Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq
Iraq: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 6.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq, 2003–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq stood at 6.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 160.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq peaked at 7.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2015.
That places Iraq 152nd out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3.1% | — |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +52.1% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | -10.6% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | +14.2% |
| 2010 | 4.8% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -51.0% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | -29.0% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | +256.0% |
| 2017 | 4.8% | -20.2% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +34.7% |
| 2019 | 6.0% | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 7.0% | +13.4% |
| 2022 | 5.8% | -16.4% |
| 2023 | 6.2% | +5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.7% | 7 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 1.7% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.3% | 5.8% | 7.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More health data for Iraq
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 898.9 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 5,830 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0029 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0016 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 404 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iraq was 6.2% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2015.
- How does Iraq rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Iraq ranks 152nd out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 160.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.