MigrantoImmigrants in Iraq
344.5K foreigners live in Iraq — 1% of the country's population
Immigrants in Iraq by country
The 3 largest groups make up 85% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Syria | 258068 |
| Turkey | 20972 |
| Iran | 14747 |
| Egypt | 14705 |
| Palestine | 12337 |
| Jordan | 10581 |
| Sudan | 3881 |
| Yemen | 2049 |
| Lebanon | 1558 |
| Eritrea | 824 |
| Pakistan | 698 |
| Saudi Arabia | 690 |
| Morocco | 599 |
| Somalia | 423 |
| Kuwait | 409 |
| Tunisia | 318 |
| Afghanistan | 318 |
| South Sudan | 301 |
| UAE | 293 |
| Russia | 278 |
| India | 237 |
| Mauritania | 204 |
By region of origin
89% of immigrants come from the Middle East
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Key facts
Immigrants in Iraq in numbers
More immigrants come from a single country than in 1990
The largest group's share rose from 24% to 75%, and today that group is people born in Syria.
Syrians are the largest group by a wide margin
75% of all immigrants were born in Syria, while the next group accounts for just 6%.
The share of immigrants from the Middle East has grown since 1990
49.9% of immigrants came from the Middle East in 1990, compared with 89.1% today.
Immigrant population in Iraq over time
Foreigners living in Iraq, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 63698 |
| 1995 | 175951 |
| 2000 | 188245 |
| 2005 | 108955 |
| 2010 | 94007 |
| 2015 | 333494 |
| 2020 | 339648 |
| 2024 | 344490 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Iraq, by year
| Year | Syrians | Turks | Iranians | Egyptians | Palestinians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4778 | 938 | 14976 | 11075 | 14347 |
| 1995 | 5633 | 17439 | 44953 | 13058 | 73847 |
| 2000 | 5338 | 13885 | 42602 | 12375 | 94124 |
| 2005 | 6209 | 17586 | 17651 | 14394 | 29940 |
| 2010 | 6342 | 17961 | 18029 | 14702 | 13296 |
| 2015 | 252036 | 17514 | 14405 | 14363 | 12051 |
| 2020 | 254441 | 20677 | 14540 | 14498 | 12164 |
| 2024 | 258068 | 20972 | 14747 | 14705 | 12337 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Iraq
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Iraq
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Iraq?
Around 344.5K immigrants live in Iraq — the world's #93 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Iraq are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 1% of the population of Iraq — that's 344.5K out of a total population of 46M.
Where do most immigrants in Iraq come from?
Most immigrants in Iraq come from Syria, Turkey and Iran — these three countries account for about 85% of all immigrants.
How many Syrians live in Iraq?
Around 258.1K Syrians live in Iraq — about 75% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Iraq growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Iraq has changed from 333.5K to 344.5K, about 3%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Iraq come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Iraq. Their children born in Iraq are not included.
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Living in Iraq
See the full country overview