Total factor productivity in Iran
Iran: Total factor productivity was 1.06 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Total factor productivity in Iran, 1959–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Iran recorded 1.06 for total factor productivity in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total factor productivity in Iran peaked at 4.06 in 1969 and was at its lowest, 0.9171, in 2019.
Iran ranks 8th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total factor productivity in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 3.19 | — |
| 1960 | 3.33 | +4.4% |
| 1961 | 3.43 | +3.1% |
| 1962 | 3.44 | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 3.46 | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 3.45 | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 3.6 | +4.5% |
| 1966 | 3.67 | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 3.78 | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 3.87 | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 4.06 | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 2.36 | -41.8% |
| 1971 | 2.56 | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 2.73 | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 2.72 | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 2.67 | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 2.41 | -9.8% |
| 1976 | 2.51 | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 2.23 | -11.2% |
| 1978 | 1.81 | -18.6% |
| 1979 | 1.55 | -14.6% |
| 1980 | 1.18 | -23.5% |
| 1981 | 1.07 | -9.8% |
| 1982 | 1.26 | +18.1% |
| 1983 | 1.33 | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 1.16 | -12.7% |
| 1986 | 1.06 | -8.5% |
| 1987 | 1.03 | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 0.9445 | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 0.9739 | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 1.08 | +10.4% |
| 1991 | 1.14 | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 1.14 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 1.1 | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 1.07 | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 1.07 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.12 | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 1.09 | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 1.06 | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 1.05 | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 1.04 | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 1 | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 1.03 | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 1.06 | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.02 | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 1 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 1.01 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 1.05 | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 1.03 | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.01 | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 1.05 | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 1.04 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 0.9662 | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 0.9352 | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 0.9705 | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 0.9267 | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 1 | +8.1% |
| 2017 | 0.9879 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 0.9698 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 0.9171 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 0.9796 | +6.8% |
| 2021 | 1 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 1.03 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 1.06 | +2.9% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 1.06 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.9902, 1.1× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Iran's 1.06 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.9889, 1.1× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total factor productivity in Iran 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -41.8% | 4.06 | 2.36 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.19 | 3.19 | 3.19 | 1 |
| 1960s | 3.61 | 3.33 | 4.06 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.36 | 1.55 | 2.73 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.11 | 0.9445 | 1.33 | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.09 | 1.05 | 1.14 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.03 | 1 | 1.06 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9765 | 0.9171 | 1.05 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.02 | 0.9796 | 1.06 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 5 Armenia 1.11 compare
- 6 Tajikistan 1.11 compare
- 7 Zambia 1.06 compare
- 9 Mauritania 1.06 compare
- 10 Panama 1.06 compare
- 11 Trinidad and Tobago 1.05 compare
More economy & growth data for Iran
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 89.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0002 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.9766 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 1.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.003 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 15.83 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 130.68 % change on previous year (1982)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total factor productivity in Iran?
- Total factor productivity in Iran was 1.06 in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total factor productivity recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 4.06 in 1969.
- What is the lowest total factor productivity recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9171 in 2019.
- How does Iran rank for total factor productivity?
- Iran ranks 8th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total factor productivity rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total factor productivity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the level of total factor productivity, relative to each country's value in 2021 (which is set to 1). This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.