Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Iraq instead of Jordan, you would:

Health

live 5.6 years less

In Jordan, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 12.3% more likely to be obese

In Jordan, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 39.7% of people as of 2024.

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have 64.2% fewer doctors per person

Jordan has 28.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Iraq has 10.2 as of 2022.

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be 5.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Jordan has a suicide rate of 0.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Iraq, it is 3.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Life

have 25.1% more children

In Jordan, there are approximately 20.4 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 2.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Jordan, approximately 31.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Iraq, 66.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 11.0% less likely to be literate

In Jordan, the literacy rate is 94.4% as of 2024. In Iraq, it is 84.1% as of 2021.

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be 67.5% more likely to die during infancy

In Jordan, approximately 12.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Iraq, on the other hand, 20.1 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 14.8% less likely to have internet access

In Jordan, approximately 95.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Iraq, about 81.5% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 27.8% less on healthcare

Jordan spends 7.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Iraq, that number is 5.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 2.2 times more coastline

Jordan has a total of 26 km of coastline. In Iraq, that number is 58 km.

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Safety

be 58.1% more likely to die in a road accident

In Jordan, road accidents kill 13.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Iraq, they kill 21.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.5 times more home broadband

Jordan has 7.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Iraq has 17.6 as of 2024.

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live with 43.4% less strain on fresh water

Jordan withdraws 105% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Iraq withdraws 60% as of 2022.

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use 25.9% less electricity

Jordan uses 1,858 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Iraq uses 1,377 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 2.3 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Jordan, air pollution causes 38.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Iraq, it causes 87.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.5 times more CO2

Jordan emits 2.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Iraq emits 5.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Compare further: Jordan vs. Iraq

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Iraq is 16.7% cheaper than Jordan overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Jordan is about 4.9 times smaller than Iraq.
→
Moving from Jordan to Iraq · UN DESA 2020
10,432 people born in Jordan live in Iraq.
→

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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