World Sites & Apps
Asia · #27 · 2025–2026

Iraq: internet and everyday apps

Iraq has about 37 million people online — a penetration rate of 78.7% and rank #27 worldwide. This page walks through the local digital scene, the app categories people lean on, and 16 apps worth knowing.

Internet users 37 million Penetration 78.7% World rank #27 Updated 2026-11-12
Language العربيةEnglish
TL;DR
  • Iraq has roughly 37 million internet users (37,000,000 people) — about 78.7% of the population and rank #27 globally.
  • The apps people open most: WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram. They cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Mobility, Food, News, Payments, Tools and more.
  • The one to know first: WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

Iraq in numbers

2025–2026
Internet users
37 million37,000,000 · #27
Penetration
78.7%#116
Population
47 million47,000,000 · #33
GDP
$280B#51
GDP growth
-1.5%#207
GDP per person
$5,949#135
Land area
438.3k km²#59
Capital
Baghdad
Region
Asia
Official languages
Arabic, Kurdish

How Iraq goes online

Baghdad uses WhatsApp and Telegram side by side: the first for family, the second for the news channels that follow everything. Instagram and TikTok belong to younger Iraqis, from comedy clips to an advert for a cousin's new shop. Salaries and many payments run through Qi Card, while everyday transfers go through Zain Cash. Local news sites and the pages of religious authorities draw some of the heaviest traffic, especially around major occasions.

Around 78.7%. With a population of about 47 million and 37 million online, roughly 10 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

All 16 apps below are grouped by category.

What people actually use

16 Most-used apps

Messaging

2 Most-used apps →
WhatsApp Messaging · Meta · 2009 Telegram Messaging · Telegram FZ-LLC · 2013

Social

2 Most-used apps →
Facebook Social · Meta · 2004 Instagram Social · Meta · 2010

Video

2 Most-used apps →
YouTube Video · Google · 2005 TikTok Video · ByteDance · 2016

Shopping

2 Most-used apps →
Amazon Shopping · Amazon.com, Inc. · 1994 noon Shopping · Noon（Emaar 与 PIF 支持） · 2017

Mobility

2 Most-used apps →
Careem Mobility · Uber · 2012 Uber Mobility · Uber Technologies · 2009

Food

1 Most-used apps →
Talabat Food · Delivery Hero · 2004

News

1 Most-used apps →
Al Jazeera News · Al Jazeera Media Network · 2003

Payments

2 Most-used apps →
FastPay Payments · FastPay · 2019 Qi Card Payments · Qi Card · 2007

Tools

2 Most-used apps →
Korek Tools · Korek Telecom · 2000 Asiacell Tools · Asiacell · 1999

Websites people in Iraq actually use

12

The 12 sites locals open most often — news, shopping, search, banking and government services. Every link goes to the official site.

News4Telecom4Shopping1Banking1Transport1TV & media1
RudawNewsrudaw.netA Kurdish outlet with an Arabic edition, followed for regional news. Al SumariaNewsalsumaria.tvAn Iraqi TV channel and news site whose headlines spread fast. Shafaq NewsNewsshafaq.comIraqi breaking news that many people rely on for the daily update. Iraqi News AgencyNewsina.iqThe state news agency, where official statements and government news appear first. Zain IraqTelecomiq.zain.comTopping up credit and data bundles, everything about your line in one place. AsiacellTelecomasiacell.comAn Iraqi telecom: top up, check your bundle and reach customer service. EarthlinkTelecomearthlink.iqA home internet provider where people check plans and renew their subscriptions. Korek TelecomTelecomkorektel.comThe third mobile operator, strongest in the Kurdistan region. MiswagShoppingmiswag.comAn Iraqi online shop for electronics and furniture, paid on delivery. Central Bank of IraqBankingcbi.iqThe central bank: the Iraqi dinar and the currency auctions. Iraqi AirwaysTransportiraqiairways.com.iqThe flag carrier, widest on domestic routes to the provinces. Iraqi Media NetworkTV & mediaimn.iqThe state television and radio network, with a news site.

2808 websites →

Frequently asked questions

6 Q&A
How many people in Iraq are online?

About 37 million (37,000,000 people). That works out to roughly 78.7% of the population, which puts Iraq at #27 in the world for total internet users. Figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026, which draws on ITU and national statistics.

Which apps do people in Iraq use most?

Mostly WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram — they cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Mobility, Food, News, Payments, Tools. The full list, grouped by category, is further down this page.

What is the leading Messaging app in Iraq?

WhatsApp, Telegram dominate this space. The best-known is WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

How high is internet penetration in Iraq?

Around 78.7%. With a population of about 47 million and 37 million online, roughly 10 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

Where do these app facts come from?

Usage figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026 (Kepios, based on ITU and national statistics); app details come from each product’s official site. Updated 2026-11-12.

Which websites are most popular in Iraq?

The everyday ones are Rudaw, Al Sumaria, Shafaq News, plus the other 12 sites listed above. They cover news, shopping, search, banking and official paperwork, and every link points to the official site.

Sources

Updated 2026-11-12
Cite this pageWorld Sites & Apps. “Iraq: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/iq-en.html