Iraq vs Saudi Arabia
Every indicator for Iraq and Saudi Arabia side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | Iraq | Saudi Arabia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 47,020,774 | 36,973,555 | +27.2% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 254 | 1,277 | −80.1% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 5,410 | 34,537 | −84.3% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 72.4 | 79.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 435,050 | 2,149,690 | −79.8% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 108 | 17 | +528.4% |
| Median age (years) | 21.5 | 30.8 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 81.5 | 100.0 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 15.5 | 3.0 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 0.3 | 2.1 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 69.9 | 84.6 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 6,179 | 80,331 | −92.3% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.36 | 7.30 | −67.7% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 4.87 | 22.31 | −78.2% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 131 | 2,173 | −94.0% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 459,000 | 282,000 | +62.8% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 9.8 | 7.6 | +28.0% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 4.40 | 1.92 | +129.2% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of Iraq relative to Saudi Arabia; a positive value favors Iraq. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), Iraq is 27.2% higher than Saudi Arabia.
- On gdp (nominal), Iraq is 80.1% lower than Saudi Arabia.
- On gdp per capita, Iraq is 84.3% lower than Saudi Arabia.
IraqSaudi Arabia
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving Iraq or Saudi Arabia.
Iraq profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Saudi Arabia profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI