Iraqis in the United Arab Emirates
Encyclopedia
Iraqis in the United Arab Emirates have a population exceeding 100,000, closer estimates report a total of 150,000 Iraqis in the Emirates. Iraqi people form one of the largest community of non-citizen Arabs in the UAE. Most Iraq
is are recent immigrants who have fled instability back home; while Syria, Jordan, Iran and Lebanon were ultimate destinations for most refugees, a large influx sought the United Arab Emirates. In addition, an increasing number of Iraqi students seeking education and career opportunities opted for the country in light of its relatively reputable institutions across the Middle East
.
The Iraqi people tend to be spread out over various emirates of the country, with areas of high concentration being Abu Dhabi
and Dubai
.
, the first Gulf war
and the further ongoing civil unrest in Iraq due to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
The majority of Iraqi expatriates that fled to the UAE are educated and affluent peoples who are now active in Emirati society, from being engineers to teachers and jewellers, as well as being involved in business and the media as presenters and news anchors.
alone, an economic hub located in Jebel Ali
, a city in Dubai.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
is are recent immigrants who have fled instability back home; while Syria, Jordan, Iran and Lebanon were ultimate destinations for most refugees, a large influx sought the United Arab Emirates. In addition, an increasing number of Iraqi students seeking education and career opportunities opted for the country in light of its relatively reputable institutions across the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
The Iraqi people tend to be spread out over various emirates of the country, with areas of high concentration being Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
and Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.
Background
Early migration of Iraqi people to the Emirates began after Abdul Salam Arif's 1958 Arab nationalist revolution in Baghdad which resulted in a high influx of Iraqis moving their businesses to Dubai and continued to do so during the 1970s, as well as throughout the Iran-Iraq warIran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
, the first Gulf war
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and the further ongoing civil unrest in Iraq due to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
The majority of Iraqi expatriates that fled to the UAE are educated and affluent peoples who are now active in Emirati society, from being engineers to teachers and jewellers, as well as being involved in business and the media as presenters and news anchors.
Economic contributions
There are 500 Iraqi companies operating in the Jebel Ali Free ZoneJebel Ali Free Zone
Jebel Ali Free Zone is a free economic zone located in the Jebel Ali area at the far western end of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, near Abu Dhabi...
alone, an economic hub located in Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....
, a city in Dubai.
Iraqi people in the United Arab Emirates
- Rosil Al AzawiRosil Al AzawiRosil Al Azawi is an Iraqi television presenter and model based in the United Arab Emirates.-Career:...
, television presenter and model born in Sharjah - Badr JafarBadr JafarBadr Jafar is an Emirati business executive and entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates . Educated in the UAE and United Kingdom, he is the President of Crescent Petroleum and founder-Chief Executive Officer of Crescent Investments, the Crescent Group conglomerate's non-petroleum division...
, business executive and entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates - Sophia JawadSophia JawadSophia Jawad is an Iraqi actress and model based in the United Arab Emirates.- Career :Jawad has played in over twenty student productions as the New York Film Academy, and in 2009 she portrayed the character Gertrude in the Shakespeare play Hamlet...
, actress and model - Ali Abu Khumra, television director
- The NarcicystThe NarcicystYassin Alsalman, better known by his stage name The Narcicyst , is an Iraqi journalist and Hip Hop MC[1][2]. Originally from Basra, he was born and raised in Dubai.[2] Now settled in Montreal, Canada....
, rapper born in Dubai - Zeena Zaki, fashion designer based in Dubai