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People group profile · PG011713

The Hawrami of Iraq

The Hawrami of Iraq, numbering about 46,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an Iranian (Iranic) ethnolinguistic community indigenous to the Hawraman/Uramanat region of the Zagros Mountains in western Iran and northeastern Iraq, distinguished by the Hawrami (Gorani) language and a highly adapted mountain culture.

They are an indigenous people in the Kurd people cluster of the Persian-Median Peoples. Their primary religion is Shia Islam, and they primarily speak Gurani.

Pray for the HawramiPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Hawrami people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3 Flash: Hawrami

Fast facts

Country
Iraq
Population
46,000
Affinity group
Central Asian Peoples
People cluster
Kurd
Primary language
Gurani (hac)
Primary religion
Shia Islam
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Also known as
Gurani, Gorani, Awromani, Bajalani
Region
Western Asia, Asia
Location
Kermanshah province; Kordestan province: Iraq border area, Hewraman

Where they live

Gospel status

The Hawrami are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Hawrami

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Shia Islam · Islam

95% adherents

Primary language

Gurani · Indo-European family

25% speak Gurani

Gospel resources in Gurani

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Hawrami

  1. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  2. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  3. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  4. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.

Download a prayer guide

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