Demographics of Iraq
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[[Image:Iraq demography.jpg|thumb|200px|Distribution of Religious and Ethnic Groups in Iraq]]
== Background ==
Iraq was known in the west as [[Mesopotamia]] until the 20th century. The ruins of [[Ur]], [[Babylon]], and other ancient cities are situated in iraq, as is the legendary location of the [[Garden of Eden]]. Almost 75% of [[Iraq]]'s population lives in the flat, alluvial plain stretching southeast from [[Baghdad]] to [[Basra]] and the [[Persian Gulf]]. The [[Tigris River]] and the [[Euphrates River]] carry about 70 million cubic meters of silt annually from this plain down to the delta. The water from these two great rivers, and the fertility of the soil in the alluvial plain and the delta, allowed early agriculture to sustain a stable population as far back as the [[4th millennium BC]]. {{see|Geography of Iraq}}
Over its long history, many civilizations grew and flourished in the region. Following the [[dissolution of the Ottoman Empire]], Iraq was formed by the [[League of Nations]] from three Ottoman ''[[vilayet]]s'' (regions), gaining independence in 1932. {{see|History of Iraq}}
== Ethnic divisions ==
Iraq is home to several ethnic groups, the most predominant among them being [[Arab]]s, followed by [[Kurdish people|Kurds]], [[Iraqi Turkmen]] and [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]]. Other distinct groups are [[Armenians in Iraq| Armenians]], [[Persian people|Persians]], [[Shabak people|Shabaks]] and [[Lurs]]. [[Arabic language|Arabic]] is the most commonly spoken language. [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] and [[Syriac]] are spoken in the north, and [[English language|English]] is the most commonly spoken Western language. <ref>[http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/get-language-by-country.cfm?country=120 Linguist List - Show languages in a Country<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Iraqis today are an overall indigenous [[Mesopotamia|Mesopotamian people]], who are closely related to the indigenous ancient people, much like the case with the people of the [[Levant]]. While modern-day Iraqi arabs form part of the arab collective by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history — they are in fact largely a blend of the various [[Christian Aramaic|Aramaic]] speaking groups indigenous to the region, as well as other groups like the [[Kurds]] and [[Turkish people|Turks]], and not the direct descendants of the tribes of Arabia. However, during the arab expansion period, Muslim Arabs from [[Arabia]] controlled the area and there was some amount of immigration.
[[Shia Islam]] is the predominant religion, followed by [[Sunni Islam]] and [[Christianity]]. Small communities of [[Bahá'í Faith|Bahá'ís]], [[Mandaeans]], and [[Yezidis]] also exist. Until 1948, there was also a 150,000 strong community of [[Jews]], but the community has dwindled down to no more than a handful today. Most Kurds are Sunni Muslim, with about 10% being Shi'a [[Faili Kurds]] in central Iraq.
Kurds & Assyrians differ from their Arab neighbors in language, dress, and customs.
== Population Statistics ==
'''Population:'''
26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)
'''Age structure:'''
<br>''0-14 years:''
39.7% (male 5,398,645; female 5,231,760)
<br>''15-64 years:''
57.3% (male 7,776,257; female 7,576,726)
<br>''65 years and over:''
3% (male 376,700; female 423,295) (2006 est.)
'''Population growth rate:'''
2.66% (2006 est.)
'''Birth rate:'''
31.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
'''Death rate:'''
5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
'''Net migration rate:'''
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
'''Sex ratio:'''
<br>''at birth:''
1.05 male(s)/female
<br>''under 15 years:''
1.03 male(s)/female
<br>''15-64 years:''
1.03 male(s)/female
<br>''65 years and over:''
0.89 male(s)/female
<br>''total population:''
1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
'''Infant mortality rate:'''
48.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
'''Life expectancy at birth:'''
<br>''total population:''
69.01 years
<br>''male:''
67.76 years
<br>''female:''
70.31 years (2006 est.)
'''Total fertility rate:'''
4.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)
'''Nationality:'''
<br>''noun:''
Iraqi(s)
<br>''adjective:''
Iraqi
'''Ethnic groups:'''
[[Arabs]] 75-80%, [[Kurdish people|Kurds]] 15%-20%, [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]], [[Iraqi Turkmen]] or other 5-10%
'''Religions:'''
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian 3% down from 7% 50 years ago. According to Minority Rights Group Report (ISBN 1-904584-60-8, www.minorityrights.org), there were 2005 ca 20 Jews in Bagdad, most of them ca 70 years old.
'''Languages:'''
[[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]],[[Turkish language|Turkish]],[[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]; [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]], [[Chaldean Neo-Aramaic]], and [[Armenian language|Armenian]]
'''Literacy:'''
<br>''definition:''
age 15 and over can read and write
<br>''total population:''
40.4%
<br>''male:''
55.9%
<br>''female:''
24.4% (2003 est.)
'''Median Age:'''
<br>''Total Population:''
19.7 years
<br>''Male:''
19.6 years
<br>''Female:''
19.8 years (2006 est.)
==See also==
* [[Arab Tribes in Iraq]]
* [[Minority politics in Iraq]]
* [[Iraqi Turkmen]]
* [[Assyrian homeland]]
* [[History of the Jews in Iraq]]
* [[Iraqi diaspora]]
* [[Armenians in Iraq]]
* [[Palestinians in Iraq]]
* [[Refugees of Iraq]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.institutkurde.org/ Kurdish Institute] Kurdish language, history, books and latest news articles.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/post_saddam_iraq/html/3.stm Life in Iraq - People]
* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/iz.html#People CIA World Fact Book]
* [http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2003/iraqdemobrf.doc.htm UN press briefing on the demographics of Iraq]
* [http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=1079 Assimilation, Exodus, Eradication: Iraq’s minority communities since 2003], Report by [[Minority Rights Group International]]
* [http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/get-language-by-country.cfm?country=120 Linguist List partial inventory of languages and dialects of Iraq]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4525412.stm BBC page with population density map, and a religious breakdown map]. October 23, 2006 article.
==Bibliography==
*{{cite book
| last = Nakash
| first = Yitzhak
| year = 2003
| title = The Shi'is of Iraq
| publisher = Princeton University Press
| id = ISBN 0-691-11575-3
}}
*{{cite book
|last = Jabar
|first = Faleh A.
|year = 2004
|title = The Shi'ite Movement in Iraq
|publisher = Saqi Books
|id = ISBN 0-86356-395-3
}}
{{Asia in topic|Demographics of}}
{{Asia topic|Ethnic groups in}}
[[Category:Demographics by country|Iraq]]
[[Category:Iraqi society]]
[[Category:Demographics of Iraq| ]]
[[ar:سكان العراق]]
[[es:Demografía de Iraq]]
[[fr:Démographie de l'Irak]]
[[sv:Iraks demografi]]