Mesopotamian Fallow Deer
One of the world's rarest deer, this spotted creature once roamed the ancient forests along Iraq's rivers and is slowly being brought back from near extinction in protected areas.
Flag of Iraq
Field Report
Iraq is a country in the Middle East, tucked between two great rivers that made it one of the most important places on earth for thousands of years — the same land where some of the earliest stories in the Bible took place. Today about 42 million people live there, speaking mostly Arabic and Kurdish, across a landscape that stretches from desert plains to mountain ranges to ancient river marshes. Most people in Iraq have not yet heard or believed the good news about Jesus, which is why Christians around the world are praying for them.
From the Field Notebook
Mesopotamian Fallow Deer
One of the world's rarest deer, this spotted creature once roamed the ancient forests along Iraq's rivers and is slowly being brought back from near extinction in protected areas.
Smooth-coated Otter
This sleek, river-loving mammal hunts fish in the marshes of southern Iraq, the same vast wetlands where some of the world's earliest civilizations grew up.
Arabian Oryx
With long, straight horns and a coat that reflects desert heat, this sturdy antelope is built for survival in some of the hottest, driest land on earth.
Masgouf
A whole carp fish slowly grilled over an open fire on the banks of the Tigris River, it is considered Iraq's national dish and has been eaten there for thousands of years.
Kleicha
These small date-filled cookies are baked for celebrations and holidays and carry a warm, spiced sweetness that Iraqi families have passed down through generations.
Tashreeb
Soft flatbread soaked in a rich lamb and vegetable broth, this humble, filling dish is eaten across Iraq and is the kind of meal a family shares together from one big pot.
Iraq sits between two famous rivers — the Tigris and the Euphrates — and ancient people called this region Mesopotamia, which means 'land between the rivers' in Greek.
The world's first writing system, called cuneiform, was invented in what is now Iraq roughly 5,000 years ago, pressed into clay tablets with a reed stylus.
Iraq has some of the largest known oil reserves in the world — ranking around fifth globally — meaning an enormous amount of the fuel that powers cars, planes, and factories is buried under its desert soil.
The city of Baghdad was once the largest city on earth, home to over one million people in the year 900 AD, and served as a world center for science, mathematics, and literature.
Southern Iraq is home to the Mesopotamian Marshes, one of the world's largest wetland systems, where people called the Marsh Arabs have lived on floating reed islands for thousands of years.
Daily Life
72
Years life expectancy
84%
Can read and write
100%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
Iraq is home to 33 distinct people groups — 27 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
Nearly all Iraq's people follow Islam (95.8%). Less than 1% of people in Iraq are Evangelical Christians.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Arab, Iraqi
21,070,000 people
Arab, North Iraqi
10,988,000 people
Kurd, Sorani
3,037,000 people
Turkmen, Middle-Eastern
2,793,000 people
Kurd, Badini
1,979,000 people
Prayer Journal
Tick each one as you pray. God hears every word.