Digital 2022: Iraq

This page contains all the data, insights, and trends you need to help you understand how people in Iraq use connected devices and services in 2022.

You’ll find our complete Digital 2022 report on Iraq in the “full report” section below, but let’s start by taking a look at the essential headlines for digital adoption and use in Iraq this year.

ADVERTISEMENT

Iraq’s population in 2022

Iraq’s total population was 41.67 million in January 2022.

Data show that Iraq’s population increased by 971 thousand (+2.4 percent) between 2021 and 2022.

49.4 percent of Iraq’s population is female, while 50.6 percent of the population is male.

At the start of 2022, 71.4 percent of Iraq’s population lived in urban centres, while 28.6 percent lived in rural areas.

Note: gender data are currently only available for “female” and “male”.

Iraq’s population by age

The median age of the population in Iraq is 21.5.

For additional context, here’s a look at how the population in Iraq breaks down by age group:

  • 12.8 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 0 and 4.

  • 19.8 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 5 and 12.

  • 10.6 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 13 and 17.

  • 13.4 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 18 and 24.

  • 15.8 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 25 and 34.

  • 11.6 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 35 and 44.

  • 8.2 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 45 and 54.

  • 4.3 percent of Iraq’s population is between the ages of 55 and 64.

  • 3.5 percent of Iraq’s population is aged 65 and above.

Note: percentages may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

ADVERTISEMENT

Internet use in Iraq in 2022

There were 20.58 million internet users in Iraq in January 2022.

Iraq’s internet penetration rate stood at 49.4 percent of the total population at the start of 2022.

Kepios analysis indicates that internet users in Iraq increased by 480 thousand (+2.4 percent) between 2021 and 2022.

For perspective, these user figures reveal that 21.08 million people in Iraq did not use the internet at the start of 2022, meaning that 50.6 percent of the population remained offline at the beginning of the year.

However, issues relating to COVID-19 continue to impact research into internet adoption, so actual internet user figures may be higher than these published numbers suggest (see here for further details).

For the latest insights into internet adoption and use around the world, follow our regular Global Statshot reports.


Go global: see how Iraq’s current “state of digital” compares with connectivity in other countries by reading our flagship Digital 2022 Global Overview Report, which includes hundreds of slides of global digital data, and our in-depth analysis of what these numbers might mean for you.

Internet connection speeds in Iraq in 2022

Data published by Ookla indicate that internet users in Iraq could have expected the following internet connection speeds at the start of 2022:

  • Median mobile internet connection speed via cellular networks: 37.25 Mbps.

  • Median fixed internet connection speed: 19.65 Mbps.

Ookla’s data reveals that the median mobile internet connection speed in Iraq increased by 32.74 Mbps (+726 percent) in the twelve months to the start of 2022.

Meanwhile, Ookla’s data shows that fixed internet connection speeds in Iraq increased by 6.34 Mbps (+47.6 percent) during the same period.

ADVERTISEMENT

Social media statistics for Iraq in 2022

There were 28.35 million social media users in Iraq in January 2022.

The number of social media users in Iraq at the start of 2022 was equivalent to 68.0 percent of the total population, but it’s important to note that social media users may not represent unique individuals (see our detailed notes on data to learn why).

Kepios analysis reveals that social media users in Iraq increased by 3.4 million (+13.4 percent) between 2021 and 2022.


Get fresh insights: our handy social media overview page helps you stay up to date with social media trends, offering essential headlines for social media adoption, as well as the latest user figures for the world’s most widely used social media platforms.

Facebook users in Iraq in 2022

Data published in Meta’s advertising resources indicates that Facebook had 18.85 million users in Iraq in early 2022.

However, Meta made important changes to the way its advertising resources report audience reach data at the end of 2021 – including making significant revisions to its base audience data for Facebook – so the figures shown here are not directly comparable with figures published in our previous reports.

To learn more about these changes, please see this article, as well as our comprehensive notes on data.

The company’s revised audience figures mean that Facebook’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 45.2 percent of the total population at the start of 2022.

However, Facebook restricts the use of its platform to people aged 13 and above, so it’s also worth highlighting that 67.2 percent of the “eligible” audience in Iraq uses Facebook in 2022.

For additional context, Facebook’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 91.6 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age) in January 2022.

At the start of 2022, 27.0 percent of Facebook’s ad audience in Iraq was female, while 73.0 percent was male.

Note: Meta’s advertising resources only publish audience gender data for “female” and “male” users.

Looking for more Facebook stats? Click here to explore our in-depth Facebook data for every country in the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

Instagram users in Iraq in 2022

Numbers published in Meta’s advertising tools indicate that Instagram had 15.45 million users in Iraq in early 2022.

This figure suggests that Instagram’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 37.1 percent of the total population at the start of the year.

However, Instagram restricts the use of its platform to people aged 13 and above, so it’s helpful to know that 55.1 percent of the “eligible” audience in Iraq uses Instagram in 2022.

It’s also worth noting that Instagram’s ad reach in Iraq at the start of 2022 was equivalent to 75.1 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age).

In early 2022, 34.2 percent of Instagram’s ad audience in Iraq was female, while 65.8 percent was male.

Note: Meta’s advertising resources only publish audience gender data for “female” and “male” users.

Looking for more Instagram stats? Click here to explore our in-depth Instagram data for every country in the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

Facebook Messenger users in Iraq in 2022

Data published in Meta’s advertising resources indicate that ads on Facebook Messenger reached 16.15 million users in Iraq in early 2022.

However, Meta made important changes to the way its advertising resources report audience reach data at the end of 2021 – including making significant revisions to its base audience data for Facebook Messenger – so the figures shown here are not directly comparable with figures published in our previous reports.

To learn more about these changes, please see this article, as well as our comprehensive notes on data.

The company’s revised audience numbers suggest that Facebook Messenger’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 38.8 percent of the total population at the start of the year.

Facebook Messenger restricts the use of its platform to people aged 13 and above though, so it’s also worth highlighting that ads reach 57.5 percent of Facebook Messenger’s “eligible” audience in Iraq in 2022.

For additional context, Facebook Messenger’s ad reach in Iraq is equivalent to 78.5 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age).

At the start of 2022, 26.2 percent of Facebook Messenger’s ad audience in Iraq was female, while 73.8 percent was male.

Notes: Meta’s advertising resources only publish audience gender data for “female” and “male” users.

Looking for more Facebook Messenger stats? Click here to explore our in-depth Facebook Messenger data for every country in the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

LinkedIn users in Iraq in 2022

Figures published in LinkedIn’s advertising resources indicate that LinkedIn had 1.40 million “members” in Iraq in early 2022.

However, note that LinkedIn’s advertising tools publish audience reach data based on total registered members, rather than the monthly active users that form the basis of the ad reach figures published by most other social media platforms.

As a result, these LinkedIn figures are not directly comparable with the figures for other social media platforms published on this page, or in our Digital 2022 reports.

The company’s advertising reach figures suggest that LinkedIn’s audience in Iraq was equivalent to 3.4 percent of the total population at the start of 2022.

LinkedIn restricts the use of its platform to people aged 18 and above though, so it’s also helpful to know that 5.9 percent of the “eligible” audience in Iraq uses LinkedIn in 2022.

For additional context, LinkedIn’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 6.8 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age) at the start of the year.

In early 2022, 17.6 percent of LinkedIn’s ad audience in Iraq was female, while 82.4 percent was male.

Note: LinkedIn’s advertising resources only publish audience gender data for “female” and “male” users.

Looking for more LinkedIn stats? Click here to explore our in-depth LinkedIn data for every country in the world.


Get data for every country on Earth: visit our online library to browse all of our reports, including the latest digital data for every country in the world, and more than a decade of historical numbers, trends, and insights.

Snapchat users in Iraq in 2022

Data published in Snap’s advertising resources indicate that Snapchat had 13.80 million users in Iraq in early 2022.

This figure means that Snapchat’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 33.1 percent of the total population at the start of the year.

However, Snapchat restricts the use of its platform to people aged 13 and above, so it’s also worth noting that 49.2 percent of the “eligible” audience in Iraq uses Snapchat in 2022.

For additional context, Snapchat’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 67.0 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age) at the start of the year.

In early 2022, 51.9 percent of Snapchat’s ad audience in Iraq was female, while 46.9 percent was male.

Snap’s advertising resources only publish audience gender data for “female” and “male” users, but the figures published for these demographics don’t always add up to the total user figure, so percentages shown here may not sum to 100 percent.

Looking for more Snapchat stats? Click here to explore our in-depth Snapchat data for every country in the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

Twitter users in Iraq in 2022

Numbers published in Twitter’s advertising resources indicate that Twitter had 1.90 million users in Iraq in early 2022.

This figure means that Twitter’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 4.6 percent of the total population at the time.

However, Twitter restricts the use of its platform to people aged 13 and above, so it may be helpful to know that 6.8 percent of the “eligible” audience in Iraq uses Twitter in 2022.

For additional context, Twitter’s ad reach in Iraq was equivalent to 9.2 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age) at the start of the year.

Note: due to anomalies in the source data, we regret that we’re currently unable to provide insights into Twitter’s ad audience by gender.

Looking for more Twitter stats? Click here to explore our in-depth Twitter data for every country in the world.


Dig deeper: click here to access all of the reports in our Digital 2022 series.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mobile connections in Iraq in 2022

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 42.54 million cellular mobile connections in Iraq at the start of 2022.

However, note that many people around the world make use of more than one mobile connection – for example, they might have one connection for personal use, and another one for work – so it’s not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed figures for total population.

GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Iraq were equivalent to 102.1 percent of the total population in January 2022.

The number of mobile connections in Iraq increased by 1.7 million (+4.1 percent) between 2021 and 2022.


Need quick stats for other countries? Click here to read our Digital 2022 Country Headlines Report, with essential digital data for every country in the world.

Additional resources

Just before we get to the full report, here are some suggestions for further reading, which will provide additional context for our full set of Digital 2022 numbers for Iraq:

  • Read our complete Digital 2022 Global Overview Report to get a comprehensive overview of the “state of digital” around the world in 2022.

  • Click here to see all of the Global Digital Reports we’ve published on Iraq over the past decade.

  • Explore all of our reports on countries in Western Asia by clicking here.

  • Visit our complete online reports library to find all of the (free!) reports in the Global Digital Reports series.

  • If you’d like to receive updates when we publish new reports, click here to sign up for our newsletter.


Full report

You’ll find our complete Digital 2022: Iraq report in the SlideShare embed below (click here if that’s not working for you).

ADVERTISEMENT