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Shark Attacks in Iraq

The Global Shark Attack File records 12 shark attacks in Iraq between 1922 and 1970. Of those, 3 were fatal (25.0%). The species most often involved is the bull shark.

Total recorded

12

Fatal

3

Fatality rate

25.0%

Global avg 21.2%

Years covered

1922–1970

Recorded incidents by year

Peak 4 (1970)Avg 1.6
1922: 11938: 11943: 11945: 11970: 4Average: 1.6 per year
192219431970
5 years of data, 1922–1970
Shark attacks in Iraq per year, 1922–1970
YearAttacks
19221
19381
19431
19451
19704

Species most often involved in Iraq

SpeciesRecorded incidents
Bull Shark5

Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.

Activities most associated with incidents

  • Swimming4
  • Swimming in section of river used for washing clothes & cooking utensils1
  • Washing clothes on stairs1
  • Washing cooking pans1
  • Swimming naked near a date palm where many dates fell into the water1

Recent recorded incidents in Iraq

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many shark attacks have been recorded in Iraq?
The Global Shark Attack File records 12 shark attacks in Iraq, of which 3 were fatal.
What is the shark attack fatality rate in Iraq?
25.0% of recorded shark attacks in Iraq are fatal, compared with a global average of 21.2%.
Which shark species are most often involved in attacks in Iraq?
Based on incident records, the species most frequently identified in Iraq attacks are Bull Shark.
What activities are most associated with shark attacks in Iraq?
Swimming accounts for the largest share of recorded incidents in Iraq, with 4 cases logged.
Where does this shark attack data come from?
All figures are derived from the Global Shark Attack File (GSAF), a non-profit database of shark-human incident records. Shark Data Lab cleans, geocodes, and aggregates the GSAF dataset for analysis.