Iraq

Languages

Adyghe ady

Baghdad, Diyala, As Sulaymaniyah, and At Ta’mim (Kirkuk) governorates; scattered communities. Users: 40,000 in Iraq (2020). Status: 5* (Developing). 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

Al Anbar governorate: Al-Q’aim district, small area; Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Babil, Baghdad, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala’, Maysan, and Wasit governorates. Users: 16,000,000 in Iraq (2020). Total users in all countries: 18,067,850. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Originated in Mesopotamia, spread throughout the Middle East. Lingua franca of the whole region before the 7th century. Used in most everyday domains. 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: 10,263,460. 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: 593,820. 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 kur

Users: Population total all languages (L1 only): 24,709,170. Status:

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: 1 (National). 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. 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 syr

Users: Population total all languages (L1 only): 825,420. Status:

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