Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Iraq
Iraq: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 169,940 in 2018. ▲ Rising
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Iraq, 1991–2018
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Iraq is 169,940, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of down 34.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Iraq peaked at 323,470 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 134,990, in 1991.
That places Iraq 38th out of 99 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 134,990 | — |
| 2000 | 266,880 | +97.7% |
| 2003 | 240,740 | -9.8% |
| 2004 | 301,620 | +25.3% |
| 2006 | 258,000 | -14.5% |
| 2011 | 323,470 | +25.4% |
| 2018 | 169,940 | -47.5% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 169,940 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 58,235, 2.9× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 169,940 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 121,805, 1.4× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 134,990 | 134,990 | 134,990 | 1 |
| 2000s | 266,810 | 240,740 | 301,620 | 4 |
| 2010s | 246,705 | 169,940 | 323,470 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More environment data for Iraq
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -38.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.549 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.99 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 6.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Iraq?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Iraq was 169,940 in 2018, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 323,470 in 2011.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 134,990 in 1991.
- How does Iraq rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Iraq ranks 38th out of 99 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.1%. 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 Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of children younger than five who are 'wasted'. Wasting is when a child’s weight is significantly lower than the average for their height, for example because of acute food shortage or disease.