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{{Short description|People originating in Iraq}}
{{Infobox Ethnic group
{{redirect|The Iraqis|the Iraqi political party|The Iraqis (party)}}
| group = Iraqi people
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
| image = [[Image:Iraqipeople3.jpg|400px]]<div style="background-color:#fee8ab"><small><small> [[Mesopotamia|Ancient]]: [[Gudea|Gudea of Sumer]], [[Sargon of Akkad]], [[Hammurabi|Hammurabi of Babylonia]], [[Ashurnasirpal II|Ashurnasirpal II of Assyria]], </br> [[Abbasid Caliphate|Medieval]]: [[Harun al-Rashid]], [[Al-Kindi|al-Kindi]], [[Al-Masudi|al-Masudi]], [[Alhazen]], </br> [[Iraq|Modern]]: [[Emmanuel III Delly|Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly]], Ilham al-Madfai, [[Zaha Hadid]], [[Viola Haqi]]
{{Infobox ethnic group
</small></small></div>
| group = Iraqis
| population = over 25,000,000
| region1 = {{flag|Iraq}}
| native_name = العراقيون
| native_name_lang =
| pop1 = 20 million+
| image = Map of the Iraqi Diaspora in the World.svg
| ref1 =
| caption = Map of the Iraqi diaspora in the world including descendants
| region2 = {{flag|Syria}}
| pop2 = 2 million+
| population = 48+- million worldwide
| region1 = {{flag|Iraq}}
| ref2 = {{lower|<ref>[http://www.offlinebaghdad.org/m-n-s-g NGO's claim Iraqis have hit 2 million in Syria]</ref>}}
| region3 = {{flag|Jordan}}
| pop1 = 45,504,560
| ref1 = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/iraq-population |title=Iraq Population |publisher=[[World Bank]] |website=worldpopulationreview.com |access-date=2024-01-27}}</ref>
| pop3 = 1 million+
| ref3 = {{lower| }}
| region2 = {{flag|Iran}}
| pop2 = [[Iraqis in Iran|500,000]]
| region4 = {{flag|UK}}
| ref2 = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netnative.com/news/01/may/1003.html|title=500,000 Iraqis in Iran|access-date=2010-12-10|archive-date=2019-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610231339/http://www.netnative.com/news/01/may/1003.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| pop4 = 450,000+
| region3 = {{flag|Israel}}
| ref4 = {{lower|<ref>[http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/07/31/you-expected-maybe-the-donald-rumsfeld-fan-club/ BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » You expected maybe the Donald Rumsfeld fan club?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/01/18/news/expats.php "Iraqis far from home sign up to vote"]. ''[[International Herald Tribune]]''</ref>}}
| pop3 = [[Iraqi Jews in Israel|450,000]]
| region5 = {{flag|Brazil}}
| ref3 = <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121104095011/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-73357609.html HighBeam]</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Collie |first1=Tim |title=JEWISH & IRAQI |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2003-03-02-0303020004-story.html |website=Sun-Sentinel |date=2 March 2003 |access-date=2022-04-04 |archive-date=2022-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404081432/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2003-03-02-0303020004-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| pop5 = 70,000–340,000+
| ref5 =
| region4 = {{flag|Germany}}
| pop4 = [[Iraqis in Germany|321,000]]
| region6 = {{flagcountry|United States}}
| ref4 = <ref name=statista>{{cite web|url=https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Migration-Integration/Publikationen/Downloads-Migration/auslaend-bevoelkerung-2010200187004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3|title=Ausländische Bevölkerung in den Jahren 2011 bis 2018|work=statista|language=de|access-date=2022-04-04|archive-date=2022-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120185145/https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Migration-Integration/Publikationen/Downloads-Migration/auslaend-bevoelkerung-2010200187004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3|url-status=live}}</ref>
| pop6 = 37,000–230,000+
| ref6 =
| region5 = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| pop5 = [[British Iraqis|400,000–850,000]]
| region7 = {{flag|Iran}}
| ref5 = <ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/the-uk-iraqi-diaspora-and-their-mobilization-towards-iraq-homeland-politics-internal-dynamics-and-the-fragmentation-of-diasporic-transnationalism |title=The UK Iraqi Diaspora and their Mobilization towards Iraq |journal=Arab Reform Initiative |date=26 July 2021 |last1=Kadhum |first1=Oula |access-date=4 April 2022 |archive-date=18 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118104937/https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/the-uk-iraqi-diaspora-and-their-mobilization-towards-iraq-homeland-politics-internal-dynamics-and-the-fragmentation-of-diasporic-transnationalism/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| pop7 = 203,000+
| region6 = {{flag|United States}}
| ref7 = {{lower|<ref name=2001irancensus>{{cite web | url =http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/mena/iraq021203/4.htm | title =The 2001 Iran census states that there are 203,000 ethnic Iraqis living in Iran | accessdate =2007-09-02 | publisher =hrw.org}}</ref>}}
| pop6 = [[Iraqi Americans|350,000 to 450,000]]
| region8 = {{flag|Egypt}}
| ref6 = <ref name='census'>{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_15_1YR_B05006&prodType=table|title=PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES Universe: Foreign-born population excluding population born at sea more information 2015 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2016-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918180901/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_15_1YR_B05006&prodType=table|archive-date=2016-09-18|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name='AAI'>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B04006/0100000US|title=PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2016-10-04|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213005138/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B04006/0100000US|archive-date=2020-02-13|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| pop8 = 150,000+
| region7 = {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
| ref8 = {{lower|<ref name=IraqisInEgypt>{{cite web | url =http://hrw.org/backgrounder/refugees/iraq0407/4.htm | title =Iraqis In Egypt | accessdate =2007-08-18 | publisher =hrw.org}}</ref>}}
| pop7 = [[Iraqis in the United Arab Emirates|250,000]]
| region9 = {{flag|Germany}}
| ref7 = <ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/uae-iraqis-restricted-by-passport-delays-1.563221|title = UAE Iraqis restricted by passport delays|date = 28 August 2008|access-date = 26 October 2021|archive-date = 9 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160309173530/http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/uae-iraqis-restricted-by-passport-delays?pageCount=0|url-status = live}}</ref>
| pop9 = 150,000+
| region8 = {{flag|Sweden}}
| ref9 = {{lower|<ref name=PopulationPressures>{{cite web | url =http://www.ecre.org/positions/Iraq_Quest_Summary_Apr04.shtml | title =Population pressures | accessdate =2007-08-19 | publisher =ecre.org}}</ref>}}
| pop8 = [[Swedish Iraqis|145,586]]
| region10 = {{flag|Lebanon}}
| ref8 = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.statistikdatabasen.scb.se/pxweb/en/ssd/START__BE__BE0101__BE0101E/FodelselandArK/?rxid=86abd797-7854-4564-9150-c9b06ae3ab07c9b06ae3ab07|title=Population by country of birth, age and sex. Year 2000 - 2020|access-date=2021-10-26|archive-date=2020-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123220100/http://www.statistikdatabasen.scb.se/pxweb/en/ssd/START__BE__BE0101__BE0101E/FodelselandArK/?rxid=86abd797-7854-4564-9150-c9b06ae3ab07c9b06ae3ab07|url-status=live}}</ref>
| pop10 = 100,000+
| region9 = {{flag|Jordan}}
| ref10 = <ref name=IraqisInLebanon>{{cite web | url =http://www.aina.org/news/2007049133807.htm | title =Iraqis In Lebanon | accessdate =2007-08-15 | publisher =aina.org}}</ref>
| pop9 = [[Iraqis in Jordan|131,000]]
| region11 = {{flag|UAE}}
| ref9 = <ref>{{cite web |title=الأردن يستضيف 3 ملايين شخص من 57 جنسية |url=https://www.almamlakatv.com/news/30988-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B6%D9%8A%D9%81-3-%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5-%D9%85%D9%86-57-%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A9%7D%7D |website=قناة المملكة |access-date=21 February 2022 |language=ar |date=18 December 2019 |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121230406/https://www.almamlakatv.com/news/30988-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B6%D9%8A%D9%81-3-%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5-%D9%85%D9%86-57-%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A9%7D%7D |url-status=live }}</ref>
| pop11 = 100,000+
| region10 = {{flag|Turkey}}
| ref11 = <ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.buzzflash.com/mediawatch/05/01/wmw05009.html BuzzFlash > World Media Watch > 1/21/05<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| pop10 = [[Iraqis in Turkey|115,000]]
| region12 = {{flag|Yemen}}
| ref10 = <ref name='JP'>{{cite web|url=http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=TU|title=Ethnic groups of Turkey|access-date=2010-12-10|publisher=[[Joshua Project]]|archive-date=2019-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719221707/https://joshuaproject.net/countries.php%3Frog3%3DTU|url-status=live}}</ref>
| pop12 = 100,000+
| region11 = {{flag|Australia}}
| ref12 = <ref name=IraqisInYemen>{{cite web | url =http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/jordan1106/8.htm | title =Iraqis In Yemen | accessdate =2007-09-08 | publisher =hrw.org}}</ref>
| pop11 = [[Iraqi Australians|104,170]]
| region13 = {{flag|Turkey}}
| ref11 = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-statistics/statistics/country-profiles/profiles/iraq#:~:text=At%20the%20end%20of%20June,57%2C430)%20at%2030%20June%202012. |publisher=Home Affairs|website=www.https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/|access-date=2024-11-13 |title=Department of Home Affairs Website }}</ref>
| pop13 = 60,000–90,000+
| ref13 =
| region12 = {{flag|Canada}}
| pop12 = [[Iraqi Canadians|84,130 ]]
| region14 = {{flag|Australia}}
| ref12 = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?LANG=E&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1,4&DGUIDlist=2021A000011124&HEADERlist=31,30,25&SearchText=Canada |publisher=Canada Statistics|website=www.statcan.gc.ca/en/start |access-date=2024-11-13 |title=Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Canada &#91;Country&#93; |date=9 February 2022 }}</ref>
| pop14 = 80,000+
| region13 = {{flag|Netherlands}}
| ref14 = <ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Fear-checks-turnout-for-Iraq-poll/2005/01/21/1106110948104.html http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Fear-checks-turnout-for-Iraq-poll/2005/01/21/1106110948104.html]</ref>
| pop13 = [[Iraqis in the Netherlands|85,000]]
| region15 = {{flag|Sweden}}
| pop15 = 70,000+
| ref13 =
| region14 =
| ref15 = <ref name=Swedentightens>{{cite web | url =http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06873099.htm | title =Sweden tightens rules on Iraqi asylum seekers | accessdate =2008-02-14 | publisher =unhcr.org}}</ref>
| pop14 =
| region16 = {{flag|Netherlands}}
| pop16 = 40,000+
| ref14 =
| ref16 =
| region15 =
| region17 = {{flag|Cuba}}
| pop15 =
| pop17 = 40,000+
| ref15 =
| ref17 =
| region18 = {{flag|Lebanon}}
| pop18 = [[Iraqis in Lebanon|50,000]]
| region18 = {{flag|Greece}}
| ref18 = <ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.infomigrants.net/ar/post/29465/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86|title = العراقيون في لبنان.. لاجئون منسيون بانتظار "إعادة التوطين"|date = 6 January 2021|access-date = 26 October 2021|archive-date = 27 October 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211027133636/https://www.infomigrants.net/ar/post/29465/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86|url-status = live}}</ref>
| pop18 = 5,000–40,000+
| region19 = {{flag|Finland}}
| ref18 = <ref name=IraqiCommunityinGreece>{{cite web | url =http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:Lp7ZqUgvJzsJ:www.unhcr.org/publ/RESEARCH/40a4dd4b4.pdf+iraqis+living+in+greece&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk | title =Iraqi community in Greece | accessdate =2007-08-14 | publisher =unhcr.org}}</ref>
| pop19 = [[Iraqis in Finland|26,653]]
| region19 = .
| ref19 = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stat.fi/tup/maahanmuutto/maahanmuuttajat-vaestossa/ulkomaalaistaustaiset_en.html|title=Persons with foreign background|website=stat.fi|access-date=2020-12-13|archive-date=2021-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105084300/https://www.stat.fi/tup/maahanmuutto/maahanmuuttajat-vaestossa/ulkomaalaistaustaiset_en.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| pop19 = '''[[Iraqi diaspora|more countries]]'''
| ref19 = .
| region20 = {{flag|Austria}}
| pop20 = 13,000+
| languages = '''Vernacular'''<br/>[[Iraqi Arabic]], [[North Mesopotamian Arabic]] and [[Neo-Aramaic]] <br/>'''Traditional'''<br/>[[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] succeeded by [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] succeeded by [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]
| ref20 = <ref>{{cite web|format=PDF|url=http://www.statistik.at/wcm/idc/idcplg?IdcService=GET_PDF_FILE&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=071715|title=Bevölkerung zu Jahresbeginn seit 2002 nach detaillierter Staatsangehörigkeit|trans-title=Population at the beginning of the year since 2002 by detailed nationality|language=de|work=Statistics Austria|date=14 June 2016|access-date=1 August 2016|archive-date=14 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114103956/http://www.statistik.at/wcm/idc/idcplg?IdcService=GET_PDF_FILE&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=071715|url-status=live}}</ref>
| religions = '''Predominantly'''<br/>[[Islam]]<br/> '''Others''' <br/>[[Bahá'í Faith]], [[Christianity]], [[Judaism]], [[Mandaeism]] as well as several [[minority religion]]s<br/>
| region21 =
|related= [[Semitic people|Other Semitic ethnic groups]] and others (see [[Iraqi people#Genetics|"Genetics"]] and [[Iraqi people#Identitiy|"Identitiy"]])}}
| pop21 =
| ref21 =
| region22 = &nbsp;
| pop22 = '''[[Iraqi diaspora|More countries]]'''
| languages = [[Mesopotamian Arabic]] ([[Semitic languages|Semitic]]): 100% (as the [[official language|official formal language]] spoken by Iraqis) and native [[monolingualism|only language spoken]] to 65–70%;<br />[[Eastern Aramaic languages|Neo-Aramaic languages]] ([[Semitic languages|Semitic]]): 10%;<br />[[Kurdish languages]] ([[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]): 20%;<br />[[Iraqi Turkmen#Language|Iraqi Turkmen Turkish]] ([[Turkic languages|Turkic]]): 7–13%;<ref>Barker, Geoff (2012), Iraq, Britannica, p. 23, {{ISBN|1-61535-637-1}}</ref><br />[[Languages of Iraq|Other indigenous Mesopotamian languages]]; 1% <small>Including: [[Hebrew]], [[Judeo-Iraqi Arabic]], [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]] ([[Western Armenian|diasporic]]), [[Shabaki]], [[Domari language|Domari]] and others</small>
| religions = Predominantly<br>[[Islam]] ([[Shia Islam|Shia]] and [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]])<br> Smaller Minorities<br>[[Christianity in Iraq|Christianity]] ([[Church of the East]], [[Oriental Orthodox]], [[Eastern Orthodox]], [[Eastern Catholic]], [[Western Christianity]]), [[Irreligion in Iraq|Irreligion]], [[Iraqi Jews|Judaism]], [[Mandaeism]], [[Yazidism]], [[Yarsanism]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Minorities in Iraq: Pushed to the brink of existence |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |publisher=European Parliament |date=February 2015 |access-date=2022-07-02 |archive-date=2022-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112946/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/|title=Middle East :: Iraq — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency|website=cia.gov|date=2 November 2021|access-date=24 January 2021|archive-date=10 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110072526/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Iraq|title=Iraq - Arabs|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2018-09-01|archive-date=2015-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526175331/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/293631/Iraq|url-status=live}}</ref>
| related_groups = [[Sumerians]], [[Akkadians]], [[Babylonians]] and other [[Arabs]]
}}
'''Iraqis''' ({{langx|ar|العراقيون}}) are the native Middle Eastern citizens of the [[Iraq|Republic of Iraq]]. Culturally, Iraqis are known for their hospitality, deep-rooted traditions, and a profound respect for both family and community. The majority of Iraqis are [[Muslims]], split between [[Shia]] and [[Sunni]] sects, influencing much of their cultural practices, including art, literature, and daily life.


Iraqi [[Arabs]] are the largest ethnic group in Iraq,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Office |first=Great Britain Foreign |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JJpnAAAAMAAJ |title=Documents on British Foreign Policy, 1919-1939 |date=1958 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |language=en |access-date=2022-03-17 |archive-date=2023-01-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116124147/https://books.google.com/books?id=JJpnAAAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> followed by [[Kurds in Iraq|Iraqi Kurds]], then [[Iraqi Turkmen]] as the third largest ethnic group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minorities in Iraq: EU Research Service |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |access-date=2019-05-02 |archive-date=2019-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526211930/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |author=Mitchell, T. F. |title=Pronouncing Arabic |date=1990–1993 |publisher=Clarendon Press |isbn=0198151519 |location=Oxford [England] |pages=37 |oclc=18020063}}</ref> Other ethnic groups include [[Yazidis]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Mandaeans]], [[Armenians]], [[Iranians in Iraq|Ajamis]] and [[Marsh Arabs]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Office |first=Great Britain Foreign |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JJpnAAAAMAAJ |title=Documents on British Foreign Policy, 1919-1939 |date=1958 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |pages=719 |language=en |access-date=2022-03-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116124147/https://books.google.com/books?id=JJpnAAAAMAAJ |archive-date=2023-01-16 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Minorities in Iraq: EU Research Service |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526211930/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |archive-date=2019-05-26 |access-date=2019-05-02}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Mitchell, T. F. |title=Pronouncing Arabic |date=1990–1993 |publisher=Clarendon Press |isbn=0198151519 |location=Oxford [England] |pages=37 |oclc=18020063}}</ref>
The '''Iraqi people''' ([[Arabic]]: للعراقين) are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common ancient culture, descent, and speaking a [[Semitic language]] as a mother tongue. The population was a non-[[Arabic language|Arabic]] speaking people prior to the arrival of Islam from the [[Arabian Peninsula]], but gradually adopted Arabic due to Arabic being the only language of the [[Quran]] (a process known as [[Arabization]] during the [[Islamic conquest of Persia#Islamic conquest of Mesopotamia|Islamic Conquest of Mesopotamia]]). This change was facilitated by the fact that Arabic, being a Semitic language, shared a close resemblance to Iraq's traditional languages of [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] and [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]. While Arabic was the common language spoken by Iraqi Muslims from the 8th century AD onwards ([[Iraqi Arabic]], [[North Mesopotamian Arabic]] as well as [[Literary Arabic]]), many of Iraq's Christians had no need of completely adopting the language, as prayers were not held in Arabic, which is the reason why, even nowadays, many Christian Iraqis speak mainly [[Neo-Aramaic]] ("Modern Aramaic") but also Arabic (usually only [[Iraqi Arabic]] or [[North Mesopotamian Arabic]]).


Iraq consists largely of most of ancient [[Mesopotamia]], the native land of the indigenous [[Sumer]]ian, [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadian]], [[Assyria]]n, and [[Babylonia]]n civilizations, which was subsequently conquered, invaded and ruled by foreigners for centuries after the [[Fall of Babylon|fall of the indigenous Mesopotamian empires.]] As a direct consequence of this long history, the contemporary Iraqi population comprises a significant number of different ethnicities.<ref name=":3">{{cite journal |last1=Dogan |first1=Serkan |last2=Gurkan |first2=Cemal |last3=Dogan |first3=Mustafa |last4=Balkaya |first4=Hasan Emin |last5=Tunc |first5=Ramazan |last6=Demirdov |first6=Damla Kanliada |last7=Ameen |first7=Nihad Ahmed |last8=Marjanovic |first8=Damir |title=A glimpse at the intricate mosaic of ethnicities from Mesopotamia: Paternal lineages of the Northern Iraqi Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Turkmens and Yazidis |journal=PLOS ONE |date=3 November 2017 |volume=12 |issue=11 |pages=e0187408 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0187408 |pmid=29099847 |pmc=5669434 |bibcode=2017PLoSO..1287408D |issn=1932-6203|doi-access=free }} [[File:CC-BY icon.svg|50px]] Text was copied from this source, which is available under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016050101/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |date=2017-10-16 }}.</ref> However, recent studies indicate that the different ethno-religious groups of Iraq ([[Mesopotamia]]) share significant similarities in [[Genetic history of the Middle East|genetics]], likely due to centuries of assimilation between invading populations and the indigenous ethnic groups.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lazim|first1=Hayder|last2=Almohammed|first2=Eida Khalaf|last3=Hadi|first3=Sibte|last4=Smith|first4=Judith|date=2020-09-17|title=Population genetic diversity in an Iraqi population and gene flow across the Arabian Peninsula|journal=Scientific Reports|volume=10|issue=1|pages=15289|doi=10.1038/s41598-020-72283-1|issn=2045-2322|pmc=7499422|pmid=32943725|bibcode=2020NatSR..1015289L}}</ref>
==Culture==
Like many of its Semitic and non-Semitic neighbours, the Iraqi people developed a number of significant civilizations. These civilizations were incorporated into four great empires (or six - if counting the [[Neo-Babylonian Empire]] and [[Neo-Assyrian Empire]] as separate empires) known as the ancient [[Sumer|Sumerian Empire]], [[Akkadian Empire]], [[Babylonian Empire|Babylonia]] (who brought a significant number of Jews into the land between the two rivers who would eventually form the [[Iraqi Jews|Jewish population of Iraq]]), [[Assyria|Assyrian Empire]] and medieval Islamic [[Abbasid Caliphate]]. All four empires enjoyed great cultural achievements and in fact, the Sumerian Empire is the World's oldest civilization which the reason why [[Mesopotamia|Iraq]] is referred to as the [[cradle of civilization]]. Furthermore the Abbasid Caliphate was one of the most advanced empires of the medieval times which is the reason why [[Baghdad]] is often referred to as the centre of the so called "[[Islamic Golden Age|golden age of Islam]]".


The daily language of the majority of Iraqis is [[Mesopotamian Arabic]], and has been ever since the Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia and the replacement of various [[Eastern Aramaic languages]], most notably during the [[Abbasid Caliphate]] during which Baghdad became the capital of the caliphate and the center of [[Islamic Golden Age]]. However, Mesopotamian Arabic is considered to be the most Aramaic-influenced dialect of Arabic, due to Aramaic having originated in Mesopotamia, and spread throughout the [[Fertile Crescent]] during the [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Neo-Assyrian period]], eventually becoming the [[lingua franca]] of the entire region prior to the Islamic invasions of Mesopotamia. <ref name="CMK" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Aramaic was the medium of everyday writing, and it provided scripts for writing. |title=Humanism, Culture, and Language in the Near East : Studies in Honor of Georg Krotkoff |date=1997 |publisher=Eisenbrauns |others=Krotkoff, Georg., Afsaruddin, Asma, 1958-, Zahniser, A. H. Mathias, 1938- |isbn=9781575065083 |location=Winona Lake, Ind. |oclc=747412055}} {{verify source|date=September 2019|reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/895080899 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/895078359 cite #6 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Tradition and modernity in Arabic language and literature |date=16 December 2013 |others=Smart, J. R., Shaban Memorial Conference (2nd : 1994 : University of Exeter) |isbn=9781136788123 |location=Richmond, Surrey, U.K. |pages=253 |oclc=865579151}} {{verify source|date=September 2019|reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/895080899 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/895078359 cite #7 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sanchez |first=Francisco del Rio |title="Influences of Aramaic on dialectal Arabic", in: Archaism and Innovation in the Semitic Languages. Selected papers |url=https://www.academia.edu/3782152 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-04 |archive-date=2021-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210911023114/https://www.academia.edu/3782152 |url-status=live }} {{verify source|date=September 2019|reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/895080899 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/895078359 cite #8 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> In addition, [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]], [[Iraqi Turkmen language|Turkish (Turkmen)]], [[Neo-Aramaic languages|Neo-Aramaic]] and [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]] are other languages spoken by Iraqis and recognized by Iraq's constitution.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iraq's Constitution |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Iraq_2005.pdf?lang=en |url-status=live |access-date=2022-04-04 |archive-date=2019-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515162844/https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Iraq_2005.pdf?lang=en }}</ref>
Further information on Iraq's extensive culture which has influenced and was influenced by many other great civilizations up to this day can be found under the following articles and the sub-links found within the respective pages:
*[[Mesopotamia]]
*[[Islamic Golden Age]]


==Genetics==
==History==
{{Culture of Iraq}}
Iraq has been conquered and assimilated with so many invading armies over the course of history, that Iraqis share a very mixed genetics. However it has been suggested that Iraq may have been the homeland of Y haplogroup J,[http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GENEALOGY-DNA/2003-07/1058129754] as Iraqis have (33%) rate of [[Haplogroup J1 (Y-DNA)]]. There have been several published studies displaying the genealogical connection between the modern day Iraqi people (Arabic speaking Muslims as well as Christians) and DNA extracted from ancient Mesopotamian corpses. Advanced genetic testing concludes that 24% are R, with most of them (15%) R1ab,[http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf/Al_Zahery.pdf] which is [[Eastern Anatolia Region|East Anatolian]] [[Caucasian race|Caucasian]] in origin, which is due to the [[Hittite]] invasion on Mesopotamia.
{{main|Mesopotamia|History of Mesopotamia|History of Iraq}}


In ancient and medieval times [[Mesopotamia]] was the political and cultural centre of many great empires and civilizations, such as the [[Akkadian Empire]], [[Assyria]], [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyrian Empire]] and [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylon Empire]].<ref name=JM>{{cite book|last=McIntosh|first=Jane|title=Ancient Mesopotamia: New Perspectives|year=2005|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=978-1-57607-965-2|page=313|quote=Iraqis have always been proud of their heritage and of their unique position as guardians of the Cradle of Civilization.}}</ref><ref name=WS>{{cite book|last=Spencer|first=William|title=Iraq: Old Land, New Nation in Conflict|year=2000|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|isbn=978-0-7613-1356-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/iraqoldlandnewna00spen/page/13 13]|quote=The Iraqi heritage is a proud one. Iraqi ancestors made such contributions to our modern world as a written language, agriculture and the growing of food crops, the building of cities and the urban environment, basic systems of government, and a religious structure centered on gods and goddesses guiding human affairs.|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/iraqoldlandnewna00spen/page/13}}</ref> The ancient Mesopotamian civilization of [[Sumer]] is the oldest known [[civilization]] in the world,<ref name="BMC">{{cite journal|author=Al-Zahery|title=In search of the genetic footprints of Sumerians: a survey of Y-chromosome and mtDNA variation in the Marsh Arabs of Iraq|journal=[[BMC Evolutionary Biology]]|date=Oct 2011|volume=11|issue=1 |page=288|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-11-288|url= |pmid=21970613|pmc=3215667|display-authors=etal |doi-access=free |bibcode=2011BMCEE..11..288A }}</ref> and thus Iraq is widely known as the [[cradle of civilization|Cradle Of Civilization]].<ref name=JM/> Iraq remained an important centre of civilization for millennia, up until the Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia and subsequently [[Abbasid Caliphate]] (of which [[Baghdad]] was the [[Capital city|capital]]), which was the most advanced empire of the [[Middle Ages|medieval world]] (see [[Islamic Golden Age]]). Hence [[Mesopotamia]] has witnessed several emigration and immigration in the past.
The Beni Delphi (sons of Delphi) tribe of Iraq is believed to be related to the ancient Greek site of [[Delphi]] by the ([[Macedon]]ian) soldiers of [[Alexander the Great]].


Further information on Iraq's civilization and cultural history can be found in the following chronology of Iraqi history:
Many historians and archeologists, provide strong circumstantial evidence to posit that Iraq's [[Marsh Arabs]] share the strongest link to the ancient Sumerians.<ref>[http://www.simplysharing.com/sumerians.htm IRAQ'S MARSH ARABS, MODERN SUMERIANS] By JOE ROJAS-BURKE</ref>
* [[Nemrik 9]] (9800 BC – 8200 BC)
* [[Jarmo]] (7000 – 5000 BC)
* [[Sumer]] (6500 – 1940 BC)
:*[[Ubaid period]] (6500 – 4000 BC)
:*[[Uruk period]] (4000 – 3000 BC)
:*[[History of Sumer#Early Dynastic period|Early Dynastic period]] (3000 – 2334 BC)
* [[Sumer]] and [[Akkad (city)|Akkad]] (1900 – 539 BC)
:*[[Akkadian Empire]] (2334 – 2218 BC)
:*[[Gutian dynasty of Sumer|Gutian dynasty]] (2218 – 2047 BC)
:*[[Third Dynasty of Ur|Neo-Sumerian Empire]] (2047 – 1940 BC)
* Akkadian era
:*[[Babylonia]] (1900 - 539 BC)
:*[[Assyria]] (1900 – 609 BC)
:*[[Neo-Assyrian Empire]] (745 – 626 BC)
:*[[Neo-Babylonian Empire]] (626 – 539 BC)
:*[[Fall of Babylon]] (539 BC)
* [[Achaemenid Empire]] (539 – 330 BC)
:*[[Achaemenid Assyria]] (539 – 330 BC)
* [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucid Babylonia]] (331 – 141 BC)
* [[Parthian Empire|Parthian Babylonia]] (141 BC – 224)
:*[[Kingdom of Araba|Araba]] (100 BC – 240)
:*[[Adiabene]] (15 – 116)
* [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid Persia]] (224 – 638)
:*[[Asuristan]] (224 – 638)
:*[[Lakhmids]] (266 – 633)
* Islamic conquest (632 – 1258)
:*[[Rashidun Caliphate]] (638 – 661)
:*[[Umayyad Caliphate]] (661 – 750)
:*[[Abbasid Caliphate]] (750 – 1258)
* [[Ilkhanate]] (1258 – 1335)
* [[History of Mesopotamia#Middle Ages to Early Modern Period|Turkic dynasties]] (1335 – 1501)
:*[[Jalayirids|Jalayirid Sultanate]] (1335 – 1410)
:*[[Kara Koyunlu]] (1410 – 1468)
:*[[Ak Koyunlu]] (1468 – 1501)
* [[Safavid dynasty]] (1501 – 1533)
* [[Ottoman Iraq|Ottoman Empire]] (1533 – 1918)
:*[[Mamluk rule in Iraq|Mamluk dynasty]] (1747 – 1831)
* [[British Mandate of Mesopotamia|British Mandate for Mesopotamia]] (1920 – 1932)
* [[Kingdom of Iraq]] (1932 – 1958)
* [[Iraq|Republic of Iraq]] (1958 – present)
:*[[Iraqi Republic (1958–1968)|Iraqi Republic]] (1958 – 1968)
:*[[Ba'athist Iraq]] (1968 – 2003)


==Genetics==
From a historical perspective, Iraqi people also share [[Jews|Jewish]], [[Persians|Persian]] (and other [[Iranian peoples|Iranian people]]), [[Greeks|Greek]], [[Ancient Rome|Roman]], [[Arab tribes in Iraq|Gulf Arab]], [[Mongols|Mongolian]], [[Turkic peoples|Turkish]] and other Asian and European genetics due to the multiple number of empires and civilizations that have not been developed by the Iraqi people but ruled and invaded Mesopotamia. This is part of a general Iraqi identity beyond its Mesopotamian and Islamic heritage.
{{Further|Genetic history of the Middle East|Genetic history of the Arab world|Assyrian people#Genetics}}
One study found that [[Haplogroup J-M172]] originated in northern Iraq.<ref name="Zahery">{{cite web|url=http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf/Al_Zahery.pdf|title=N. Al-Zahery et al. "Y-chromosome and mtDNA polymorphisms in Iraq, a crossroad of the early human dispersal and of post-Neolithic migrations" (2003)|access-date=2010-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227053418/http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf/Al_Zahery.pdf|archive-date=2010-12-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> In spite of the importance of this region, genetic studies on the Iraqi people are limited and generally restricted to analysis of classical markers due to Iraq's modern political instability,<ref name="Zahery" /> although there have been several published studies displaying a genealogical connection between all Iraqi peoples and the neighboring countries, across religious, ethnic and linguistic barriers. Studies indicate that the different ethno-religious groups of Iraq ([[Mesopotamia]]) share significant similarities in genetics and that Mesopotamian Arabs, who make up the majority of Iraqis, are more genetically similar to Iraqi Kurds than other Arab populations in the [[Middle East]] and [[Arabia]].<ref name="Hayder Lazim, Eida Khalaf Almohammed, Sibte Hadi & Judith Smith - Scientific Reports volume 10, Article number: 15289 (2020)">{{Cite journal|author=Hayder Lazim|author2=Eida Khalaf Almohammed|author3=Sibte Hadi|author4=Judith Smith|year=2020|title=Population genetic diversity in an Iraqi population and gene flow across the Arabian Peninsula|journal=Nature|volume=10|issue=1|page=15289|doi=10.1038/s41598-020-72283-1|pmc=7499422|pmid=32943725|bibcode=2020NatSR..1015289L}}</ref>


No significant differences in Y-DNA variation were observed among Iraqi Mesopotamian Arabs, Assyrians, or Kurds.<ref name="Zahery" /> Modern genetic studies indicate that Iraqi Arabs and Iraqi Kurds are distantly related, though Iraqi Mesopotamian Arabs are more related to [[Iraqi-Assyrians]] than they are to [[Kurds in Iraq|Iraqi Kurds]].<ref name="CS">Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, Paolo Menozzi, Alberto Piazza, The History and Geography of Human Genes, p. 242</ref><ref name="Genetic">{{cite web|url=http://www.atour.com/health/images/genetics.gif|title=Cavalli-Sforza et al. Genetic tree of West Asia|access-date=2010-12-10|archive-date=2011-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614015416/http://www.atour.com/health/images/genetics.gif|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Identity==
Due to the extensive spreading of Islam and the mass adoption of Arabic, Iraq has seen a continuous divide between its Christian and Muslim population - a divide that nowadays resulted in the belief that both groups are ethnically unrelated groups. This divide has been further catalysed by the Islamic divide into the Sunni and Shia belief, as well as the arrivel of [[Iraqi Turkmen]] and the expansion of the mountaineous [[Kurdish people]] into Mesopotamia. These events have seriously damaged Mesopotamian identitiy most recently seen in the idea of [[Arab nationalism]] - an idea formed in the early 20th century.<ref name=RestoringIraqiIdentity/>


For both mtDNA and Y-DNA variation, the large majority of the [[haplogroup]]s observed in the Iraqi population ([[Haplogroup H (mtDNA)|H]], [[Haplogroup J (mtDNA)|J]], [[Haplogroup T (mtDNA)|T]], and [[Haplogroup U (mtDNA)|U]] for the mtDNA, [[Haplogroup J-M172|J-M172]] and [[Haplogroup J-M267|J-M267]] for the Y-DNA) are those considered to have originated in [[Western Asia]] and to have later spread mainly in West Asia.<ref name='Zahery'/> The Eurasian haplogroups [[Haplogroup R1b|R1b]] and [[Haplogroup R1a|R1a]] represent the second most frequent component of the Iraqi Y-chromosome gene pool, the latter suggests that the population movements from [[Central Asia]] into modern Iran also influenced Iraq.<ref name='Zahery'/>
This ideology reached Iraq at the time during and after [[World War II]], when the Arab Nationalists in Iraq were supporting Germany because they shared mutual hatred towards the [[United Kingdom]] and its support of the [[Israel]]i state.<ref name=IraqiIdentity>{{cite web | url =http://www.salim-matar.com/home/language/9.htm | title =The Iraqi Identity and its Effects on Literature| accessdate =2008-10-10 | publisher =salim-matar.com}} By: Mona K. Hussein ''To my people; The victims of horrific ideologies And false thoughts..''</ref>


Many historians and anthropologists provide strong circumstantial evidence to posit that Iraq's [[Marsh Arabs]] share very strong links to the ancient Sumerians<ref name=BMC/><ref>{{cite book|last=Spencer|first=William|title=Iraq: Old Land, New Nation in Conflict|year=2000|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|isbn=978-0-7613-1356-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/iraqoldlandnewna00spen/page/17 17]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/iraqoldlandnewna00spen/page/17}}</ref>—the oldest human civilization in the world and most ancient inhabitants of central-southern Iraq.
Once the [[Baath Party]] was implemented in [[1963]], Arab nationalism in Iraq reached an all time high, with the nation being led by pan-Arabist [[Saddam Hussein]].


The Iraqi-Assyrian population was found to be significantly related to other Iraqis, especially Mesopotamian Arabs,<ref name='Genetic'/><ref name=BMC/> likely due to the assimilation of indigenous Assyrians with other people groups who occupied and settled Mesopotamia after the fall of the [[Neo-Babylonian Empire]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tubiana |first=Joseph |date=2012-10-22 |title=Siegbert Uhlig (ed.): Encyclopaedia Aethiopica. Volume 1 |journal=Aethiopica |volume=7 |pages=194–211 |doi=10.15460/aethiopica.7.1.294 |issn=2194-4024 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
[[Ghazi Yawar]], Iraq's former interim president, summed Saddam Hussein's pan-Arab nationalistic regime as he who "worked systematically to erase Iraqi identity over the course of three decades and replace it with an inflated and sinister version of Arab nationalism", in which he followed to add "[e]ven if we are [Arabic speaking people], we cannot have any identity but an Iraqi identity".<ref name=RestoringIraqiIdentity>{{cite web | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56432-2004Dec10.html | title =Restoring Iraqi Identity | accessdate =2008-10-10 | publisher =washingtonpost.com}} By [[Jim Hoagland]] </ref>


Studies have reported that most [[Irish people|Irish]] and [[Celtic Britons|Britons]] have ancestry to [[Neolithic]] farmers who left ancient Mesopotamia over 10,000 years ago. Genetic researchers say they have found compelling evidence that, on average, four out of five (80%) Europeans can trace their [[Y chromosome]] to the ancient [[Near East]]. In another study, scientists analyzed [[DNA]] from the 8,000-year-old remains of early farmers found at an ancient graveyard in [[Germany]]. They compared the genetic signatures to those of modern populations and found similarities with the DNA of people living in today's [[Turkey]] and [[Iraq]].<ref name='BBC'>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11729813|title=Migrants from the Near East 'brought farming to Europe'|access-date=2010-12-10|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=2010-11-10|archive-date=2010-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213144452/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11729813|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[United States|American]] journalist [[Jim Hoagland]], also shed light on the topic, by stating that "[a]n Iraqi identity that is not bound up with perpetuating the long progression of wars that Saddam Hussein started, supported or invited will change the face of the region. It will also contribute decisively to redefining the nature of Arab nationalism, which is under enormous historical pressure to adapt or die".<ref name=RestoringIraqiIdentity/>


According to Dogan et al. (2017), the most prevalent lineages among north Iraqis are J1 (17.98%), R1b (12.81%), R1a (12.40%) and J2a1b (12.19%) but distributions vary according to ethnicity. 14 different haplogroups were observed in Iraqi Arabs, with the three most common being J1 (38.61%), R1a (12.87%) and T (8.91%). The high prevalence of J1 is indicative of the indigeneity of Iraqi Arabs, which is similarly observed in Marsh Arabs. Prevalence of R and J macrohaplogroups is also attributed to pre-[[Last Glacial Maximum]] events in the Near East. Meanwhile, 15 different haplogroups were observed in Kurds, with the three most common being J2a1b (20.20%), J1 / R1a (17.17%) and E1b1b (13.13%). 10 different haplogroups were observed in Syriacs, with the three most common being R1b (30.23%), T (17.44%) and J2a1b (15.12%). 16 different haplogroups were observed in Turkmens, with the three most common being E1b1b (17.53%), J1 / J2a1b / R1a (12.37%) and G2a (10.31%). 11 different haplogroups were observed in Yazidis, with the three most common being R1b (20.79%), L (11.88%) and G2a / J2a1x J2a1b/h (10.89%).<ref name=":3" />
Another follower of Yawar's theory is [[Kanan Makiya]], an [[Iraqi American]] academic, who himself has expressed that "Iraq can no longer be an "Arab" country. Iraq's national identity can only be Iraqi, and a complete divorce from the disastrous ideology of Arab nationalism is imperative for the well-being of the emergent, pluralist Iraqi state".[http://beirut2bayside.blogspot.com/2004/12/iraqi-identity-vs-arab-nationalism.html][http://www.meforum.org/article/718] Often dubbed the "Iraqi [[Solzhenitsyn]]",<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/tom_slouck/iraq/makiya_exile.html Kanan Makiya, Iraqi Exile]</ref> he is well known for his [[anti-Arab]] publications.


==Language==
Furthermore, in a novel written by Salim Matar, entitled [http://www.amazon.com/dp/9774248988 The Women of the Flask], the author claims that most Iraqis claim that "[they] are Iraqis. [They] go back to the [ancient [[Mesopotamia|Mesopotamians]]]".<ref name=IraqiIdentity/>
Iraq's national languages are [[Arabic]] and [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]]. The two main regional dialects of Arabic spoken by the Iraqi people are [[Mesopotamian Arabic]] (spoken in the Babylonian alluvial plain and Middle Euphrates valley) and [[South Mesopotamian Arabic]] and [[North Mesopotamian Arabic]] (spoken in the Assyrian highlands).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_profiles/2004-2005/Iraq.html|title=Country Profile: Iraq|date=25 August 2006|access-date=2010-12-10|publisher=[[Mongabay]]|archive-date=2011-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514113818/http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_profiles/2004-2005/Iraq.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The two main dialects of Kurdish spoken by [[Kurdish people]] are [[Central Kurdish]] (spoken in the [[Erbil Governorate|Erbil]] and [[Sulaymaniyah Governorate]]s)<ref name='KRG'>{{cite web|url=http://www.krg.org/articles/detail.asp?lngnr=12&smap=03010500&rnr=142&anr=18694|title=The Kurdish language|publisher=[[Kurdistan Regional Government|KRG]]|access-date=2010-12-12|archive-date=2010-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202061511/http://krg.org/articles/detail.asp?rnr=142&lngnr=12&smap=03010500&anr=18694|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Northern Kurdish]] (spoken in [[Dohuk Governorate]]).<ref name='KRG' /> In addition to Arabic, most Assyrians and [[Mandaeans]] speak [[Neo-Aramaic languages]]. Mesopotamian Arabic has an [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] [[Stratum (linguistics)#Substratum|substratum]].<ref name="CMK">{{cite journal |last=Muller-Kessler |first=Christa |date=Jul–Sep 2003 |title=Aramaic 'K', Lyk' and Mesopotamian Arabic 'Aku, Maku: The Mesopotamian Particles of Existence |journal=[[Journal of the American Oriental Society|The Journal of the American Oriental Society]] |volume=123 |issue=3 |pages=641–646 |doi=10.2307/3217756 |jstor=3217756}}</ref>


==Religion and ethnic groups==
Nowadays, the definition "Iraqi" sometimes extends to include non-Semitic people in the country, such as the [[Kurds]] and [[Armenians]]. Kurds are an ethnic Indo-Iranian speaking people who lived in the mountains of northern Iraq but gradually spread towards and beyond the bank of the river [[Tigris]]. This group greatly suffered under the very brutal regime of Saddam Hussein, including deaths from poison gas clouds in their villages to put down a rebellion in the late 1980s. Iraqi Armenians form a significant community, but their size was reduced after the [[Ottoman Turkey|Ottoman]] Turkish massacres against Armenians during World War I (when Iraq was still part of the Ottoman Empire).
{{See also|Irreligion in Iraq}}


{{Multiple image
The single identity of the Iraqi people is most commonly seen in the [[Iraqi cuisine]]. Iraqi cuisine has changed and evolved since the time of the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. The cuisine has been influenced by those ancient civilizations, which also influenced and has been influenced by Greek and Persian cuisines. With the coming of Islam and the spread of Arab culture, which influenced the region, the food was enhanced to combine old and new sets of tastes. As Baghdad became the centre of the medieval Islamic world, scholars from all over visited Iraq, which gave Iraq new twists to its food. As Iraqis traveled, trading absorbed Mediterranean flavors. With the Ottoman rule of Iraq, influences of the Turkish cuisine also became incorporated into Iraqi recipes. Furthermore, the fact that - unlike many of its neighbours - Iraq is nourished by two rivers (the [[Tigris]] and the [[Euphrates]]) fresh water fish dishes are among Iraq's most unique recipes, such as its national dish [[Masgouf]].
| image1 = The Monastery of Saint Matthew and its environs 08.jpg
| image2 = قبة جامع الحيدر خانة.jpg
| caption1 = [[Mor Mattai Monastery]]
| caption2 = [[Haydar-Khana Mosque]]
| alt1 =
}}


==Diaspora==
=== Ethnicity ===
Iraq's population was estimated to be 39,650,145 in 2021 (residing in Iraq).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Middle East :: Iraq — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110072526/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ |archive-date=2022-11-10 |access-date=2019-04-08 |website=cia.gov}}</ref> Arabs are the majority ethnic group in Iraq, at around 80%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2.15. Religious and ethnic minorities, and stateless persons |url=https://euaa.europa.eu/country-guidance-iraq-2021/215-religious-and-ethnic-minorities-and-stateless-persons |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=European Union Agency for Asylum |language=en}}</ref> The [[Kurds in Iraq|Kurds]] are the largest ethnic minority. [[Iraqi Turkmens|Turkmens]] are the third largest ethnic group in the country. This is followed by [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] and [[Armenians]] (500,000), [[Yazidis]] (500,000), [[Marsh Arabs]], and [[Shabak people|Shabaks]], [[Ajam of Iraq|Persians]] (500,000) (250,000). Other minorities include [[Mandaeans]] (6,000), [[Dom people|Roma]] (50,000) and [[Circassians in Iraq|Circassians]] (2,000). The most spoken language is [[Mesopotamian Arabic]], followed by [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]], [[Iraqi Turkmen#Language|Iraqi Turkmen]] dialects and [[Eastern Aramaic languages|Syriac]]. The percentages of different ethno-religious groups residing in Iraq vary from source to source due to the last Iraqi census having taken place over 30 years ago. A new census of Iraq was planned to take place in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iraq prepping to conduct a census in 2020|url=http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/121220181|access-date=2019-05-01|website=rudaw.net|archive-date=2019-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501194825/http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/121220181|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Minorities in Iraq - European Research Service |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526211930/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf |archive-date=2019-05-26 |access-date=2019-05-02}}</ref>
{{Main article|Iraqi diaspora|Refugees of Iraq}}
The Iraqi diaspora is not a sudden exodus but one that has grown exponentially through the 20th century as each generation faced some form of radical transition or political conflict. There were at least two large waves of expatriation of both Christians and Muslims alike. A great number of Iraqis left the country during the regime of [[Saddam Hussein]] and large numbers have left during the [[Second Gulf War]] and its aftermath. The [[United Nations]] estimates that roughly 40% of Iraq's remaining and formerly strong middle-class has fled the country during and after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.


=== Religion ===
From 1950 to 1952 Iraq saw a great exodus of roughly 120,000 - 130,000 of its Jewish population under the Israel-led "[[Operation Ezra and Nehemiah]]".
Iraqis are diverse in their faiths. Over 95% of Iraqis are Muslim, divided between 55% Shias and 40% Sunnis.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religious Politics in Iraq |url=https://www.usip.org/publications/2003/05/religious-politics-iraq |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=United States Institute of Peace |language=en}}</ref> In 1968 the Iraqi constitution established [[Islam]] as the official religion of the state.


{{Pie chart|caption=Religion in Iraq (2019)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ | title=Iraq | date=15 May 2022 | access-date=24 January 2021 | archive-date=10 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110072526/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/ | url-status=live }}</ref>|color1=Green|color2=Gold|color3=Blue|color4=White|label1=[[Islam in Iraq|Islam]]|label2=[[Yazidism]]|label3=[[Christianity]]|label4=others (incl.[[Yarsanism]], [[Zoroastrianism]], [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼí]], [[Mandaeism]], [[Irreligion in Iraq|Irreligion]])|value1=95|value2=1.25|value3=1.25|value4=2}}
Even though more then 120,000 Iraqi Jews left the country between 1950 and 1952, the recent Iraqi diaspora represents the largest exodus of refugees in the Middle East since the state of Israel was created in 1948.<ref>[http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070507/jamail The Iraqi Refugee Crisis] by Dahr Jamail</ref>
In addition, [[Christianity in Iraq]] consists of various denominations. The majority of Iraqi Christians are [[Iraqi-Assyrians|Chaldean Catholic Assyrians]], whilst non-Syriac Christians are mostly Iraqi Arabs and Armenians. [[Iraqi-Assyrians]] largely belong to the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]], the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], [[Ancient Church of the East]], and the [[Syriac Catholic Church]]. Iraqi Arab Christians belong to the [[Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch]] and the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church|Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Antioch]], and [[Armenians in Iraq|Iraqi-Armenians]] belong to the [[Armenian Apostolic Church|Armenian Orthodox Church]] and [[Armenian Catholic Church]]. Their numbers inside Iraq have dwindled to around 500,000+ since 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf|title=Minorities in Iraq: EU Research Group|access-date=2019-05-11|archive-date=2019-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807202012/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/548988/EPRS_BRI(2015)548988_REV1_EN.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>


Other religious groups include [[Mandaeans]], [[Shabak people|Shabaks]], [[Yazidis]] and followers of other [[minority religion]]s. Furthermore, [[History of the Jews in Iraq|Jews]] had also been present in Iraq in significant numbers historically, and [[History of the Jews in Iraq|Iraq had the largest Jewish population in the Middle East]], but their population dwindled, after virtually all of them migrated to [[Israel]] between 1949 and 1952. From 1949 to 1951, 104,000 Jews were evacuated from Iraq in Operations Ezra and Nechemia (named after the Jewish leaders who took their people back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylonia beginning in 597 B.C.E.); another 20,000 were smuggled out through Iran.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/world/middleeast/01babylon.html|title=Baghdad Jews Have Become a Fearful Few|access-date=2010-12-10|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Stephen|last=Farrell|date=2008-06-01|archive-date=2017-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902184451/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/world/middleeast/01babylon.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1647740,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930135229/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1647740,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 30, 2007|title=The Last Jews of Baghdad|date=2007-07-27|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=2010-12-15|first=David|last=Van Biema}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Jews in Islamic Countries: Iraq|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/iraqijews.html|access-date=2015-11-04|archive-date=2017-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119020143/http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/iraqijews.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Religion==
Iraq has many devout followers of its religions. In 1968 the Iraqi constitution established Islam as the official religion of the state as the majority of Iraqis are Muslim (both [[Sunni]] and [[Shia]]).


==Diaspora==
In addition, about 3% of the Iraqi people are Christians most of them following the various denominations of [[Syriac Christianity]].
{{Main|Iraqi diaspora|Refugees of Iraq}}
The [[Iraqi diaspora]] is not a sudden exodus but one that has grown rapidly through the 20th century as each generation faced some form of radical transition or political conflict. From 1950 to 1952 Iraq saw a great exodus of roughly 120,000–130,000 of its Jewish population under the Israel-led "[[Operation Ezra and Nehemiah]]". There were at least two large waves of expatriation of both Christians and Muslims alike. A great number of Iraqis left the country during the regime of [[Saddam Hussein]] and large numbers have left during the [[Iraq War|Iraq war]] and its aftermath.


==See also==
Iraqi people also belong to the [[Bahá'í Faith]] and [[Mandaeism|Mandaeist Faith]]. Furthermore [[Judaism|Jews]] (although most [[Iraqi Jews]] live in Israel), [[Shabaks]], [[Yezidis]] and followers of other [[Minority religion|minority religions]] are also present in Iraq although not necessarily Iraqi.
* [[Demographics of Iraq]]
* [[List of Iraqis]]


==Languages==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
The two main regional dialects of Arabic spoken by the Iraqi people are [[Iraqi Arabic|Mesopotamian Arabic]] (spoken by approximately 15.1 million Iraqis and thus commonly known as simply "Iraqi Arabic") and [[North Mesopotamian Arabic|North Mesopotamian Arabic]] (spoken by approximately 6.3 million Iraqis in Iraq's north around the city of [[Mosul]] and thus commonly known as "Moslawi")<sup>[[#1|1]]</sup>.<ref name=Iraq:PROFILE>{{cite web | url =http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_profiles/2004-2005/Iraq.html | title =Iraq: Profile | accessdate =2008-09-10 | publisher =mongabay.com}}
#<small id="1"> Country profile published on August 2006, current estimates of Arabic-speaking Iraqis are likely to have changed.</small> </ref>


==External links==
In addition to Arabic, Christian Iraqis speak [[Neo-Aramaic]], a modern version of the ancient [[Aramaic]] language spoken by the Prophet [[Jesus]] and the Iraqi people before the arrival of Islam during the [[Islamic conquest of Persia#Islamic conquest of Mesopotamia|Islamic Conquest of Mesopotamia]].
* [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/nov/10/ancient-world-mesopotamia Mesopotamia: Birthplace of civilisation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090227125033/http://www.irisprojects.umd.edu/ppc_ideas/Iraq_Assessment/Secure/full_paper.pdf Iraqi identity - Forces for Integration/ Divisiveness]


{{Demographics of Iraq}}
The [[Mandaic language]] is a dialect of the [[Aramaic language|Eastern Aramaic language]], which is derived from the [[Semetic languages|Semitic family of languages]]. All religious manuscripts of the [[Mandaeism|Mandaeist Faith]] concerning rites were written in this language.[http://www.mandaeans.org/aboutthemandaeans.htm].
{{Iraq topics}}

{{Iraqi diaspora}}
==See Also==
{{Authority control}}
*[[Abbasid Caliphate]]
*[[Assyria]]
*[[Babylonia]]
*[[Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac people|Christian Iraqis]]
*[[Culture of Iraq]]
*[[List of Iraqis]]
*[[Iraq]]
*[[Iraqi diaspora]]
*[[Iraqi Jews]]
*[[Iraqi Turkmen]]
*[[Mesopotamia]]
*[[Sumer]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.babylonjewry.org.il/new/english/index.html Babylon Jewry]
*[http://www.mideasti.org/files/pdfs/yaphe041204.pdf Iraqi identity after the fall of Saddam]
*[http://www.irisprojects.umd.edu/ppc_ideas/Iraq_Assessment/Secure/full_paper.pdf Iraqi identity - Forces for Integration/ Divisiveness]
*[http://www.iraqijews.org/ Iraqi Jews]
*[http://www.myarabicstory.org/IRAQ/ppl_of_iraq.htm Iraqi people photos]
*[https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/globe.html#/ms062/ The Genographic Project - Human Migration, Population Genetics, Maps, DNA - Ancient Mesopotamia]
*[http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf/Al_Zahery.pdf Y-chromosome and mtDNA polymorphisms in Iraq, a crossroad of the early human dispersal and of post-Neolithic migrations]

==References==
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Iraqi people]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iraqi People}}
[[Category:Iraqi people| ]]
[[Category:Society of Iraq|People]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in the Middle East]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in the Middle East]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Iraq]]
[[Category:Arab people]]

Latest revision as of 10:09, 12 January 2025

Iraqis
العراقيون
Map of the Iraqi diaspora in the world including descendants
Total population
48+- million worldwide
Regions with significant populations
 Iraq45,504,560[1]
 Iran500,000[2]
 Israel450,000[3][4]
 Germany321,000[5]
 United Kingdom400,000–850,000[6]
 United States350,000 to 450,000[7][8]
 United Arab Emirates250,000[9]
 Sweden145,586[10]
 Jordan131,000[11]
 Turkey115,000[12]
 Australia104,170[13]
 Canada84,130 [14]
 Netherlands85,000
 Lebanon50,000[15]
 Finland26,653[16]
 Austria13,000+[17]
 More countries
Languages
Mesopotamian Arabic (Semitic): 100% (as the official formal language spoken by Iraqis) and native only language spoken to 65–70%;
Neo-Aramaic languages (Semitic): 10%;
Kurdish languages (Indo-Iranian): 20%;
Iraqi Turkmen Turkish (Turkic): 7–13%;[18]
Other indigenous Mesopotamian languages; 1% Including: Hebrew, Judeo-Iraqi Arabic, Mandaic, Armenian (diasporic), Shabaki, Domari and others
Religion
Predominantly
Islam (Shia and Sunni)
Smaller Minorities
Christianity (Church of the East, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Western Christianity), Irreligion, Judaism, Mandaeism, Yazidism, Yarsanism[19][20][21]
Related ethnic groups
Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians and other Arabs

Iraqis (Arabic: العراقيون) are the native Middle Eastern citizens of the Republic of Iraq. Culturally, Iraqis are known for their hospitality, deep-rooted traditions, and a profound respect for both family and community. The majority of Iraqis are Muslims, split between Shia and Sunni sects, influencing much of their cultural practices, including art, literature, and daily life.

Iraqi Arabs are the largest ethnic group in Iraq,[22] followed by Iraqi Kurds, then Iraqi Turkmen as the third largest ethnic group.[23][24] Other ethnic groups include Yazidis, Assyrians, Mandaeans, Armenians, Ajamis and Marsh Arabs.[25][26][27]

Iraq consists largely of most of ancient Mesopotamia, the native land of the indigenous Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian civilizations, which was subsequently conquered, invaded and ruled by foreigners for centuries after the fall of the indigenous Mesopotamian empires. As a direct consequence of this long history, the contemporary Iraqi population comprises a significant number of different ethnicities.[28] However, recent studies indicate that the different ethno-religious groups of Iraq (Mesopotamia) share significant similarities in genetics, likely due to centuries of assimilation between invading populations and the indigenous ethnic groups.[29]

The daily language of the majority of Iraqis is Mesopotamian Arabic, and has been ever since the Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia and the replacement of various Eastern Aramaic languages, most notably during the Abbasid Caliphate during which Baghdad became the capital of the caliphate and the center of Islamic Golden Age. However, Mesopotamian Arabic is considered to be the most Aramaic-influenced dialect of Arabic, due to Aramaic having originated in Mesopotamia, and spread throughout the Fertile Crescent during the Neo-Assyrian period, eventually becoming the lingua franca of the entire region prior to the Islamic invasions of Mesopotamia. [30][31][32][33] In addition, Kurdish, Turkish (Turkmen), Neo-Aramaic and Mandaic are other languages spoken by Iraqis and recognized by Iraq's constitution.[34]

History

[edit]

In ancient and medieval times Mesopotamia was the political and cultural centre of many great empires and civilizations, such as the Akkadian Empire, Assyria, Assyrian Empire and Babylon Empire.[35][36] The ancient Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer is the oldest known civilization in the world,[37] and thus Iraq is widely known as the Cradle Of Civilization.[35] Iraq remained an important centre of civilization for millennia, up until the Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia and subsequently Abbasid Caliphate (of which Baghdad was the capital), which was the most advanced empire of the medieval world (see Islamic Golden Age). Hence Mesopotamia has witnessed several emigration and immigration in the past.

Further information on Iraq's civilization and cultural history can be found in the following chronology of Iraqi history:

  • Akkadian era
  • Islamic conquest (632 – 1258)

Genetics

[edit]

One study found that Haplogroup J-M172 originated in northern Iraq.[38] In spite of the importance of this region, genetic studies on the Iraqi people are limited and generally restricted to analysis of classical markers due to Iraq's modern political instability,[38] although there have been several published studies displaying a genealogical connection between all Iraqi peoples and the neighboring countries, across religious, ethnic and linguistic barriers. Studies indicate that the different ethno-religious groups of Iraq (Mesopotamia) share significant similarities in genetics and that Mesopotamian Arabs, who make up the majority of Iraqis, are more genetically similar to Iraqi Kurds than other Arab populations in the Middle East and Arabia.[39]

No significant differences in Y-DNA variation were observed among Iraqi Mesopotamian Arabs, Assyrians, or Kurds.[38] Modern genetic studies indicate that Iraqi Arabs and Iraqi Kurds are distantly related, though Iraqi Mesopotamian Arabs are more related to Iraqi-Assyrians than they are to Iraqi Kurds.[40][41]

For both mtDNA and Y-DNA variation, the large majority of the haplogroups observed in the Iraqi population (H, J, T, and U for the mtDNA, J-M172 and J-M267 for the Y-DNA) are those considered to have originated in Western Asia and to have later spread mainly in West Asia.[38] The Eurasian haplogroups R1b and R1a represent the second most frequent component of the Iraqi Y-chromosome gene pool, the latter suggests that the population movements from Central Asia into modern Iran also influenced Iraq.[38]

Many historians and anthropologists provide strong circumstantial evidence to posit that Iraq's Marsh Arabs share very strong links to the ancient Sumerians[37][42]—the oldest human civilization in the world and most ancient inhabitants of central-southern Iraq.

The Iraqi-Assyrian population was found to be significantly related to other Iraqis, especially Mesopotamian Arabs,[41][37] likely due to the assimilation of indigenous Assyrians with other people groups who occupied and settled Mesopotamia after the fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.[43]

Studies have reported that most Irish and Britons have ancestry to Neolithic farmers who left ancient Mesopotamia over 10,000 years ago. Genetic researchers say they have found compelling evidence that, on average, four out of five (80%) Europeans can trace their Y chromosome to the ancient Near East. In another study, scientists analyzed DNA from the 8,000-year-old remains of early farmers found at an ancient graveyard in Germany. They compared the genetic signatures to those of modern populations and found similarities with the DNA of people living in today's Turkey and Iraq.[44]

According to Dogan et al. (2017), the most prevalent lineages among north Iraqis are J1 (17.98%), R1b (12.81%), R1a (12.40%) and J2a1b (12.19%) but distributions vary according to ethnicity. 14 different haplogroups were observed in Iraqi Arabs, with the three most common being J1 (38.61%), R1a (12.87%) and T (8.91%). The high prevalence of J1 is indicative of the indigeneity of Iraqi Arabs, which is similarly observed in Marsh Arabs. Prevalence of R and J macrohaplogroups is also attributed to pre-Last Glacial Maximum events in the Near East. Meanwhile, 15 different haplogroups were observed in Kurds, with the three most common being J2a1b (20.20%), J1 / R1a (17.17%) and E1b1b (13.13%). 10 different haplogroups were observed in Syriacs, with the three most common being R1b (30.23%), T (17.44%) and J2a1b (15.12%). 16 different haplogroups were observed in Turkmens, with the three most common being E1b1b (17.53%), J1 / J2a1b / R1a (12.37%) and G2a (10.31%). 11 different haplogroups were observed in Yazidis, with the three most common being R1b (20.79%), L (11.88%) and G2a / J2a1x J2a1b/h (10.89%).[28]

Language

[edit]

Iraq's national languages are Arabic and Kurdish. The two main regional dialects of Arabic spoken by the Iraqi people are Mesopotamian Arabic (spoken in the Babylonian alluvial plain and Middle Euphrates valley) and South Mesopotamian Arabic and North Mesopotamian Arabic (spoken in the Assyrian highlands).[45] The two main dialects of Kurdish spoken by Kurdish people are Central Kurdish (spoken in the Erbil and Sulaymaniyah Governorates)[46] and Northern Kurdish (spoken in Dohuk Governorate).[46] In addition to Arabic, most Assyrians and Mandaeans speak Neo-Aramaic languages. Mesopotamian Arabic has an Aramaic substratum.[30]

Religion and ethnic groups

[edit]

Ethnicity

[edit]

Iraq's population was estimated to be 39,650,145 in 2021 (residing in Iraq).[47] Arabs are the majority ethnic group in Iraq, at around 80%.[48] The Kurds are the largest ethnic minority. Turkmens are the third largest ethnic group in the country. This is followed by Assyrians and Armenians (500,000), Yazidis (500,000), Marsh Arabs, and Shabaks, Persians (500,000) (250,000). Other minorities include Mandaeans (6,000), Roma (50,000) and Circassians (2,000). The most spoken language is Mesopotamian Arabic, followed by Kurdish, Iraqi Turkmen dialects and Syriac. The percentages of different ethno-religious groups residing in Iraq vary from source to source due to the last Iraqi census having taken place over 30 years ago. A new census of Iraq was planned to take place in 2020.[49][25][26][27][50]

Religion

[edit]

Iraqis are diverse in their faiths. Over 95% of Iraqis are Muslim, divided between 55% Shias and 40% Sunnis.[51] In 1968 the Iraqi constitution established Islam as the official religion of the state.

Religion in Iraq (2019)[52]

  Islam (95%)
  Yazidism (1.25%)
  Christianity (1.25%)

In addition, Christianity in Iraq consists of various denominations. The majority of Iraqi Christians are Chaldean Catholic Assyrians, whilst non-Syriac Christians are mostly Iraqi Arabs and Armenians. Iraqi-Assyrians largely belong to the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Ancient Church of the East, and the Syriac Catholic Church. Iraqi Arab Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Antioch, and Iraqi-Armenians belong to the Armenian Orthodox Church and Armenian Catholic Church. Their numbers inside Iraq have dwindled to around 500,000+ since 2003.[53]

Other religious groups include Mandaeans, Shabaks, Yazidis and followers of other minority religions. Furthermore, Jews had also been present in Iraq in significant numbers historically, and Iraq had the largest Jewish population in the Middle East, but their population dwindled, after virtually all of them migrated to Israel between 1949 and 1952. From 1949 to 1951, 104,000 Jews were evacuated from Iraq in Operations Ezra and Nechemia (named after the Jewish leaders who took their people back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylonia beginning in 597 B.C.E.); another 20,000 were smuggled out through Iran.[54][55][56]

Diaspora

[edit]

The Iraqi diaspora is not a sudden exodus but one that has grown rapidly through the 20th century as each generation faced some form of radical transition or political conflict. From 1950 to 1952 Iraq saw a great exodus of roughly 120,000–130,000 of its Jewish population under the Israel-led "Operation Ezra and Nehemiah". There were at least two large waves of expatriation of both Christians and Muslims alike. A great number of Iraqis left the country during the regime of Saddam Hussein and large numbers have left during the Iraq war and its aftermath.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Iraq Population". worldpopulationreview.com. World Bank. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ "500,000 Iraqis in Iran". Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
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