World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country fits inside Iraq 3.9 times.
Iraq: 435,050 km² (2023) · World median: 111,370 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
The median country’s coastline is 7.6 times as long as Iraq’s.
Iraq: 58 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Iraq’s highest peak towers 1,276 m above the median country’s.
Iraq: 3,611 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Iraq has 6.4 times as many people as the median country.
Iraq: 47 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Iraq is 10% more densely populated than the median country.
Iraq: 108 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Iraq and the median country are practically level.
Iraq: 173.8 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the median country are 1.8 cm taller than in Iraq.
Iraq: 158.8 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the median country is 11 years older than in Iraq.
Iraq: 20.3 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Iraq have 1.3 more children on average than in the median country.
Iraq: 3.22 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
8.6% of people in the median country are 65 or older, versus 3.4% in Iraq.
Iraq: 3.4% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Iraq has produced 0.2 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country 0.0.
Iraq: 0.2 (2025) · World median: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
Iraq has 3 official languages, the median country 1.
Iraq: 3 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Iraq’s economy is 5.6 times the size of the median country’s.
Iraq: $254 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The median country produces 48% more per person than Iraq.
Iraq: Int$14,267 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the median country than in Iraq (Gini 4.6 points higher).
Iraq: 29.8 (2023) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 15% in Iraq, versus 5.1% in the median country.
Iraq: 15.5% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Iraq spends 2.4% of its GDP on the military, the median country 1.7%.
Iraq: 2.4% (2024) · World median: 1.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The median country’s price level (US = 100) is 1.2× Iraq’s.
Iraq: 38% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The median country spends 41% more on health per person than Iraq.
Iraq: $333 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the median country live 2.2 years longer than in Iraq.
Iraq: 72.4 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Iraq is 59% more likely to die before turning one than in the median country.
Iraq: 20.1 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The median country has 64% more doctors per person than Iraq.
Iraq: 1 per 1,000 (2022) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
37% of adults in Iraq are obese, versus 24% in the median country.
Iraq: 36.8% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
20% of adults in Iraq smoke, versus 19% in the median country.
Iraq: 20.1% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the median country rate their lives 0.62 points higher than in Iraq.
Iraq: 5.21 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the median country drink 7.1 times as much alcohol as in Iraq.
Iraq: 0.6 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The median country has 2.7 times as much meat per person as Iraq.
Iraq: 21.1 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The median country has 567 kcal more food per person per day than Iraq.
Iraq: 2,371 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the median country put in 391 more hours a year than in Iraq.
Iraq: 1,583 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the median country went to school 3.2 years longer than in Iraq.
Iraq: 6.8 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Iraq: no data · World median: 0.34 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
The median country and Iraq are practically level.
Iraq: 81% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Iraq and the median country are practically level.
Iraq: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
70% of people in Iraq live in cities, versus 64% in the median country.
Iraq: 70% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The median country has 115 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Iraq 100.
Iraq: 100 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Iraq’s railway network is 11% longer than the median country’s.
Iraq: 2,370 km (2014) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the median country fly 3 times as many passengers per resident as those from Iraq.
Iraq: 0.08 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 31% of the median country, but only 1.9% of Iraq.
Iraq: 1.9% (2023) · World median: 31.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Iraq emits 70% more CO₂ than someone in the median country.
Iraq: 5.1 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
31% of the median country’s electricity is renewable, versus 1.6% in Iraq.
Iraq: 1.6% (2024) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Iraq carries 2.9 times as much fine dust as in the median country.
Iraq: 48.8 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Iraq: no data · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Iraq are 75% deadlier than in the median country.
Iraq: 21.5 per 100k (2021) · World median: 12.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Iraq is on average 0.9 °C warmer than the median country.
Iraq: 23.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The median country gets 4.7 times as much rain as Iraq.
Iraq: 214 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Iraq bigger than the median country?
Iraq is larger. The median country fits inside Iraq 3.9 times.
Which has more people, Iraq or the median country?
Iraq has 6.4 times as many people as the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Iraq or the median country?
People in the median country live 2.2 years longer than in Iraq. Life expectancy at birth is 72.4 years in Iraq and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Iraq or the median country?
Iraq and the median country are practically level (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
