Working with new and emerging
communities: A guide
Sheet
9
Information about people from Iraq
This information sheet is general in
nature. It provides some background
about what has been happening to
cause people to leave Iraq, as well as
information about culture, ethnicities
and religions. Its purpose is to develop a
better understanding of new and emerging
communities from Iraq and consequently,
improve access to services and service
quality for clients from these communities.
People from Iraq represent the highest
number of arrivals in New South Wales
under the humanitarian program between
2002 and 2013.
This trend is expected to continue. People
from Iraq may have spent protracted time in
refugee camps, detention and on dangerous
journeys, which can create complex
settlement needs.
All ethnic , religious and cultural
groups in Iraq have experienced
violence and persecution.
What has been happening in Iraq?
The major ethnic, cultural and
religious groups in Iraq
Between 1980 and 2013, Iraq has
experienced wars with neighbouring
countries, international sanctions, occupation
by United States-led coalition forces ending
in 2011, insurgency, civil wars, sectarian
violence and persecution.
Tribal and family systems, employment,
livelihood, education and infrastructure
(homes, religious and educational institutions,
workplaces and farms) have been destroyed
or disrupted. There are large numbers
of internally displaced people, as well as
refugees in neighbouring countries including
Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
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There are many cultural, linguistic, ethnic and
religious minorities in Iraq. The two largest
ethnic groups in Iraq are Arabs (75-80%) and
Kurds (15-20%). Larger minority groups are
Turkomens and Assyrians. Around 95% of
Iraqis are Muslim and about 4% are Christian.
Many Christians have now left Iraq.
The two largest Muslim groups in Iraq are
Shi’a Muslims (around 65% of people) and
Sunni (around 35%). Sunni and Shi’a Muslims
share the Qur’an and the main articles
of Islamic belief. Differences in religious
practice have evolved through different
regional, historical and cultural experiences,
as well as political and social developments.
Both have various movements, orders, and
sects. Most Arabic people in Iraq are Shi’a
Muslims and most Kurds are Sunni.
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Sheet
9
Information about people from Iraq
Ethnic groups in Iraq
The main three groups are:
Kurds 15-20%
Turkmen 2%
Arab 75-80%
East Iraq. Mandaean people identify as a
religion and as an ethnic group. They fled Iraq
in large numbers. Mandaean people follow a
number of prophets including Noah, and John
the Baptist. Fresh water is central to their
religious rituals. Mandaean belief is pacifist they cannot join the military or use violence.
Mandaeans who marry outside their religion
are no longer considered Mandaean and
converts are not accepted.
People from Iraq in NSW
Ethnic groups other than the three shown
above, include Assyrian (also known as
Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac), Armenian and
Mandaean. Assyrians identify as descendants
of the earliest civilisations of Mesopotamia.
They are the largest Christian population in
Iraq.
Assyrian and Kurdish people consider their
homeland is made up of territory in Iraq
and in neighbouring countries. Some of the
territorial claims overlap. Since 2003, Kurds
have had a semi-autonomous state in North
People from Iraq have been coming for
many years, however the newer refugee
communities may not find much in common
with more established communities. NSW
receives more people from Iraq than other
Australian states. There are almost as many
Christians who have come from Iraq as
Islamic people.
The largest groups of people from Iraq who
have arrived in NSW over the last 10 years
are Arabs, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Kurds and
Mandaean people. New arrivals among Iraqi
Arabs include both Sunni and Shi’a followers.
Population characteristics in Iraq
Ethnicity in Iraq
Arab 75-80%
Main Language in Iraq
Arabic
Main Religion in Iraq
Shi'a
Kurds 15-20%
Kurdish dialects including Sorani and Sunni
Kumanchi
Turkmen About 2%
Turkmen or Turkish dialects
Sunni and Shi’a
Assyrian
Assyrian; also known as Syriac or
Neo Aramaic
A number of Eastern Orthodox Churches
Chaldean
Assyrian: also known as Syriac or
Neo Aramaic
Chaldean Catholic ( largest Christian
group in Iraq)
Armenian
Armenian
Orthodox Christian
Mandaean
Arabic
Mandaic is a traditional language
mainly used by priests
Mandaean (a Gnostic religion -neither
Muslim, Christian nor Jewish)
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Working with new and emerging
communities: A guide
Assyrian people in NSW mainly belong to
the Assyrian Church of the East, the Syriac
Orthodox Church and Chaldean Catholic
church.
Some Kurdish people have recently arrived
in Australia from Iraq (and Iran) but the
more established Kurdish communities in
NSW are from Turkey.
Currently, most people from Iraq live in
South West Sydney, followed by Western
Sydney, with some in Illawarra and the
Hunter. Most Iraqi people in Sydney
live in Canterbury, Bankstown, Fairfield,
Liverpool, Auburn, Parramatta/Hills Holroyd,
Blacktown and Mt Druitt. Smaller numbers
have settled in the Macarthur, Central West,
Riverina, and Northern Tablelands areas.
Some Iraqi ethnic groups live in particular
areas, for example many Assyrians live
around the Fairfield area, with some
around Blacktown. Mandaeans are a new
community. They live close to Mandaean
priests and fresh water as they conduct
regular ritual immersions. Many live around
Liverpool, and some around Fairfield.
The main languages spoken by
people from Iraq
People coming from Iraq speak a diversity of
languages and dialects.
The main languages spoken by refugees and
new arrivals from Iraq are Arabic (almost
50%) followed by Assyrian (almost 40%) and
Kurdish (about 4%). Other languages spoken
by people from Iraq include Turkmen, Farsi,
and Armenian.
‘Iraqi Arabic’ is different from the
Arabic spoken in North Africa and the
Mediterranean. Within Iraq there are a
number of dialects, especially between the
North and South. Most people from Iraq
will understand Iraqi Arabic and Gulf Arabic
dialects, but may have difficulty with some
dialects from the Mediterranean or North Africa.
Most Assyrian people in NSW speak a
similar dialect. There are a number of
Kurdish dialects, and speakers of one dialect
may not be able to understand another.
Many minority groups such as Assyrian,
Kurdish and Mandaean are bilingual, speaking
their own language as well as Arabic.
Although these groups can speak Arabic,
they are not of Arab background.
Literacy levels in Iraq are estimated to be
around 78% of the population over 15 years
of age, with literacy levels approximately
86% for men and 71% for women.
Language assistance
Lower literacy levels are common among
recent arrivals from Iraq because wars,
insurgency, and life as refugees have
disrupted their education. This can make
learning English more difficult.
Arabic interpreters are widely available
in NSW. Check whether the background,
gender and dialect of an interpreter are
an appropriate match for the client. It may
be important for the client that Arabic
interpreters do not come from countries
where their people have suffered recent
persecution.
Currently, only a few accredited Iraqi
dialect interpreters, Kurdish and Assyrian
interpreters are listed on the National
Accreditation Authority for Translators and
Interpreters (NAATI) website for NSW
as being at the level needed for complex
interpreting (including court interpreting).
Matching interpreters to dialects may
therefore be difficult at this higher level of
language requirement.
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Sheet
Sheet
9
Working with new and emerging communities: A guide
Bilingual community workers may be
willing to assist their clients for some
appointments, consultations and other
events that do not require complex
interpretation.
Bilingual workers in NSW government
agencies who receive the Community
Language Allowance Scheme may also
be able to assist with non-complex
interpretation.
Disclaimer
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January 2014
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