Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Iraq instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 9.8 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 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 6.5 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Iraq, that number is 30.4% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 60.5% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Iraq, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.

make 75.1% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Iraq, the GDP per capita is $12,600 as of 2023.

be 5.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Iraq, that number is 15.5% as of 2023.

be 59.7% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Iraq, however, that number is 23.0% as of 2014.

Life

have 3.4 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Iraq, there are 23.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 9.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Iraq, 76.0 women do as of 2020.

be 48.9% less likely to be literate

In South Korea, the literacy rate is 98.0% as of 2019. In Iraq, it is 50.1% as of 2018.

be 6.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 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.

Basic Needs

be 50.0% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Iraq, about 49.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 39.3% less on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Iraq, that number is 5.1% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 97.6% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Iraq, that number is 58 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, National Tax Service, South Korea.

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 South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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