Baghdad vs Kabul

Baghdad and Kabul are level on the CIRA Index at 40. Baghdad grades better on 4 measures, Kabul on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Baghdad 40, Kabul 40
• OECD: Baghdad 40, Kabul 41
• UN Tourism: Baghdad 51, Kabul 45
• UNDRR: Baghdad 23, Kabul 27

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Baghdad 100, Kabul 100
• Economy and jobs: Baghdad 56, Kabul 13
• Climate and hazards: Baghdad 15, Kabul 45
• Water and environment: Baghdad 31, Kabul 44
• Community and housing: Baghdad 75, Kabul 100
• Access and continuity: Baghdad 21, Kabul 13

Where Baghdad is stronger

• Unemployment rate: 9.3 % of the labour force (region figure) (Ministry of Planning, National Committee for Sustainable Development / EUAA, 2021). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 5.7 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 5 and 6.5: grade 1/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 52.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (UN-Water / WHO / UN-Habitat SDG 6 Country Profiles, 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (World Bank, Iraq Railways Extension and Modernization Project / Iraq Ministry of Transport, 2025). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.

Where Kabul is stronger

• Extreme heat days: 8.2 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 5 and 15: grade 3/4.
• Tropical nights: 11.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 164.3 kg per resident per year (Journal of Natural Science Review, 2025). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 12.6 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (MDPI Geomatics, 'Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Kabul, Afghanistan Focusing on the Drivers Impacting Urban Dynamics during Five Decades 1973–2020', 2013–2020). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4.
• Rent growth: 2.1 % change in rents over the last 12 months (World Bank, Afghanistan Economic Monitor, August 2024–August 2025). At or below 3: grade 4/4.

Baghdad in full · Kabul in full

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