Life expectancy in Iraq

Iraq: Life expectancy was 69.12 years in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
69.12 years
World rank
109th
of 162 countries
All-time high
69.44 years
in 2015
All-time low
25 years
in 1870
Years of data
24
1870–2020

Life expectancy in Iraq, 1870–2020

02040601870194520201870: 25 years1880: 25 years1890: 25 years1900: 25 years1913: 25 years1925: 25 years1929: 30 years1933: 30 years1938: 35 years1950: 44 years1955: 47 years1960: 48.8 years1965: 51.8 years1970: 55.4 years1975: 59.6 years1980: 61 years1985: 62.2 years1990: 58.4 years1995: 66.5 years2000: 66.8 years2005: 64.8 years2010: 67.1 years2015: 69.4 years2020: 69.1 years

Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.

Analysis

In 2020, life expectancy in Iraq stood at 69.12 years.

The figure is up 3.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy in Iraq peaked at 69.44 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 25 years, in 1870.

That places Iraq 109th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Life expectancy in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Life expectancy in Iraq, 1870 to 2020.
Year years Change
1870 25 years
1880 25 years +0.0%
1890 25 years +0.0%
1900 25 years +0.0%
1913 25 years +0.0%
1925 25 years +0.0%
1929 30 years +20.0%
1933 30 years +0.0%
1938 35 years +16.7%
1950 44 years +25.7%
1955 47 years +6.8%
1960 48.78 years +3.8%
1965 51.78 years +6.2%
1970 55.38 years +7.0%
1975 59.62 years +7.7%
1980 61 years +2.3%
1985 62.21 years +2.0%
1990 58.44 years -6.1%
1995 66.46 years +13.7%
2000 66.82 years +0.5%
2005 64.84 years -3.0%
2010 67.06 years +3.4%
2015 69.44 years +3.5%
2020 69.12 years -0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1880s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1890s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1900s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1910s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1920s 27.5 years 25 years 30 years 2
1930s 32.5 years 30 years 35 years 2
1950s 45.5 years 44 years 47 years 2
1960s 50.28 years 48.78 years 51.78 years 2
1970s 57.5 years 55.38 years 59.62 years 2
1980s 61.61 years 61 years 62.21 years 2
1990s 62.45 years 58.44 years 66.46 years 2
2000s 65.83 years 64.84 years 66.82 years 2
2010s 68.25 years 67.06 years 69.44 years 2
2020s 69.12 years 69.12 years 69.12 years 1

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 106 Kazakhstan 70.03 years compare
  2. 107 Kyrgyzstan 69.63 years compare
  3. 108 Nepal 69.25 years compare
  4. 110 Indonesia 68.81 years compare
  5. 111 Laos 68.5 years compare
  6. 112 Guyana 68.49 years compare

See the full ranking of 163 places →

More health data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy in Iraq?
Life expectancy in Iraq was 69.12 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 69.44 years in 2015.
What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 25 years in 1870.
How does Iraq rank for life expectancy?
Iraq ranks 109th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
Is life expectancy rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iraq data come from?
The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Life expectancy in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/life-expectancy-prados-de-la-escosura/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy
Unit
years
Source
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,421 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed

Average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life.