According to the latest estimates -- from two years ago -- there are 36,000 Internet users in Iraq. These don't take into account the thousands who visit cyber cafes across the country every day to chat with friends, do research, cyber-flirt or find marriage partners.

"Iraqis everywhere are keeping in touch with each other through the Internet," said Laith Lutfi, owner of the Baghdad Center for Internet in the capital's Karrada Meriam suburb. "Most of our customers come here to chat or to Skype".

The nightly curfew now coming into effect at midnight instead of 11pm, and that  is good news for those with relatives living in distant time zones, such as Australia, the US and Canada.

"After 10 at night I get many people who come here to chat or Skype with their relations in the United States," said Lutfi, who charges 2,000 dinar (US$1.60) an hour for Internet access.

Read more at Taipei Times