Market Research Companies in Iraq

Key figures for researchers

Population

46.1 million (2024 census)¹

Men / women

50.2% / 49.8% (2024 census)¹

Age

11.2% under 5, 24.7% aged 5–14, 3.7% aged 65+ (2024 census)²

Urban population

70.2% (84.6% in the Kurdistan Region) (2024 census)²

Households

8.05 million (2024 census)¹

Illiteracy (aged 10+)

15.3% (2024 census)²

Internet users

81.5% of individuals (2024)⁶

Mobile connections

108% of the population (end of 2025)⁷

GDP per capita

about US$5,400 (2025)⁸

Research guide

Research landscape

Iraq held its first full census in nearly four decades in November 2024, run by the Ministry of Planning, with final results published in February 2025. It gives researchers an up-to-date base for sampling and quotas: 46.1 million people, 8.05 million households and results broken down for Iraq as a whole and for the Kurdistan Region. The country has 19 governorates since Halabja became a governorate in May 2025.

The Kurdistan Region (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok and Halabja governorates) has its own regional government and its own statistics body, the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office (KRSO), part of the regional Ministry of Planning. For a national study, check that the agency has field teams or partners both in the federal governorates and in the Kurdistan Region.

Languages and fieldwork

Under the Constitution, Arabic and Kurdish are the two official languages of Iraq. Questionnaires for national studies are usually prepared in Arabic and Kurdish, with English often used for B2B interviews; check which Kurdish dialect and script the agency will use in each area.

A national sample usually starts with Baghdad, Basra and Mosul in the federal governorates, and Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok in the Kurdistan Region. With 29.8% of people living in rural areas, decide early whether rural households must be covered, as this affects method, timing and cost. Men and women are almost evenly split (50.2% / 49.8%), so gender quotas should follow the census, and the agency may suggest female interviewers for women respondents.

Which methods work

The population is very young: more than a third are under 15. Internet use reached 81.5% of individuals in 2024 and there are about 1.1 mobile connections per person, so mobile surveys, telephone interviews (CATI) and social media recruitment work well for younger and urban targets.

Face-to-face interviewing remains important for national, rural and older samples: 15.3% of people aged 10 and over cannot read or write, so interviewer-administered questionnaires are often needed. Security conditions differ between areas and can change: as of August 2026, the US State Department advised against all travel to Iraq (Level 4). Plan for fieldwork to be carried out by local teams, check your own government’s travel advice and ask the agency about its safety protocols for interviewers.

Timing

Ramadan changes daily routines: working hours are shorter, fieldwork often moves to the evening and consumption patterns change. In 2027 it is expected to start around 8 February, with Eid al-Fitr around 9–10 March and Eid al-Adha around 16–17 May (exact dates depend on the moon sighting).

Ashura (expected around mid-June 2027) and Arbaeen (expected around 25 July 2027) bring very large religious gatherings and pilgrimages, especially to Karbala: avoid fieldwork in the areas concerned and allow for travel disruption around these dates. Summer is very hot, which makes door-to-door fieldwork harder in July and August.

Data protection

Iraq does not currently have a specific data protection or privacy law, and there is no data protection authority. General provisions of the Civil Code (Law No. 40 of 1951) and the Penal Code (Law No. 111 of 1969) apply instead: Article 437 of the Penal Code penalises anyone who has access to confidential information and discloses or uses it.

Because the legal framework is limited, agree clear rules in the contract: informed consent wording, what personal data is collected, where it is stored, who can access recordings and how long data is kept. If you are subject to the GDPR or another foreign law, your own obligations still apply when data is transferred to you. Ask the agency whether any official permission is needed for your topic or area.

Working with a local agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, governorates, urban/rural split, method, languages and deadline.
• Ask who does the fieldwork in each area, including the Kurdistan Region, and whether they have both male and female interviewers.
• Ask which census-based frame and quotas will be used, and how rural and hard-to-reach households are covered.
• Ask about quality control: back-checks, audio or GPS checks for face-to-face interviews, and the safety protocol for field teams.
• Agree in writing how personal data is collected, stored, transferred and deleted, since there is no specific data protection law.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 companies from this page.