Gas reserves in Iraq
Iraq: Gas reserves was 3.73 trillion cubic meters in 2021. ▲ Rising
Gas reserves in Iraq, 1980–2021
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gas reserves in Iraq is 3.73 trillion cubic meters, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of up 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gas reserves in Iraq peaked at 3.82 trillion cubic meters in 2018 and was at its lowest, 744.73 billion cubic meters, in 1988.
That places Iraq 13th out of 215 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Gas reserves in Iraq, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 778.71 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 777.30 billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 773.05 billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 815.52 billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 821.19 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 815.52 billion cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 821.19 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 792.87 billion cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 744.73 billion cubic meters | -6.1% |
| 1989 | 2.69 trillion cubic meters | +261.2% |
| 1990 | 2.69 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.69 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.69 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3.10 trillion cubic meters | +15.3% |
| 1994 | 3.10 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3.10 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3.10 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3.34 trillion cubic meters | +7.8% |
| 1998 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | -6.9% |
| 1999 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.82 trillion cubic meters | +21.0% |
| 2019 | 3.74 trillion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 3.73 trillion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 3.73 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 3.73 trillion cubic meters is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.79 billion cubic meters, 982.7× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 3.73 trillion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 478.56 billion cubic meters, 7.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gas reserves in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +261.2% | 744.73 billion cubic meters | 2.69 trillion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 983.02 billion cubic meters | 744.73 billion cubic meters | 2.69 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.00 trillion cubic meters | 2.69 trillion cubic meters | 3.34 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.13 trillion cubic meters | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | 3.17 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.29 trillion cubic meters | 3.16 trillion cubic meters | 3.82 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.73 trillion cubic meters | 3.73 trillion cubic meters | 3.73 trillion cubic meters | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More energy & mining data for Iraq
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 22.9% (2014)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gas reserves in Iraq?
- Gas reserves in Iraq was 3.73 trillion cubic meters in 2021, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gas reserves recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 3.82 trillion cubic meters in 2018.
- What is the lowest gas reserves recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 744.73 billion cubic meters in 1988.
- How does Iraq rank for gas reserves?
- Iraq ranks 13th out of 215 countries with data for 2021.
- Is gas reserves rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gas reserves. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proved reserves, measured in cubic meters, are generally those quantities that can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions, according to geological and engineering information.