Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Iraq instead of Cook Islands, you would:

Health

be 45.1% less likely to be obese

In Cook Islands, 72.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 39.7% of people as of 2024.

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have 28.3% more access to essential health services

Cook Islands scores 46 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Iraq scores 59 as of 2021.

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live 4.7 years less

In Cook Islands, the average life expectancy is 77 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2022. In Iraq, that number is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 24.0% fewer doctors per person

Cook Islands has 13.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2019. Iraq has 10.2 as of 2022.

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Life

have 2.1 times more children

In Cook Islands, there are approximately 12.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Iraq, there are 25.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 26.2% more likely to die during infancy

In Cook Islands, approximately 15.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Iraq, on the other hand, 20.1 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 25.7% more likely to have internet access

In Cook Islands, approximately 64.8% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Iraq, about 81.5% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 72.8% more on healthcare

Cook Islands spends 3.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Iraq, that number is 5.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 51.7% less coastline

Cook Islands has a total of 120 km of coastline. In Iraq, that number is 58 km.

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Safety

be 2.7 times more likely to be murdered

Cook Islands has a homicide rate of 3.5 per 100,000 people as of 2012. In Iraq, that number is 9.4 per 100,000 as of 2013.

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be 22.2% more likely to die in a road accident

In Cook Islands, road accidents kill 17.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Iraq, they kill 21.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Sources: The World Factbook (2020–2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Bank (2022–2024), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Cook Islands vs. Iraq

Cost of Living Comparison · 5 categories - 2026 data
Iraq is 48.0% cheaper than Cook Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Cook Islands is about 1,857 times smaller than Iraq.
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Moving from Cook Islands to Iraq · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Iraq: At a glance

Iraq is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 437,367 sq km. Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate through 2009 and under a bilateral security agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to train and mentor Iraqi security forces. In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. In January 2009 and April 2013, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates except for the three governorates comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk Governorate. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010 - choosing 325 legislators in an expanded COR - and, after nine months of deadlock the COR approved the new government in December 2010. Nearly nine years after the start of the Second Gulf War in Iraq, US military operations there ended in mid-December 2011.
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How big is Iraq compared to Cook Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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