Water Use Efficiency in Iraq
Iraq: Water Use Efficiency was 4.17 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
4.17
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
154th
of 183 countries
All-time high
5.67
in 2018
All-time low
1
in 2003
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Water Use Efficiency in Iraq, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 4.17 for water use efficiency in 2023.
That represents a change of down 3.7% on the previous year and up 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water use efficiency in Iraq peaked at 5.67 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1, in 2003.
That places Iraq 154th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Water Use Efficiency in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.25 | — |
| 2001 | 1.27 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 1.21 | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 1 | -17.4% |
| 2004 | 1.55 | +55.0% |
| 2005 | 1.63 | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 1.78 | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 1.89 | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 2.13 | +12.7% |
| 2009 | 2.26 | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 2.51 | +11.1% |
| 2011 | 2.82 | +12.4% |
| 2012 | 3.35 | +18.8% |
| 2013 | 3.75 | +11.9% |
| 2014 | 3.92 | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 4.73 | +20.7% |
| 2016 | 4.88 | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 4.32 | -11.5% |
| 2018 | 5.67 | +31.2% |
| 2019 | 3.56 | -37.2% |
| 2020 | 2.89 | -18.8% |
| 2021 | 3.13 | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 4.33 | +38.3% |
| 2023 | 4.17 | -3.7% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 4.17 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.91, 35% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 4.17 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 18.25, 23% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.6 | 1 | 2.26 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.95 | 2.51 | 5.67 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.63 | 2.89 | 4.33 | 4 |
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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water use efficiency in Iraq?
- Water use efficiency in Iraq was 4.17 in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest water use efficiency recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 5.67 in 2018.
- What is the lowest water use efficiency recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 2003.
- How does Iraq rank for water use efficiency?
- Iraq ranks 154th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water use efficiency rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Water Use Efficiency (United States dollars per cubic meter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).