Iraq

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Iraq

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Between 75-80% of Iraq's population consists of Arabic speakers (mainly Iraqi but some Hejazi); the other major ethnic groups are the Kurds (15-20%), Assyrians (4%), and Turkomans (3%) who mostly live in the north and north-east of the country. The Assyrians, Kurds and Turkomans differ from Arabs in many ways including culture, history, clothing, and language.The Assyrians also refer themselves as the original people of Iraq. Other distinct groups are Persians, Lurs, Armenians (possible descendants of the ancient Mesopotamian culture). About 2,500 Jews and 20,000 - 50,000 Marsh Arabs live in Iraq.

Related Topics:
Arab - Kurd - Assyrians - Turkoman - Persians - Lur - Armenians - Jew - Marsh Arabs

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Arabic and Kurdish are official languages and English is the most commonly spoken Western language. Syriac is also used by the country's Assyrian population.

Related Topics:
Arabic - Kurdish - English - Syriac - Assyrian

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There are more Arab Iraqi Muslims members of the Shiite sect than there are Arab Iraqi Muslims of the Sunni sect, but there is a large Sunni population as well, made up of mostly Arabs, Kurds. (Shiite 60% of total population made up of mostly Arabs). Small communities of Christians, Baha'is, Mandaeans, Shabaks, and Yezidis also exist. Most Kurds are Sunni Muslims.

Related Topics:
Muslims - Shiite - Sunni - Arab - Kurd - Christians - Baha'is - Mandaean - Shabaks - Yezidi

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Demographic information from the 2004 edition of the CIA's The World Factbook:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Ethnic groups: Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, Assyrian or other 5%
• Religions: Muslim 93-95% (Shi'ite 60%, Sunni 40%), Christian, Yezidi or other 5-7%