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Iraq
(information)
Population as of 2020: 40 million 36 of 193
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Region: Middle East
Nominal G.D.P. in 2024: $279.6 billion 49 of 193
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Top Exports
Iraq exported approximately **US$109 billion** worth of goods in 2024, making it one of the world's largest energy exporters. The economy remains overwhelmingly dependent on oil. | Rank | Export Product | Estimated Export Value (USD) | | ---- | --------------------------------------- | ---------------------------: | | 1 | Crude petroleum oil | **~US$97–98 billion** | | 2 | Refined petroleum products | **~US$8.8–9.0 billion** | | 3 | Petroleum residues / fuel oil | **~US$700–800 million** | | 4 | Petroleum gases (LPG, associated gases) | **~US$600–700 million** | | 5 | High-temperature coal tar oils | **~US$200–250 million** | | 6 | Dates | **~US$150–200 million** | | 7 | Sulfur | **~US$100–150 million** | | 8 | Aluminum products | **~US$80–120 million** | | 9 | Fertilizers | **~US$50–100 million** | | 10 | Plastics and plastic products | **~US$50–80 million** | | 11 | Cement and construction materials | ~US$40–70 million | | 12 | Iron and steel products | ~US$30–60 million | | 13 | Animal and vegetable oils | ~US$20–50 million | | 14 | Fruits and nuts (other than dates) | ~US$20–40 million | | 15 | Copper and metal scrap | ~US$20–40 million | | 16 | Machinery and equipment | ~US$10–30 million | | 17 | Electrical equipment | ~US$10–25 million | | 18 | Chemicals and chemical products | ~US$10–25 million | | 19 | Agricultural products (misc.) | ~US$10–20 million | | 20 | Miscellaneous exports | ~US$20–40 million | *Values are rounded estimates compiled from 2024 trade-category and product-level data. Because oil dominates so heavily, non-oil categories are comparatively small and can vary by source.* Key Takeaways * 🛢️ **Oil completely dominates Iraq's economy** * Crude oil accounts for roughly **90% of total exports** and more than **89% of foreign-exchange earnings**. * ⛽ **Refined petroleum exports are growing rapidly** * Iraq's exports of refined petroleum products nearly doubled between 2022 and 2024 as new refining capacity came online. * 🌏 **Asia is the primary market** * China and India together accounted for about **60% of Iraq's oil exports** in 2024. * 🌴 **Dates remain Iraq's most famous non-oil export** * Iraq remains one of the world's major date-producing countries. * ⚠️ **One of the world's most concentrated export structures** * Few major economies are as dependent on a single export product as Iraq is on crude oil. Top Importers of Iraq’s Exports (2024) | Rank | Country | Main Imports from Iraq | | ---- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | | 1 | **China** | Crude oil, petroleum products | | 2 | **India** | Crude oil, petroleum products | | 3 | **United States** | Crude oil and energy products | | 4 | **South Korea** | Crude oil | | 5 | **Italy** | Crude oil | | 6 | **Greece** | Crude oil | | 7 | **France** | Crude oil and refined products | | 8 | **Netherlands** | Oil and energy-related imports | | 9 | **United Arab Emirates** | Petroleum products and trade-hub imports | | 10 | **Japan** | Crude oil | These rankings reflect the major destinations consistently identified across 2024 trade datasets and oil-import statistics. Key Patterns * 🥇 **China was Iraq’s largest export customer** * China is Iraq’s largest trading partner and one of its biggest crude-oil buyers. * In 2024, China imported more than **63 million tons of Iraqi crude oil**. * 🥈 **India was the second-largest buyer** * India remained one of the world's largest importers of Iraqi crude. * Iraqi oil is critical to Indian refinery operations. * 🛢️ **Oil determines almost the entire ranking** * Iraq’s exports are about **99% petroleum-related**, so the largest customers are primarily major energy importers. * 🌏 **Asia dominates Iraqi exports** * China, India, South Korea, Japan, and the UAE collectively account for a very large share of Iraq’s export earnings. * 🇪🇺 **Southern Europe is also important** * Italy, Greece, France, and the Netherlands are major buyers due to refinery demand and energy imports.
