Iraq: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Iraq's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin fell 36.1% on 2024 (from 151,623 to 96,887).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +12% and a typical year strayed about 44.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 140.4% in 2014 and the biggest yearly fall was 41.5% in 2007. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 18,438 a year. A straight line explains 74% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Iraq had the 23rd highest value of the 190 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Iraq in the 2025 ranking

• Peru — 20th of 190: 113,900
• El Salvador — 21st of 190: 108,289
• China — 22nd of 190: 99,716
• Bangladesh — 24th of 190: 92,441
• Russian Federation — 25th of 190: 88,310
• Central African Republic — 26th of 190: 82,600

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 26 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 270,007 (2025)
• Algeria — 12,949 (2025)
• Bahrain — 130 (2025)
• Djibouti — 1,419 (2025)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 46,292 (2025)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 49,263 (2025)
• Israel — 897 (2025)
• Jordan — 10,735 (2025)
• Kuwait — 2,148 (2025)
• Lebanon

More social protection & labor data for Iraq

• Net migration — -1,064 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin — 270,671 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum — 322,345 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 5.65% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 47.49% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 27.05% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 11.53% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Iraq's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin?

96,887 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 138.46% from 40,630 in 2000 (3.54% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 302,731 in 2019 and the lowest 22,372 in 2009.

How does Iraq rank?

23rd highest of 190 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin unusual for Iraq?

In 2025, Iraq's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin fell 36.1% on 2024 (from 151,623 to 96,887). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +12% and a typical year strayed about 44.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EO, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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