950 12.5 —
2000 74.05 +492.4%
2012 77.2 +4.3%
2014 82.2 +6.5%
2016 83.3 +1.3%
2017 85.6 +2.8%
2021 84.06 -1.8%

Iraq compared with similar countries

  • Iraq's 84.06 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.8, 88% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • Iraq's 84.06 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 93.31, 90% of the median. (19 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 12.5 12.5 12.5 1
2000s 74.05 74.05 74.05 1
2010s 82.08 77.2 85.6 4
2020s 84.06 84.06 84.06 1

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 83 Papua New Guinea 87 compare
  2. 84 Cape Verde 86.79 compare
  3. 85 Tunisia 86.25 compare
  4. 87 Guatemala 83.02 compare
  5. 88 India 81.7 compare
  6. 89 Uganda 80.51 compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More education data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq?
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq was 84.06 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 85.6 in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 12.5 in 1950.
How does Iraq rank for literacy rates vs average years of schooling?
Iraq ranks 86th out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
Is literacy rates vs average years of schooling rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iraq data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates vs average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rates-vs-average-years-of-schooling/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,242 data points, 1475–2023
Last refreshed