Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 17.5 years longer

In Somalia, the average life expectancy is 56 years (53 years for men, 58 years for women) as of 2022. In Iraq, that number is 73 years (71 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.7 times more likely to be obese

In Somalia, 8.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Iraq, that number is 30.4% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 8.4 times more money

Somalia has a GDP per capita of $1,500 as of 2023, while in Iraq, the GDP per capita is $12,600 as of 2023.

be 18.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Somalia, 19.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Iraq, that number is 15.5% as of 2023.

be 57.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Somalia, 54.4% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Iraq, however, that number is 23.0% as of 2014.

Life

be 87.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Somalia, approximately 621.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Iraq, 76.0 women do as of 2020.

be 77.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Somalia, approximately 86.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Iraq, on the other hand, 19.6 children do as of 2022.

have 36.6% fewer children

In Somalia, there are approximately 37.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Iraq, there are 23.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.0 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Somalia, approximately 49% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Iraq, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 3.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Somalia, approximately 14.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Iraq, about 49.0% do as of 2021.

be 17.9% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Somalia, approximately 84% of people have improved drinking water access (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Iraq, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 15.7 times more on education

Somalia spends 0.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Iraq spends 4.7% of total GDP on education as of 2016.

Geography

see 98.1% less coastline

Somalia has a total of 3,025 km of coastline. In Iraq, that number is 58 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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.
Read more

How big is Iraq compared to Somalia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Iraq.or Somalia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.