Iraq ranks 14th among Arab states in 2026 Progress Index, 106th globally

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — Iraq placed 14th among Arab countries and 106th worldwide in the 2026 Progress Index, ranking ahead of Syria, Mauritania, Yemen and Sudan, according to the findings. The index measures levels of progress and development based on economic, social and institutional indicators. Gulf countries continued to occupy the top of the Arab standings, with the United Arab Emirates leading the regional list at 35th globally, followed by Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Jordan, Bahrain, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Libya came next in the regional ranking before Iraq. At the bottom of the Arab table, Syria placed 120th globally, Mauritania 124th, Yemen 151st and Sudan 154th. The findings underscore the wide performance gap between Gulf states and the rest of the Arab world, with several conflict-affected and lower-income countries clustered at the lower end of both the regional and global standings.