Iraq
PrintPrimary tabs
Adyghe
[ady] Baghdad, Diyala, As Sulaymaniyah, and At Ta’mim (Kirkuk) governorates; scattered communities. Users: 40,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Adygey, West Circassian. Classification: Abkhaz-Adyghe, Circassian.
Arabic, Egyptian Spoken
[arz] Users: 472,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Gulf Spoken
[afb] Al Basrah governorate: south of Basrah city, near Persian Gulf. Users: 79,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Gulf Arabic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Judeo-Iraqi
[yhd] Scattered. Users: 120 in Iraq (1992 H. Mutzafi). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Iraqi Judeo-Arabic, Jewish Iraqi-Baghdadi Arabic, Yahudic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken
[acm] Widespread. (Tigris and Euphrates area, southeast from Baghdad to Kuwait and Persian Gulf; An Anbar governorate: Al-Q’aim district, small area). Users: 16,000,000 in Iraq (2020). Total users in all countries: 19,063,530. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Arabic, Baghdadi, Furati, Iraqi Arabic, Mesopotamian Gelet Arabic. Autonym: اللهجة العراقية (allahjat aleiraqia). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Najdi Spoken
[ars] Widespread; Al Anbar, Al Muthanna, and An Najaf governorates: western desert, (Central Najdi dialect); Ninawa governorate: south between the rivers to the Syrian border (North Najdi dialect); Al Basrah, Al Qadisiyah, Babil, Dhi Qar, Ninawa, An Najaf, and Salah ad Din governorates. Users: 1,730,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Najdi. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken
[apc] Users: 21,200 in Iraq (2020). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, North Mesopotamian Spoken
[ayp] Al Anbar, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninawa, and Salah ad Din governorates: Tigris and Euphrates valleys north of Baghdad; An Najaf, Al Qadisiyah, and Babil governorates: border area northeast of An-Najaf. Users: 8,900,000 in Iraq (2020). Total users in all countries: 10,252,460. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). De facto language of provincial identity in Kurdistan Region. Alternate Names: Maslawi, Mesopotamian Qeltu Arabic, Moslawi, Syro-Mesopotamian Vernacular Arabic. Autonym: مصلاوي (Maslawi). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Standard
[arb] Widespread. Users: 27,200,000 in Iraq (2015 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Armenian, Western
[hyw] Al Basrah, Baghdad, Dahuk, Kirkuk, and Ninawa governorates. Users: 70,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)). Classification: Indo-European, Armenian.
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
[aii] Dahuk and Ninawa governorates: 2 areas, one northeast of Buhayrat al Mawsil, the other, at Turkish border; scattered in Al Basrah, Arbil, Baghdad, and Kirkuk governorates. Users: 179,000 in Iraq (2020). Ethnic population: 4,250,000 (1994). Total users in all countries: 594,050. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Recognized language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)), constitutional term: Syriac. Unevenly recognized except in Kurdistan Region. Alternate Names: Assyrian, Assyrianci, Lishana Aturaya, Neo-Syriac, Sooreth, Suret, Sureth, Suryaya Swadaya. Autonym: ܐܬܘܪܝܐ (Ātūrāyā), ܣܘܪܬ (Sūrët). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
Azerbaijani, South
[azb] Kirkuk and Arbil governorates: Arbil and Kirkuk and area between them (As Sulaymaniyah), Sar Qal’ah area near Diyala border; Ninawa governorate: Mosul area. Users: 2,400,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)), constitutional term: Turkmen. Unevenly recognized except in Kurdistan Region. Alternate Names: Azeri, Turk, Turkmen. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Azerbaijani.
Bajelani
[bjm] Ninawa governorate: Bin Qudra, Qasr-e Shirin, Quratu, Zohâb, north of Khanaqin; Kurdish areas. Users: 69,400 (2020). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Bajalani, Bajoran, Bejwan, Chichamachu, Gurani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani.
Chaldean Neo-Aramaic
[cld] Dahuk and Ninawa governorates. Users: 85,800 in Iraq (2020). Total users in all countries: 232,480. Status: 7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)), constitutional term: Syriac. Unevenly recognized except in Kurdistan Region. Alternate Names: Chaldean, Fallani, Fellihi, Kaldaya, Kildani, Lishana Kaldaya, Modern Chaldean, Neo-Chaldean, Soorath, Soorith, Suras, Sureth. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
Chechen
[che] Users: 12,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Nakh-Daghestanian, Nakh, Chechen-Ingush.
English
[eng] Users: 14,103,500 in Iraq, all users. L1 users: 3,500 in Iraq (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. L2 users: 14,100,000 (Ramaswami et al 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Koy Sanjaq Surat
[kqd] Arbil governorate: Armota, Koi-Sanjaq. Users: 800 (1995 H. Mutzafi). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Koi Sanjaq Soorit, Koi-Sanjaq Sooret, Koy Sanjaq Sooret, Koy Sanjaq Soorit, Surat. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
Kurdish
Kurdish, Central
[ckb] Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta’mim (Kirkuk), and Diyala governorates; Salah ad Din governorate: east of Tuz Khurmatu; all areas are south of Great Zab river; diaspora communities elsewhere. Users: 4,700,000 in Iraq (2020). Total users in all countries: 5,266,050. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)). Alternate Names: Kurdi, Sorani. Autonym: زمانێ سۆرانی (zimanê soranî). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
Kurdish, Northern
[kmr] Arbil, Dahuk, and Ninawa governorates: north of Great Zab river. Great Zab river area (Surchi dialect). Users: 4,040,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)). Alternate Names: Badinani, Badînî, Bahdini, Behdînî, Ezdiki, Kirmanciya Jori, Kurmanji. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
Kurdish, Southern
[sdh] Diyala, Maysan, and Wasit governorates: Iran border area east of Baghdad. Users: Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Kurdî Xwarîn. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
Macho
[hac] As Sulaymaniyah: Halabja governorate east of Sulaymaniyah, Topzawa near Tawuq, pockets from Khanaqin to Mosul. Users: 120,000 in Iraq (Paul 2007). Population provisionally estimated to be one-third of the 300,000 speakers in Iran and Iraq (2007 L. Paul). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Gorani, Gurani, Hawramani, Hawrami, Hewrami, Macho-Zwani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani.
Mandaic
[mid] Scattered in Al Basrah and Baghdad governorates. Users: No known L1 speakers in Iraq. Ethnic population: 30,000. Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Mandaayi, Mandaean, Mandi, Mandini, Modern Mandaic, Neo-Mandaic, Sabe’in, Sabean, Subbi. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Mandaic.
Mandaic, Classical
[myz] Al Basrah. Users: No known L1 speakers in Iraq. Ethnic population: No ethnic community. Status: 9 (Second language only). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Mandaic.
Persian, Iranian
[pes] Al Basrah, Diyala, Maysan, and Wasit governorates: Iran border area. Users: 480,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Persian, Western Farsi. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian.
Sarli
[sdf] Kirkuk governorates: area north of Mosul; many displaced. Users: Fewer than 20,000. Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Sarliya. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani.
Shabak
[sdb] Ninawa governorate: Ali Rach, Khazna, Talara, and Yangija villages north of Mosul; many displaced since 1980s. Users: 250,000 (2018). Status: 7 (Shifting). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani.
Syriac
Turkish
[tur] Users: 3,200 in Iraq (2020). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish.
Turkmen
[tuk] Scattered. Users: 470,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkmenian.
Turoyo
[tru] Users: 3,000 in Iraq (1992). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northwestern.
Urdu
[urd] Users: 4,350 in Iraq (2020). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani.