Terrorism deaths in Iraq
Iraq: Terrorism deaths was 307 deaths in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Terrorism deaths in Iraq, 1970–2021
Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 307 deaths for terrorism deaths in 2021.
The figure is down 41.5% on the previous year and down 83.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrorism deaths in Iraq peaked at 14,095 deaths in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0 deaths, in 1970.
That places Iraq 9th out of 188 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Terrorism deaths in Iraq, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1971 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1972 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1973 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1974 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1975 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1976 | 12 deaths | — |
| 1977 | 0 deaths | -100.0% |
| 1978 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1979 | 1 deaths | — |
| 1980 | 8 deaths | +700.0% |
| 1981 | 0 deaths | -100.0% |
| 1982 | 96 deaths | — |
| 1983 | 1 deaths | -99.0% |
| 1984 | 0 deaths | -100.0% |
| 1985 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1986 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1987 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1988 | 43 deaths | — |
| 1989 | 0 deaths | -100.0% |
| 1990 | 0 deaths | — |
| 1991 | 1 deaths | — |
| 1992 | 117 deaths | +11600.0% |
| 1994 | 75 deaths | -35.9% |
| 1995 | 156 deaths | +108.0% |
| 1996 | 11 deaths | -92.9% |
| 1997 | 106 deaths | +863.6% |
| 1998 | 19 deaths | -82.1% |
| 1999 | 32 deaths | +68.4% |
| 2000 | 10 deaths | -68.8% |
| 2001 | 9 deaths | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 10 deaths | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 391 deaths | +3810.0% |
| 2004 | 2,171 deaths | +455.2% |
| 2005 | 3,384 deaths | +55.9% |
| 2006 | 4,612 deaths | +36.3% |
| 2007 | 6,665 deaths | +44.5% |
| 2008 | 2,864 deaths | -57.0% |
| 2009 | 2,585 deaths | -9.7% |
| 2010 | 2,074 deaths | -19.8% |
| 2011 | 1,870 deaths | -9.8% |
| 2012 | 2,679 deaths | +43.3% |
| 2013 | 7,042 deaths | +162.9% |
| 2014 | 14,095 deaths | +100.2% |
| 2015 | 8,885 deaths | -37.0% |
| 2016 | 12,276 deaths | +38.2% |
| 2017 | 6,619 deaths | -46.1% |
| 2018 | 1,432 deaths | -78.4% |
| 2019 | 799 deaths | -44.2% |
| 2020 | 525 deaths | -34.3% |
| 2021 | 307 deaths | -41.5% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 307 deaths is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2 deaths, 153.5× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Terrorism deaths 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +11600.0% | 1 deaths | 117 deaths |
| 2003 | +3810.0% | 10 deaths | 391 deaths |
| 1997 | +863.6% | 11 deaths | 106 deaths |
| 1980 | +700.0% | 1 deaths | 8 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.3 deaths | 0 deaths | 12 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.8 deaths | 0 deaths | 96 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 57.44 deaths | 0 deaths | 156 deaths | 9 |
| 2000s | 2,270 deaths | 9 deaths | 6,665 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,777 deaths | 799 deaths | 14,095 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 416 deaths | 307 deaths | 525 deaths | 2 |
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.988 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0587 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9818 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrorism deaths in Iraq?
- Terrorism deaths in Iraq was 307 deaths in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest terrorism deaths recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 14,095 deaths in 2014.
- What is the lowest terrorism deaths recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 deaths in 1970.
- How does Iraq rank for terrorism deaths?
- Iraq ranks 9th out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is terrorism deaths rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 83.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Terrorism deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Confirmed deaths, including all victims and attackers who died because of a terrorist attack.