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Economy of Iraq vs Malawi compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Iraq has a GDP of $280B compared to $11B for Malawi, ranking 51/197 and 151/197 by economy size, respectively.

Iraq has $120B in government debt (50.2% of GDP), compared to $8.19B (73% of GDP) in Malawi.

The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.

Iraq
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Malawi
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Year GDP
Iraq Malawi
Current $ Constant $ Current $ Constant $
1960 $1,537,252,193 $7,007,485,325 - $944,667,422
1961 $1,671,960,965 $7,520,837,448 - $1,016,836,214
1962 $1,784,174,541 $7,867,047,599 - $1,023,632,389
1963 $1,805,901,510 $8,059,609,508 - $1,009,392,859
1964 $2,136,408,198 $9,254,568,662 - $1,036,253,845
1965 $2,335,785,506 $10,250,719,342 - $1,177,355,282
1966 $2,530,306,096 $10,759,449,895 - $1,333,343,511
1967 $2,551,522,656 $9,806,505,272 - $1,430,431,584
1968 $2,896,598,841 $11,719,960,412 - $1,402,923,252
1969 $3,007,758,797 $12,100,177,781 - $1,485,448,247
1970 $3,281,318,687 $12,650,053,065 - $1,492,567,971
1971 $3,865,346,535 $13,329,936,812 - $1,734,641,057
1972 $4,113,848,002 $13,827,850,447 - $1,842,732,595
1973 $5,134,367,778 $14,438,869,358 - $1,885,127,636
1974 $11,516,762,614 $16,765,457,418 - $2,020,403,709
1975 $13,458,516,763 $18,859,574,485 - $2,143,382,123
1976 $17,754,825,601 $22,098,725,967 - $2,250,502,601
1977 $19,838,130,715 $22,518,592,787 - $2,361,183,025
1978 $23,762,275,652 $26,359,581,202 - $2,591,281,917
1979 $37,816,457,839 $31,860,629,534 - $2,705,198,654
1980 $52,569,000,000 $39,747,322,740 $1,801,156,775 $2,716,201,952
1981 $37,823,000,000 $39,457,673,065 $1,801,193,910 $2,572,511,629
1982 $42,382,333,333 $40,812,640,889 $1,717,379,495 $2,636,913,268
1983 $40,712,903,226 $35,477,076,846 $1,780,148,049 $2,734,972,403
1984 $46,938,387,097 $34,950,156,507 $1,758,028,656 $2,881,575,239
1985 $48,425,161,290 $35,458,295,527 $1,646,442,273 $3,013,291,524
1986 $47,264,516,129 $37,106,251,927 $1,722,586,299 $3,006,818,902
1987 $56,774,193,548 $40,559,093,083 $1,721,711,808 $3,055,686,904
1988 $62,684,516,129 $40,551,371,874 $2,008,189,508 $3,152,774,981
1989 $65,831,935,484 $39,286,763,062 $2,314,205,130 $3,195,170,016
1990 $180,408,064,516 $62,001,516,292 $2,737,087,862 $3,377,048,507
1991 $407,796,350 $22,291,338,827 $3,206,783,830 $3,671,872,669
1992 $553,671,958 $29,556,579,056 $2,618,837,835 $3,402,615,041
1993 $1,031,944,881 $38,509,216,456 $3,013,392,658 $3,732,391,067
1994 $3,991,349,283 $39,993,566,700 $1,719,864,761 $3,350,187,440
1995 $12,894,029,888 $40,841,438,912 $2,033,701,498 $3,910,634,176
1996 $10,433,698,621 $45,342,486,348 $3,319,573,750 $4,196,762,834
1997 $20,764,857,056 $54,972,294,638 $3,875,785,863 $4,355,921,669
1998 $20,617,405,044 $74,213,129,684 $2,547,609,590 $4,525,595,860
1999 $36,881,601,584 $87,259,924,322 $2,584,478,924 $4,663,277,074
2000 $48,364,250,944 $101,916,218,527 $2,537,307,580 $4,736,773,940
2001 $36,176,430,129 $103,716,679,378 $2,498,008,665 $4,501,121,160
2002 $32,928,454,672 $95,208,069,161 $5,087,328,438 $4,577,640,221
2003 $21,921,569,479 $60,307,856,289 $4,669,789,300 $4,838,823,865
2004 $36,633,669,269 $92,503,535,427 $5,058,726,350 $5,101,112,195
2005 $50,065,104,668 $94,053,181,142 $5,320,409,651 $5,267,853,576
2006 $65,147,051,918 $99,356,180,856 $5,818,279,739 $5,515,442,682
2007 $88,837,057,320 $101,232,561,441 $6,451,210,219 $6,044,925,173
2008 $131,614,434,154 $109,562,085,020 $7,743,617,352 $6,506,741,521
2009 $111,657,580,326 $113,264,515,567 $9,009,887,947 $7,048,630,103
2010 $138,516,722,650 $120,516,349,622 $10,128,323,011 $7,533,157,578
2011 $185,749,664,444 $129,611,081,239 $11,648,142,958 $7,904,743,382
2012 $218,002,476,129 $147,674,239,073 $8,773,203,178 $8,054,933,506
2013 $234,637,675,129 $158,939,252,264 $8,031,571,928 $8,490,733,601
2014 $228,415,656,175 $162,537,141,324 $8,801,326,169 $8,968,360,291
2015 $166,774,104,959 $166,774,104,959 $9,219,474,379 $9,219,474,379
2016 $166,743,557,748 $189,767,872,908 $7,909,868,618 $9,449,961,239
2017 $187,217,660,051 $186,314,571,375 $8,943,543,794 $9,827,959,688
2018 $227,367,469,034 $191,221,819,559 $9,879,231,592 $10,255,826,274
2019 $233,636,097,800 $201,765,390,224 $11,051,865,580 $10,842,133,934
2020 $180,898,797,517 $177,479,307,670 $11,769,313,598 $10,928,176,722
2021 $209,691,945,713 $180,145,367,593 $12,378,129,751 $11,426,314,940
2022 $287,372,232,138 $194,483,223,959 $12,429,060,151 $11,531,564,449
2023 $268,881,051,644 $195,490,074,355 $12,712,150,082 $11,749,794,461
2024 $279,641,257,615 $192,469,260,104 $11,008,925,323 $11,964,445,581

Economic indicators

Iraq Malawi
Gross domestic product
$280B
2024
$11B
2024
GDP rank
51/197
2024
151/197
2024
GDP growth
4%
2023-2024
-13.4%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$6,074
2024
$508
2024
GDP per capita rank
114/197
2024
195/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$14,464
2024
$1,859
2024
Government debt
$120B
2024
$8.19B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio
50.2%
2025
73%
2025
Government debt per person
$2,606
2024
$378
2024
Government debt per person rank
108/185
2024
173/185
2024
Average annual personal income after taxes
$6,159
2025
$2,610
2025
Income share by richest 10%
24.2%
2023
31%
2019
Income share by poorest 10%
3.7%
2023
2.9%
2019
Government expenditure, % of GDP
42.1%
2025
28%
2025
Consumer prices inflation
-12.3%
2023-2024
28.2%
2024-2025
Central bank interest rate n/a
26%
2024
Unemployment rate
16.2%
2021
0.91%
2020
Population
47813338
22673513

GDP per capita in Iraq vs Malawi

Iraq's GDP per capita is $6,074, ranking 114/197, compared to $508 in Malawi, ranking 195/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Iraq ranks 115th at $14,464, while Malawi ranks 189th at $1,859.

Iraq
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Malawi
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Year Current $
Iraq Malawi
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
1960 $218.9 - - -
1961 $232.4 - - -
1962 $240.7 - - -
1963 $235.5 - - -
1964 $269.4 - - -
1965 $284.8 - - -
1966 $298.2 - - -
1967 $290.6 - - -
1968 $319 - - -
1969 $320 - - -
1970 $337 - - -
1971 $384 - - -
1972 $394 - - -
1973 $476 - - -
1974 $1,031 - - -
1975 $1,166 - - -
1976 $1,489 - - -
1977 $1,609 - - -
1978 $1,863 - - -
1979 $2,871 - - -
1980 $3,868 - $287.5 -
1981 $2,700 - $276.4 -
1982 $2,942 - $253.3 -
1983 $2,743 - $252.4 -
1984 $3,066 - $239.7 -
1985 $3,088 - $216.1 -
1986 $2,940 - $217.9 -
1987 $3,436 - $207.6 -
1988 $3,707 - $229.4 -
1989 $3,791 - $252.2 -
1990 $10,261 - $286.7 $672
1991 $23 $2,694 $326 $732
1992 $30.3 $3,547 $258.4 $674
1993 $53.7 $4,509 $293 $746
1994 $198.2 $4,560 $169.2 $692
1995 $619 $4,598 $200.4 $825
1996 $485 $5,034 $321 $884
1997 $936 $6,020 $367 $915
1998 $901 $7,964 $236 $941
1999 $1,560 $9,194 $233.9 $961
2000 $1,980 $10,628 $224.2 $974
2001 $1,436 $10,720 $215.5 $924
2002 $1,266 $9,682 $428 $931
2003 $818 $6,068 $383 $979
2004 $1,328 $9,290 $405 $1,033
2005 $1,762 $9,457 $414 $1,071
2006 $2,277 $10,223 $441 $1,124
2007 $3,129 $10,783 $475 $1,231
2008 $4,543 $11,657 $554 $1,311
2009 $3,715 $11,687 $626 $1,388
2010 $4,462 $12,186 $683 $1,458
2011 $5,776 $12,912 $763 $1,516
2012 $6,478 $14,402 $558 $1,464
2013 $6,650 $14,669 $497 $1,558
2014 $6,249 $13,168 $530 $1,506
2015 $4,440 $9,334 $540 $1,403
2016 $4,334 $9,079 $451 $1,410
2017 $4,759 $10,192 $496 $1,380
2018 $5,647 $12,034 $533 $1,364
2019 $5,672 $12,249 $581 $1,450
2020 $4,295 $10,574 $603 $1,513
2021 $4,868 $12,732 $617 $1,688
2022 $6,521 $14,391 $604 $1,778
2023 $5,965 $14,653 $602 $1,830
2024 $6,074 $14,464 $508 $1,859

Spending and national debt comparison

In 2024, Iraq's government spending was $113B, accounting for 42.1% of its GDP, while Malawi's spent $2.91B, or 28% of GDP.

Debt-to-GDP ratio is 50.2% in Iraq and 73% in Malawi, ranking 109/185 and 52/185, respectively.

Iraq
Government spending

Government debt
Malawi
Government spending

Government debt
Year % of GDP
Iraq Malawi
Government spending Government debt Government spending Government debt
2002 - - 13.8% 101.5%
2003 - - 15.4% 84.7%
2004 91.5% 344% 17.2% 74.7%
2005 63.2% 227.3% 17.4% 70.9%
2006 50.3% 143.2% 17.8% 17.9%
2007 44% 117.1% 20.7% 18.9%
2008 57.3% 74.2% 20.6% 23.5%
2009 61.1% 87.4% 20.2% 23.5%
2010 49.6% 53.5% 19.6% 19.3%
2011 43.4% 40.7% 17% 20%
2012 42.9% 34.8% 18.8% 28.6%
2013 48.2% 32% 20.7% 35.3%
2014 43.8% 27.6% 18.3% 33.5%
2015 43.5% 48.3% 19.5% 35.5%
2016 42.4% 60.3% 19.7% 37.1%
2017 35.5% 55.9% 21% 40%
2018 31.1% 44.4% 19.4% 40.8%
2019 34.7% 41.7% 19.3% 41.2%
2020 41.9% 72.5% 22.7% 53.9%
2021 36.3% 54.7% 23.7% 66.5%
2022 33.9% 39% 26.7% 75.5%
2023 41.2% 42.1% 25.5% 86.1%
2024 40.4% 42.9% 26.4% 74.4%
2025 42.1% 50.2% 28% 73%

Government deficit by year

In 2024, Iraq's government deficit, the difference between spending and revenue, was -$4.17B, equivalent to -1.49% of GDP. This compares to Malawi's deficit of -$891M, or -8.1% of GDP.

Over the past 21 years, Iraq recorded a fiscal deficit in 13 of those years, while Malawi ran a deficit in 20 years. On average, Iraq posted an annual deficit equal to -2.93% of GDP, compared to deficit of -4.19% of GDP for Malawi.

Deficit/surplus
Iraq

Malawi
Year Deficit/surplus, % of GDP
Iraq Malawi
2002 - -4.47%
2003 - -2.6%
2004 -35.4% -2.61%
2005 4.07% -1.63%
2006 10.7% -0.05%
2007 9.98% -2.56%
2008 -0.86% -2.92%
2009 -14.9% -2.97%
2010 -4.18% 0.63%
2011 4.74% -2.85%
2012 4.09% -1.45%
2013 -6.06% -3.73%
2014 -5.63% -3.08%
2015 -12.8% -4.17%
2016 -14.4% -4.9%
2017 -1.52% -5.15%
2018 7.69% -4.35%
2019 0.83% -4.55%
2020 -12.8% -8.03%
2021 -0.38% -8.34%
2022 8.1% -9.32%
2023 -1.14% -7.84%
2024 -1.49% -8.1%
2025 -4.18% -8.94%

Inflation comparison by year

Over the past 29 years, Iraq has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 8.97%, compared with 18.1% in Malawi. In 2024, inflation was -12.3% in Iraq and 28.2% in Malawi.

Inflation
Iraq

Malawi
Year Inflation
Iraq Malawi Iraq Malawi
1996 -16.1% 37.7%
1997 23.1% 9.1%
1998 14.8% 29.8%
1999 12.6% 44.8%
2000 4.98% 29.6%
2001 16.4% 22.7%
2002 19.3% 14.7%
2003 33.6% 9.6%
2004 27% 11.4%
2005 37% 15.5%
2006 53.2% 13.9%
2007 -10.1% 7.9%
2008 12.7% 8.7%
2009 6.87% 8.4%
2010 2.88% 7.4%
2011 5.8% 7.6%
2012 6.09% 21.3%
2013 1.88% 28.3%
2014 2.24% 23.8%
2015 1.39% 21.9%
2016 0.56% 21.7%
2017 0.18% 11.5%
2018 0.37% 9.2%
2019 -0.2% 9.4%
2020 0.57% 8.6%
2021 6.04% 9.3%
2022 4.99% 20.8%
2023 4.36% 28.8%
2024 -12.3% 32.2%
2025 - 28.2%

Balance of trade

Iraq Malawi
Current account balance
$28.4B
2023
-$2.28B
2023
Current account balance ranking
17/189
2023
144/189
2023
Current account balance, % of GDP
+10.6%
2023
-17.9%
2023
Goods imports
$56B
2023
$3B
2023
Goods exports
$99.1B
2023
$1.05B
2023
Service imports
$25.2B
2023
$998M
2023
Service exports
$8.7B
2023
$475M
2023
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
37.2%
2024
n/a
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
37.5%
2024
14%
2025

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Iraq Malawi
Economic freedom 15.6 50.9
Economic freedom ranking 196/197 160/197
Property rights 6.3 49.4
Government integrity 19.9 34.4
Judicial effectiveness 7.1 52.3
Tax burden 95.5 77.1
Government spending 65.3 79.4
Fiscal health 94.7 3.3
Business freedom 43.1 31.3
Labor freedom 56.8 56
Monetary freedom 67.1 58.3
Trade freedom 40 68.8
Investment freedom 10 50
Financial freedom 10 50

Economic freedom by year comparison

The Economic Freedom Index for Iraq is 15.6, ranking 196/197, compared to 50.9 for Malawi, ranking 160/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Iraq
Malawi
Year Economic freedom index
Iraq Malawi
1995 - 54.7
1996 17.2 56.2
1997 17.2 53.4
1998 17.2 54.1
1999 17.2 54
2000 17.2 57.4
2001 17.2 56.2
2002 15.6 56.9
2003 - 53.2
2004 - 53.6
2005 - 53.6
2006 - 55.4
2007 - 52.9
2008 - 52.7
2009 - 53.7
2010 - 54.1
2011 - 55.8
2012 - 56.4
2013 - 55.3
2014 - 55.4
2015 - 54.8
2016 - 51.8
2017 - 52.2
2018 - 52
2019 - 51.4
2020 - 52.8
2021 - 53
2022 - 53
2023 - 52.8
2024 - 52.1
2025 - 50.9

More economic indicators

Iraq Malawi
Services, % of GDP
45.8%
2024
44.9%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
51.6%
2024
16%
2024
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
3.39%
2024
32.4%
2024
GNI, Atlas method
$278B
2024
$11.8B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP
$14,550
2024
$1,790
2024
Total reserves including gold
$101B
2024
$594M
2020
Total reserves ranking
28/177
2024
154/177
2020
Net foreign direct investment
$5.65B
2023
-$134M
2023
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
-$7.46B
2024
$220M
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$439M
2024
$48.3M
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
1.66%
2023
1.22%
2023
Poverty at national poverty lines
17.5%
2023
50.7%
2019
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
29.4%
2024
n/a

GDP per capita map

GDP per capita

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The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.