What share of people in Wasit are in the workforce?

31.0% of people aged 15 and over in Wasit were working or looking for work in 2024 (the economic activity rate), 5th lowest of 18 governorates; the Iraq figure was 38.1%.

How has the share of people in work in Wasit changed?

In 2014 the labour-force participation rate for people aged 15+ in Wasit was 42.6%; by 2024 it was 31.0%, against 38.1% for Iraq in 2024 and 43.2% in 2014.

Economy, jobs and prices in Wasit, Iraq: official figures

In 2024 the unemployment rate for people aged 15 and over in Wasit was 12.9%, 8th lowest of 18 governorates and against 13.5% for Iraq.

Unemployment rate, people aged 15+

12.9%

2024

What is youth unemployment in Wasit?

Among young people aged 15 to 24 in Wasit, 16.0% of the labour force was unemployed in 2024 (8th lowest of 18 governorates) and 29.3% were in the labour force; Iraq-wide the youth unemployment rate was 16.8%.

Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copy

Has unemployment in Wasit gone up since 2014?

Unemployment among people aged 15+ in Wasit was 7.2% in the 2014 household survey and 12.9% in 2024, up 5.7 percentage points (Iraq: 10.6% to 13.5%).

Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copy

What was the unemployment rate in Wasit in 2016?

The 2016 household survey put unemployment among people aged 15+ in Wasit at 10.8%, with 44.9% of people in the labour force; in 2024 the figures were 12.9% and 31.0%.

Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copy

How Wasit compares with other governorates

Unemployment rate, people aged 15+ (2024) (2024)

Wasit ranks 11 of 18, highest first. Share of the labour force without work, Iraq household socio-economic survey 2024

Rank	Region	Unemployment rate, people aged 15+ (2024)
8	Dhi Qar	14.2%
9	Nineveh	14.1%
10	Sulaymaniyah	13.6%
11	Wasit	12.9%
12	Kirkuk	12.8%
13	Baghdad	12.3%
14	Al-Qadisiyah	9.9%

Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copy

Economic activity rate, people aged 15+ (2024) (2024)

Wasit ranks 14 of 18, highest first. Share of people aged 15+ who are working or looking for work

Rank	Region	Economic activity rate, people aged 15+ (2024)
11	Baghdad	36.9%
12	Karbala	35.9%
13	Dhi Qar	31.6%
14	Wasit	31.0%
15	Al-Muthanna	30.4%
16	Babil	28.3%
17	Najaf	23.6%

Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copy

Youth unemployment rate, ages 15-24 (2024) (2024)

Wasit ranks 11 of 18, highest first. Share of the youth labour force without work

Rank	Region	Youth unemployment rate, ages 15-24 (2024)
8	Kirkuk	17.5%
9	Sulaymaniyah	16.6%
10	Erbil	16.3%
11	Wasit	16.0%
12	Dhi Qar	15.9%
13	Nineveh	15.5%
14	Salah al-Din	11.2%

Source: Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning) · saved copy

More on Wasit: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Iraq

Sources

Commission of Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (Ministry of Planning): Employment and unemployment indicators: rates by governorate 2014, 2016 and 2024 (household socio-economic surveys), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7895d40228d9…)

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