page_title: Armenians in Iraq
section_title: Contributions to Iraqi culture
hierarchical_section_title: Armenians in Iraq / Contributions to Iraqi culture
caption_attribution_description: English: Armenian St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Baghdadالعربية: كنيسة الأرمن في بغداد في الباب الشرقيՀայերեն: Սուրբ Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ եկեղեցի, Բաղդադ
context_page_description: The history of Armenians in Iraq is documented since late Babylonian times. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers both have their sources in the Armenian Highland, hence, the land of Iraq and the land of Armenia have always been connected. Today it is estimated that there are around 10,000–15,000 Armenians living in Iraq, with communities in Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Kirkuk, Baqubah, Dohuk, Zakho and Avzrog. Armenians make up the second largest solely Christian ethnicity in the country, after the indigenous Assyrians.
context_section_description: Armenians have played traditionally an important role in Iraqi culture, particularly in literature and music and in general all arts. Armenian folk music and dance is admired in Iraq.
  Yaacoub Sarkis was a famous author and researcher in Iraqi arts. He used to hold cultural gatherings in Baghdad's Murabba'a region on the Tigris river, where the Iraqi cultural elite would meet. He is also renowned for the two-volume Al Mabaheth al Iraqiyyah, a definitive guide of Iraqi history and society. He lived well into his eighties before his death in the 1950s.
  The two founding members of the Western-style pop group Unknown to No One, Art Haroutunian and Shant Garabedian, are of Armenian heritage. During Saddam's reign the band could only have its music aired once they sang a song celebrating the dictator's birthday. Unknown to No One has been given a large amount of publicity in the post-Saddam era.
caption: Armenian Church in Baghdad.
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