Iraq Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Iraq's agriculture employment was 8.17% in 2025, ranked 70th globally. This represents a 0.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Iraq's agriculture employment stood at 8.17% in 2025, a decline of +0.01% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 8.00% by 2026. Iraq ranked 70th globally.
Iraq’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen sharply over the 35‑year span from 1991 to 2025, dropping from an all‑time peak of 17.93 % in 1991 to a trough of 8.17 % in 2025, placing the country at rank 70 globally. The contraction reflects structural shifts toward services and industry, as well as the long‑term impact of sanctions, conflict and urbanisation that reduced the rural workforce and altered land‑use patterns. By 2025 Iraq’s agricultural employment rate is virtually identical to Uruguay’s 8.07 % and only marginally below North Macedonia’s 8.50 %, signalling convergence with middle‑income economies that have diversified away from primary sector jobs. Despite modest improvements in agricultural productivity, the sector’s share of total employment continues to erode, suggesting that further investment in value‑added agribusiness and rural development will be required to reverse the downward trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 7.76% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 7.88% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 8.00% | - | - |
| 2025 | 8.17% | −0.01% | #70 |
| 2024 | 8.18% | −0.18% | #69 |
| 2023 | 8.36% | −0.12% | #69 |
| 2022 | 8.48% | −0.14% | #68 |
| 2021 | 8.62% | −0.14% | #68 |
| 2020 | 8.76% | +0.23% | #67 |
| 2019 | 8.53% | −0.36% | #67 |
| 2018 | 8.89% | −0.14% | #67 |
| 2017 | 9.03% | +0.08% | #67 |
| 2016 | 8.95% | −0.52% | #68 |
| 2015 | 9.46% | −0.16% | #69 |
| 2014 | 9.63% | −0.16% | #67 |
| 2013 | 9.79% | −0.36% | #65 |
| 2012 | 10.15% | −0.48% | #68 |
| 2011 | 10.64% | −0.27% | #66 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Iraq matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Iraq's agriculture employment was 8.17% in 2025. Ranked 70th globally. This represents a 0.1% decrease from the previous year.
Iraq's agriculture employment peaked at 17.93% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Iraq was 8.17% in 2025.
Iraq ranks 70th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Iraq's agriculture employment is projected to reach 8.00% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Iraq in 2025 was 8.17%. This ranks 70th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_iraq_agriculture-employment,
title = {Iraq Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/iraq/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}