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

Health

live 5.8 years longer

In Kiribati, the average life expectancy is 67 years (65 years for men, 68 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 12.9% less likely to be obese

In Kiribati, 45.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 39.7% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Kiribati spends $401 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Iraq spends $843 as of 2023.

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have 22.9% more access to essential health services

Kiribati scores 48 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Iraq scores 59 as of 2021.

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be 83.0% less likely to die by suicide

Kiribati has a suicide rate of 17.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Iraq, it is 3.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 2.1 times more money

Kiribati has a GDP per capita of $2,559 as of 2025, while in Iraq, the GDP per capita is $5,410 as of 2025.

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be 3.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Kiribati, 5.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Iraq, however, that number is 17.5% as of 2023.

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Life

be 17.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Kiribati, approximately 80.0 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 48.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Kiribati, approximately 38.8 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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be 14.8% less likely to be literate

In Kiribati, the literacy rate is 98.6% as of 2020. In Iraq, it is 84.1% as of 2021.

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Basic Needs

be 24.5% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Kiribati, approximately 79% of people have access to drinking water (90% in urban areas, and 64% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 49.5% less on healthcare

Kiribati spends 10.9% 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 94.9% less coastline

Kiribati has a total of 1,143 km of coastline. In Iraq, that number is 58 km.

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Safety

be 30.6% more likely to be murdered

Kiribati has a homicide rate of 7.2 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 3.5 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Kiribati, road accidents kill 6.2 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 587.7 times more home broadband

Kiribati has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Iraq has 17.6 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 77.6% more likely to die from air pollution

In Kiribati, air pollution causes 49.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Iraq, it causes 87.0 as of 2019.

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emit 8.8 times more CO2

Kiribati emits 0.6 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 (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

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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