MigrantoImmigrants in Iraq
344.5K foreign-born residents — the #93 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 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
Middle East is the leading region of origin at 89%
307K
21.3K
16K
278
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Iraq.
Immigration has become more concentrated over time
The top source's share rose from 24% to 75%, with Syria increasingly the primary origin.
Syria is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Syria accounts for 75% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 6%.
The share of immigrants from the Middle East has grown since 1990
The share of immigrants from the Middle East has shifted from 49.9% to 89.1% since 1990.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 63698 |
| 1995 | 175951 |
| 2000 | 188245 |
| 2005 | 108955 |
| 2010 | 94007 |
| 2015 | 333494 |
| 2020 | 339648 |
| 2024 | 344490 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Syria | Turkey | Iran | Egypt | Palestine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Iraq as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Iraq
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Iraq?
Around 344.5K foreign-born residents live in Iraq, making it the #93-largest immigrant population in the world.
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 foreign-born residents.
What share 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.
How has immigration to Iraq changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Iraq has changed from 333.5K to 344.5K people, a change of about 3%.
Where to live?
Match a country to your priorities
Explore other countries
See where people move around the world