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People group profile · PG042882

The Iraqi Arabs of the United Arab Emirates

The Iraqi Arabs of the United Arab Emirates, numbering about 59,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an Arabic-speaking people of Iraq descended from Arab and indigenous Mesopotamian populations, distinguished by their Mesopotamian Arabic language and the cultural traditions of historic Mesopotamia.

They are a diaspora people in the Arab, Levant people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Mesopotamian Arabic.

Pray for the Iraqi ArabsPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Iraqi Arabs people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Arab, Iraqi

Fast facts

Country
United Arab Emirates
Population
59,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Arab, Levant
Primary language
Mesopotamian Arabic (acm)
Primary religion
Sunni 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
Region
Western Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Iraqi Arabs 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 Iraqi Arabs

  • 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

Sunni Islam · Islam

95% adherents

Primary language

Mesopotamian Arabic · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Mesopotamian Arabic

Gospel resources in Mesopotamian Arabic

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

Films

  • JESUS (Arabic, Iraqi Baghdadi)
  • JESUS (Arabic, Iraqi Baghdadi)

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

Pray for the Iraqi Arabs

  1. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  2. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  3. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  4. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.

Download a prayer guide

Arab, Iraqi in other countries

The same people (ROP3 104056) is reported in 16 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Iraqi Shia ArabsIraq19,730,000Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsJordan1,595,000Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsSweden182,000Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsGermany178,000Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsUnited States156,000Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsCanada85,500Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsNetherlands63,500Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsSyria60,500Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsLebanon25,500Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsBelgium22,000Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsGreece17,000Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsKuwait14,500Engaged yet Unreached
Iraqi ArabsYemen10,500Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsAlgeria8,700Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsFrance6,800Unengaged and Unreached
Iraqi ArabsItaly4,300Unengaged and Unreached

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