Iraq vs Saudi Arabia
Iraq vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 4.4% of the labour force in Iraq and 1.92% of the labour force in Saudi Arabia, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Iraq, by 2.47 percentage points, or 2.29 times that in Saudi Arabia.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Iraq has been higher since 2014, when it overtook Saudi Arabia.
- In 2020, Iraq ranked 6 and Saudi Arabia ranked 31 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Iraq | Saudi Arabia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.4 | 1.92 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 3.34 | 1.85 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 3.34 | 1.89 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 2.1 | 1.84 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 2.1 | 1.78 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 2.17 | 1.88 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 2.24 | 2.04 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 2.03 | 2.15 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 9.85 | 2.33 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 10.29 | 2.54 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 10.66 | 2.79 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 9.05 | 2.9 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 8.23 | 2.95 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 5.28 | 3.15 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 7.18 | 3.4 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 3.33 | 3.27 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 2.71 | 3.47 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 6.76 | 3.72 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 6.98 | 3.96 | 1 |
| 2001 | 7.8 | 4.23 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 8.27 | 4.44 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 8.56 | 3.9 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 8.85 | 4.05 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 8.46 | 4.21 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 8.53 | 4.38 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 8.31 | 4.53 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 8.99 | 4.36 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 9.05 | 4.77 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 9.52 | 4.98 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 11.46 | 5.83 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 33.98 | 4.69 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Iraq vs Saudi Arabia
Health
- Life expectancyIraq: 72.3 years in 2023Saudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIraq: 2.2 per 100 live births in 2024Saudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIraq: 19 per 1,000 live births in 2023Saudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIraq: 3.89% in 2017Saudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017
- Suicide rateIraq: 4.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Saudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIraq: 45.1 million people in 2023Saudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthIraq: 2.15% a year in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIraq: 3.25 births per woman in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIraq: 69.9% in 2025Saudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025
- Median ageIraq: 20.4 years in 2023Saudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIraq: 3.4% in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023
- Net migration rateIraq: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Saudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIraq: 2.45% of GDP in 2025Saudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIraq: $6.4B in 2025Saudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025
- Military spending per personIraq: $139 in 2025Saudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIraq: 5.5% of government spending in 2025Saudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIraq: 459,000 people in 2020Saudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020
- National powerIraq: 0.54% of world capability in 2022Saudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsIraq: 55 million TIV in 2025Saudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIraq: 20 million TIV in 1989Saudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023