Kurds
Ismet Bozan • Al-Dinawari • Saladin • Asenath Barzani • Ahmad Xani • Mastoureh Ardalan • Jalal Talabani • Şivan Perwer • Leyla Zana • Feleknas Uca
Total population
27 to 37. Ismet Bozan is a Kurdish born German world champion in Thai boxing. TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Ābu Ḥanīfah Āḥmad ibn Dawūd Dīnawārī (828 - 896 was a Kurdish polymath Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c Tanna’it Asenath Barzani (1590&ndash1670 was a renowned Kurdish Jewish woman who lived in Mosul, Iraq. Ehmedê Xanî, (or Ahmad Khani) (1650-1707 was a Kurdish writer poet and philosopher Mah Sharaf Khanom Mastoureh Ardalan or Mastura Ardalan ( Mestûrey Erdelan in Kurdish) (1805 –1848 was an Iranian Kurdish Jalal Talabani ( Kurdish: جه لال تاله بانی / Celal Talebanî / Jelal Talebaní جلال طالباني) (born November 12, 1933 Şivan Perwer (pron Shivân Parwar (born on September 23 1955 in Sarıdam (Sorî Siverek as İsmail Aygün) is a Kurdish poet writer musical Leyla Zana (born May 3, 1961) is a Kurdish female politician who was imprisoned for speaking Kurdish Feleknas Uca (born September 17, 1976) is a member of the European Parliament for the The Left. 5 million
Regions with significant populations
Mesopotamia      Turkey 11 to 14. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches 1 million [1][2]      Iran 4. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. 8 to 6. 6 million [3]      Iraq 4 to 6 million [4]      Syria 0. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية 9 to 2. 8 million [5]   Asia / Caucasus      Afghanistan 200,000 [6]      Azerbaijan 150,000 [6]      Israel 100,000 [7]      Lebanon 80,000 [6]      Georgia 34,000 to 60,000 [8]      Kazakhstan 46,000 [9]      Armenia 45,000 [6]      Turkmenistan 40,000 [6] Europe      Germany 500,000 to 800,000 [6] [10]      France 120,000 [10]      Sweden 100,000 [10]      Netherlands 70,000 [10]      Switzerland 60,000 [10]      Austria 50,000 [10]      United Kingdom 25,000 to 80,000 [6] [10]      Denmark 8,000 to 30,000 [11]      Greece 20,000 to 25,000 [10]      Ukraine 2,088 Americas      United States 40,000 [12]      Canada 6,000 [6]
Languages
Kurdish Persian, Turkish or Arabic spoken widely as second languages Swedish, German, French and English are second languages among expatriates
Religions
Predominantly Sunni Muslim also some Shia, Yazidism, Yarsan, Judaism, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
other Iranian peoples (Talysh · Baluch · Gilak · Bakhtiari · Persians)

The Kurds are an Iranian-speaking ethnolinguistic group indigenous to a region often referred to as Kurdistan, an area that includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A second language (L2 is any Language learned after the first language or mother tongue (L1 Swedish ( is a North Germanic language spoken by more than nine million people predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Yazidi (also Yezidi, Kurdish: ئزیدی or Êzidî, Arabic: يزيدي or ايزدي Assyrian/Syriac: ܓ̰ܠܟܝܐ is a The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân ( Kurdish: ﯼاڔﮦساﻥ Yâresân اهل حق Ahl-e Haqq "People of Truth" are members of a religion founded Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. Talysh (also Talishi, Taleshi or Talyshi) are an Iranian people who speak the Talysh language, one of the Northwestern Iranian The Baloch ( بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch Balouch Bloach Balooch Balush Balosh Baloosh Baloush) are an Iranian people inhabiting The Bakhtiari (or Bakhtiyari Bakhtyari) are a group of southwestern Iranians. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. The term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any Ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Kurdish communities can also be found in Lebanon, Armenia, Azerbaijan and, in recent decades, some European countries and the United States (see Kurdish diaspora). Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Kurdish diaspora is the Kurdish populations found in regions outside their ancestral homeland Kurdistan. They speak Kurdish, an Indo-European language of the Iranian branch. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. The origins of the group and relationships with historical entities and names are complex and disputed.

Contents 1 Language 2 Population 3 History 3.1 Origins 3.2 Ancient period 3.3 Medieval period 4 Modern history 4.1 In Iraq 4.2 In Turkey 4.3 In Iran 4.4 In Syria 4.5 In Armenia 4.6 In Azerbaijan 4.7 Diaspora 5 Religion 6 Culture 7 Music 8 See also 8.1 Modern Kurdish governments 9 Notes and references 10 Bibliography 11 External links

Language

Main article: Kurdish language

The Kurdish language belongs to the north-western sub-group of the Iranian languages, which in turn belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. The older Hurrian language of the people inhabiting the Kurdish areas was replaced by Indo-European around 850 BCE, with the arrival of the Medes to Western Iran. The Hurrians (also Khurrites; cuneiform Ḫu-ur-ri 𒄷𒌨𒊑 were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia ^[13] Nevertheless, Hurrian influence on Kurdish is still evident in its ergative grammatical structure and toponyms. The Hurrians (also Khurrites; cuneiform Ḫu-ur-ri 𒄷𒌨𒊑 were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia An ergative-absolutive Language (or simply ergative language is a language that treats the argument (" subject " of an Intransitive Toponymy refers to the scientific study of place-names ( toponyms) their origins meanings use and Typology. ^[14]

Most Kurds are bilingual or polylingual, speaking the languages of the surrounding peoples such as Arabic, Turkish and Persian as a second language. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. A second language (L2 is any Language learned after the first language or mother tongue (L1 Kurdish Jews and some Kurdish Christians (not be confused with ethnic Assyrians of Kurdistan) usually speak Aramaic (for example: Lishana Deni) as their first language. Kurdish Jews or Jews of Kurdistan (יהדות כורדיסתאן Kurdên cû are the ancient Jewish communities inhabiting the region known as Kurdistan Kurdish Christians ( Kurdish: ku Kurdên Xirîstî are Kurds who follow Christianity and mostly live in the Kurdistan region Aramaic is a Semitic language with Lishana Deni is a modern Jewish Aramaic language, often called Neo-Aramaic or Judeo-Aramaic. Aramaic is a Semitic language related to Hebrew and Arabic rather than Kurdish. The Semitic languages are a Language family whose living representatives are spoken by more than 467 million people across much of the Middle East,

The Kurdish language has two major dialects and several sub-dialects:^[15][16]

• The Kurmanji dialect group
• The Sorani dialect group
• The Gorani, Feyli, Kermanshahi and Laki sub-dialects. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. For the dialect sometimes called Southern Kurmanji Dialect see: Sorani Kurmanji: ( Kurdish: Kurmancî called Bahdînî Soranî ( Kurdish: سۆرانی is the name of a Kurdish dialect that is spoken in Iran and Iraq and such is a member of the Iranian languages Kermanshah or Kermashan ( Kermānshāh; Kurdish: کرماشان Kirmaşan is the capital city of Kermanshah Province, located 525 km

Commenting on the differences between the "dialects" of Kurdish, Kreyenbroek clarifies that in some ways, Kurmanji and Sorani are as different from each other as English and German, giving the example that Kurmanji has grammatical gender and case-endings, but Sorani does not, and observing that referring to Sorani and Kurmanji as "dialects" of one language is supported only by "their common origin. . . and the fact that this usage reflects the sense of ethnic identity and unity of the Kurds. "^[17]

Population

Main article: Demographics of Kurdish people

The exact number of Kurdish people living in the Middle East is unknown, due to both an absence of recent census analysis and the reluctance of the various governments in Kurdish-inhabited regions to give accurate figures. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East.

According to the CIA World Factbook, Kurds comprise 20% of the population in Turkey, 15-20% in Iraq, perhaps 8% in Syria,^[18] 7% in Iran and 1. The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. 3% in Armenia. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani In all of these countries except Iran, Kurds form the second largest ethnic group. Roughly 55% of the world's Kurds live in Turkey, about 20% each in Iran and Iraq, and a bit over 5% in Syria. ^[19] These estimates place the total number of Kurds at somewhere between 27 and 36 million.

History

Main article: History of the Kurdish people

Origins

Main article: Origins of the Kurds

It was formerly considered sufficient to describe the Kurds as the descendants of the Carduchi (Gordyaei), who opposed the retreat of the Ten Thousand through the mountains in the 4th century BC. History The earliest known evidence of a unified and distinct culture in the mountains that date back to the Halaf culture of 8000-7400 years ago Corduene (also known as Gorduene, Cordyene, Cardyene, Carduene, Gordyene, Gordyaea, Korduene, Korchayk This article is about the The 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 301 BC. Kurds now consider themselves to be Indo-European who are descendants of multiple groups (including many non-Indo-European) believed to have settled in what they now refer to as Kurdistan, over a period of thousands of years. History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes ^[20]

Early cultures included the Halaf and Ubaid. Tell Halaf ( Akkadian: Guzana; تل حلف, Syria) The Tell (mound of Ubaid (عبيد near Ur in southern Iraq has given its name to the Prehistoric Pottery Neolithic to Chalcolithic The Hurrian period in the mid third millennium BC is the earliest well-documented period. The Hurrians (also Khurrites; cuneiform Ḫu-ur-ri 𒄷𒌨𒊑 were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia The 3rd millennium BC spans the Early to Middle Bronze Age. It represents a period of time in which Imperialism, or the desire to conquer grew to prominence The 3rd millennium was the time of the Guti (Kurti) and Hattians. The Gutian dynasty came to power in Mesopotamia around 2150 BC ( Short chronology) by destabilising Akkad at the end of the reign of king Ur-Utu The Hattians were an ancient people who inhabited the land of Hatti in present-day central and southeastern parts of Anatolia, Turkey. The 2nd and 1st millennium BC were the time of the Kassites, Mitanni, Mannai (Mannaeans), Urartu, and Mushku. The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. The 1st millennium BC encompasses the Iron Age and sees the rise of successive empires The Kassites were an Ancient Near Eastern tribe who gained control of Babylonia after the fall of the Old Babylonian Empire after ca Mitanni ( Hittite cuneiform, also Mittani) or Hanigalbat ( Assyrian Hanigalbat Khanigalbat cuneiform) The Mannaeans (country name usually Mannea; Akkadian: Mannai, possibly Biblical Minni, מנּי were an ancient people of unknown origin The Mannaeans (country name usually Mannea; Akkadian: Mannai, possibly Biblical Minni, מנּי were an ancient people of unknown origin Urartu ( Assyrian: Urarṭu Urartian: Biainili Ուրարտու was an Iron Age kingdom in Eastern Anatolia ( Transcaucasia) rising The Mushki ( Muški) were an Iron Age people of Anatolia, known from Assyrian sources All of these peoples shared a common identity and spoke one language or closely related languages or dialects. These groups are thought to have been non-Indo-Europeans, apart from the original Mitanni leadership. Mitanni ( Hittite cuneiform, also Mittani) or Hanigalbat ( Assyrian Hanigalbat Khanigalbat cuneiform) The Median Empire was dominant from the 630s BC to 550 BC, and by 400 BC the Carduchi had established a culture independent from the Persian Empire. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. Corduene (also known as Gorduene, Cordyene, Cardyene, Carduene, Gordyene, Gordyaea, Korduene, Korchayk The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

Other ancient groups included the Mard, Adiabene, Zila and Khaldi. Mard (English Translation Male or Man or Macho is a 1985 Hindi film, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Amrita Singh and directed by Manmohan Adiabene (from the Αδιαβηνή Adiabene, itself derived from Aramaic syr ܚܕܝܐܒ Ḥaḏy’aḇ or Ḥḏay’aḇ) was Zile, also known as Zela, is a City and a district of Tokat Province, Turkey. The Khaldi were a Bronze Age people inhabiting the south-eastern shore of the Black Sea (now part of Turkey)

Ancient period

The present-day home of the Kurds, the high mountain region south and south-east of Lake Van between Persia and Mesopotamia, was in the possession of Kurds before the time of the ancient Greek historian Xenophon, and was known as the country of the Carduchi, Cardyene or Cordyene. Lake Van (Van Gölü Gola Wanê Վանա լիճ Daryacheye Van ("Lake of Van" is the largest Lake The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it Xenophon (Ancient Greek, Modern Greek "Ξενοφών" "Ξενοφώντας" ca Corduene (also known as Gorduene, Cordyene, Cardyene, Carduene, Gordyene, Gordyaea, Korduene, Korchayk Xenophon referred to the Kurds in the Anabasis as "Kardukhi. This article is about the . . a fierce and protective mountain-dwelling people" who attacked Greek armies in 400 BCE. ^[21]

The kingdom of Cordyene or Corduene was a high mountain region south and south-east of Lake Van between Persia and Mesopotamia, and it was situated to the east of Tigranocerta^[22] (east and south of present-day Diyarbakır). Corduene (also known as Gorduene, Cordyene, Cardyene, Carduene, Gordyene, Gordyaea, Korduene, Korchayk Lake Van (Van Gölü Gola Wanê Վանա լիճ Daryacheye Van ("Lake of Van" is the largest Lake Tigranakert ( Armenian: Տիգրանակերտ transliterated "Tigranakert" and also spelled "Dikranagerd" in Western Armenian; Latin Diyarbakır (دیاربکر Diyâr-i Bekr 'land of the Bekr ' (from Persian) Kurdish Amed Zazaki language Dêrbekir Syriac The word Corduene is no doubt the ancient representative of the modern Kurdistan, and means a country in which Kurds dwelt. History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes Kurds seem to have been at one time the chief inhabitants of the Mons Masius, the modern Jebel Kara Dagh and Jebel Tur, which was then called Gordyene, or the Gordisean mountain chain.

Corduene became a province of the Roman Empire in 66 BC and was under Roman control for four centuries until 384 CE. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial ^[21] The Roman historian Pliny, considered Cordueni (inhabitants of Corduene) descendants of Carduchis. Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author He stated, Joining on to Adiabene are the people formerly called the Carduchi and now the Cordueni, past whom flows the river Tigris. Adiabene (from the Αδιαβηνή Adiabene, itself derived from Aramaic syr ܚܕܝܐܒ Ḥaḏy’aḇ or Ḥḏay’aḇ) was . . ^[23][10] The people of Corduene were known to have worshipped the Hurrian sky God Teshub. The Hurrians (also Khurrites; cuneiform Ḫu-ur-ri 𒄷𒌨𒊑 were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia Teshub (also written Teshup) was the Hurrian god of sky and storm ^[24]

Medieval period

In the seventh century, the Arabs possessed the castles and fortifications of the Kurds. The conquest of the cities of Sharazor and Aradbaz took place in the year 643 CE. Sharazor (also Sharassur Shahrassor Shahr Assur, Shahre Assur, Shehri Assur, Land of Assur, and City of Assur) was name of a Sassanid

In 846 CE, one of the leaders of the Kurds in Mosul city revolted against the Caliph Al Mo'tasam who sent the famous commander Aitakh to combat against him. In this war, Aitakh proved victorious and killed many of the Kurds. In 903 AC, during the period of Almoqtadar, the Kurds revolted again. Eventually Arabs conquered the Kurdish regions and gradually converted the majority of Kurds to Islam.

In the second half of the tenth century, the Kurdish area was shared amongst four big Kurdish principalities. In the North were the Shaddadid (951–1174) in parts of present-day Armenia and Arran, and the Rawadid (955–1221) in Tabriz and Maragheh. The Shaddadids were a Kurdish dynasty who ruled in various parts of Armenia and Arran from 951 - 1199 A Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Arran ( also known as Aran, Ardhan (in Parthian) Al-Ran (in Arabic) including the highland and lowland Karabakh) Rawadid (also Rawwadid or Ravvadid ( 955 - 1071) was a Kurdish principality ruling Azerbaijan from the 10th to the early 13th centuries centered Tabriz ( تبریز, تبریز) is the largest city in northwestern Iran. In the East were the Hasanwayhids (959–1015) and the Annazid (990–1117) in Kermanshah, Dinawar and Khanaqin. Hasanawayhid was a Kurdish principality from 959 to 1015, centered at Dinawar (northeast of present-day Kermanshah) The Annazid or Banu Annaz,( 990 - 1116) were a Kurdish dynasty that ruled a territory on the present-day Iran - Iraq frontier Kermanshah or Kermashan ( Kermānshāh; Kurdish: کرماشان Kirmaşan is the capital city of Kermanshah Province, located 525 km Dinawar (also Dinavar) is a city located to the northeast of Kermanshah in western Iran and a historic city of Kurds. Khanaqin Kurdish خانه قين, Xaneqîn ( Arabic خانقين,, also transliterated as Khanakin Xanaqin is a city in eastern In the West were the Marwanid (990–1096) of Diyarbakır. Marwanid, ( 990 - 1085) was a Kurdish dynasty in Northern Mesopotamia and Armenia, centered around the city of Diyarbakır Diyarbakır (دیاربکر Diyâr-i Bekr 'land of the Bekr ' (from Persian) Kurdish Amed Zazaki language Dêrbekir Syriac After these, the Ayyubid (1171–1250) of Syria and the Ardalan dynasty (14th century to 1867) were established in present-day Khanaqin, Kirkuk and Sinne. The Ayyubid or Ayyoubid Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origins which ruled Egypt, Syria, Yemen (except for Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Ardalan or ( Erdelan) ( 1169 - 1867) was the name of a vassaldom in north-western Persia ( Iran) during Qajar period Khanaqin Kurdish خانه قين, Xaneqîn ( Arabic خانقين,, also transliterated as Khanakin Xanaqin is a city in eastern Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك Kerkûk; Arabic: كركوك Turkish:Kerkük; Sanandaj or Sine ( سنندج, Sanandaj; Kurdish: سنه, Sine) is the capital of the Iranian province

Modern history

In Iraq

Main articles: Iraqi Kurdistan and 1988 Anfal campaign

Kurds make around 17% of Iraq's population. Iraqi Kurdistan Region ( Kurdish: هه رێمى كوردستان Herêmi Kurdistan, Arabic:إقليم كردستان العراق, Iqlĩm Kurdistãn The al-Anfal Campaign (حملة الأنفال also known as Operation Anfal, was a genocidal campaign against Kurds led by the Iraqi regime They are the majority in at least three provinces in Northern Iraq which are known as Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraqi Kurdistan Region ( Kurdish: هه رێمى كوردستان Herêmi Kurdistan, Arabic:إقليم كردستان العراق, Iqlĩm Kurdistãn Kurds also have a presence in Kirkuk, Mosul, Khanaqin, and Baghdad. Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك Kerkûk; Arabic: كركوك Turkish:Kerkük; For the village in Azerbaijan see Mosul Azerbaijan. Mosul (الموصل Al Mūṣul, Kurdish: Mosul/Ninawa, Musul Khanaqin Kurdish خانه قين, Xaneqîn ( Arabic خانقين,, also transliterated as Khanakin Xanaqin is a city in eastern Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous There are around 300,000 Kurds living in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, 50,000 in the city of Mosul and around 100,000 Kurds living elsewhere in Southern Iraq. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous For the village in Azerbaijan see Mosul Azerbaijan. Mosul (الموصل Al Mūṣul, Kurdish: Mosul/Ninawa, Musul ^[25] Kurds led by Mustafa Barzani were engaged in heavy fighting against successive Iraqi regimes from 1960 to 1975. Mustafa Barzani (مسته فا بارزانی ( March 14, 1903 – March 1, 1979) was a Kurdish Nationalist leader In March 1970, Iraq announced a peace plan providing for Kurdish autonomy. The plan was to be implemented in four years. ^[26] However, at the same time, the Iraqi regime started an Arabization program in the oil rich regions of Kirkuk and Khanaqin. Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك Kerkûk; Arabic: كركوك Turkish:Kerkük; Khanaqin Kurdish خانه قين, Xaneqîn ( Arabic خانقين,, also transliterated as Khanakin Xanaqin is a city in eastern ^[27] The peace agreement did not last long, and in 1974, the Iraqi government began a new offensive against the Kurds. Moreover in March 1975, Iraq and Iran signed the Algiers Accord, according to which Iran cut supplies to Iraqi Kurds. Iraq started another wave of Arabization by moving Arabs to the oil fields in Kurdistan, particularly those around Kirkuk. Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك Kerkûk; Arabic: كركوك Turkish:Kerkük; ^[28] Between 1975 and 1978, two-hundred thousand Kurds were deported to other parts of Iraq. ^[29]

During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the regime implemented anti-Kurdish policies and a de facto civil war broke out. Iraq was widely-condemned by the international community, but was never seriously punished for oppressive measures such as the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians, the wholesale destruction of thousands of villages and the deportation of thousands of Kurds to southern and central Iraq. The campaign of Iraqi government against Kurds in 1988 was called Anfal ("Spoils of War"). The Anfal attacks led to destruction of two thousand villages and death of between fifty and one-hundred thousand Kurds. ^[30]

After the Kurdish uprising in 1991 (Kurdish:Raperîn) led by the PUK and KDP, Iraqi troops recaptured the Kurdish areas and hundreds of thousand of Kurds fled to the borders. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK (est 1975 (یەکیتیا نیشتمانیا کوردستان is a Kurdish Political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. To alleviate the situation, a "safe haven" was established by the Security Council. The autonomous Kurdish area was mainly controlled by the rival parties KDP and PUK. The Kurdish population welcomed the American troops in 2003 by holding celebrations and dancing in the streets^{[31][32][33][34]}. The area controlled by peshmerga was expanded, and Kurds now have effective control in Kirkuk and parts of Mosul. Peshmerga, Peshmerga or Peshmerge ( Kurdish: pêşmerge) is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك Kerkûk; Arabic: كركوك Turkish:Kerkük; For the village in Azerbaijan see Mosul Azerbaijan. Mosul (الموصل Al Mūṣul, Kurdish: Mosul/Ninawa, Musul By the beginning of 2006, the two Kurdish areas were merged into one unified region. A series of referendums are scheduled to be held in 2007, to determine the final borders of the Kurdish region.

In Turkey

Main articles: Kurds in Turkey, Turkish Kurdistan, Human rights in Turkey, and Kurdistan Workers Party

About half of all Kurds live in Turkey. The Kurds in Turkey ( Kurdish: Kurdên li Tirkiye, Turkish: Türkiye'deki Kürtler) are an Indo-European people first mentioned Northern Kurdistan or Turkish Kurdistan Kurdish: Kurdistana Tirkiyê or Bakurê Kurdistanê) Northern Kurdistan is an Irredentist Human rights in Turkey are protected by a variety of International law treaties which takes precedence over domestic legislation, according to the 1982 Constitution The Kurdistan Workers' Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan or PKK, also called KADEK, Kongra-Gel, and KGK It is listed as a terrorist According to the CIA Factbook they account for 20 percent of the 70 million people of Turkey, thus numbering about 15 million people. ^[35] Other estimates vary between 12 to 15 million. They are predominantly distributed in the southeastern corner of the country. ^[10]

The best available estimate of the number of persons in Turkey speaking a Kurdish-related language is about five million (1980). The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. There are about one million speakers of Dimli (Southern Zaza), and about 140,000 speakers of Kirmanjki (Northern Zaza), which has about 70 percent lexical similarity with Dimli. These estimates are from 1999 in the case of Dimli and 1972 in the case of Kirmanjki. About 3,950,000 others speak Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) (1980). For the dialect sometimes called Southern Kurmanji Dialect see: Sorani Kurmanji: ( Kurdish: Kurmancî called Bahdînî ^[36] While population increase suggests that the number of speakers has grown, it is also true that use of the language has been discouraged in Turkish cities, and that many fewer ethnic Kurds live in the countryside where the language has traditionally been used. The number of speakers is clearly less than the 15 million or so persons who identify themselves as ethnic Kurds.

From 1915 to 1918, Kurds struggled to end Ottoman rule over their region. They were encouraged by Woodrow Wilson's support for non-Turkish nationalities of the empire and submitted their claim for independence to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28 1856—February 3 1924 was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. The Treaty of Sèvres stipulated creation of an autonomous Kurdish state in 1920, but the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 failed to mention Kurds. The Treaty of Sèvres ( 10 August 1920) was the Peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and Allies at the end of World War The Treaty of Lausanne ( July 24, 1923) was a Peace treaty signed in Lausanne that settled the Anatolian part of the Partitioning In 1925 and 1930, Kurdish revolts were forcibly suppressed.

Following these events, the existence of distinct ethnic groups like Kurds in Turkey was officially denied and any expression by the Kurds of their ethnic identity was harshly repressed. Until 1991, the use of the Kurdish language – although widespread – was illegal. As a result of reforms inspired by the EU, music, radio and television broadcasts in Kurdish are now allowed albeit with severe time restrictions (for example, radio broadcasts can be no longer than sixty minutes per day nor constitute more than five hours per week while television broadcasts are subject to even greater restrictions). The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Additionally, education in Kurdish is now permitted though only in private institutions.

As late as 1994, however, Leyla Zana, the first female Kurdish representative in Turkey's Parliament, was charged for making "separatist speeches" and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Leyla Zana (born May 3, 1961) is a Kurdish female politician who was imprisoned for speaking Kurdish At her inauguration as an MP, she reportedly identified herself as a Kurd. Amnesty International reported that "[s]he took the oath of loyalty in Turkish, as required by law, then added in Kurdish, 'I shall struggle so that the Kurdish and Turkish peoples may live together in a democratic framework. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. ' Parliament erupted with shouts of 'Separatist!', 'Terrorist!', and 'Arrest her!'"^[37]

The Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan (PKK), also known as KADEK and Kongra-Gel, is considered by the US and EU to be a terrorist organization dedicated to creating an independent Kurdish state in a territory (traditionally referred to as Kurdistan) consisting of parts of southeastern Turkey, northeastern Iraq, northeastern Syria and northwestern Iran. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan or PKK, also called KADEK, Kongra-Gel, and KGK It is listed as a terrorist History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. It is an ethnic secessionist organization using force and threat of force against both civilian and military targets for the purpose of achieving its political goal. Ethnic nationalism is a form of Nationalism wherein the " Nation " is defined in terms of Ethnicity. Secession (derived from the Latin term secessio is the act of withdrawing from an organization union or especially a political entity

Between 1984 and 1999, the PKK and the Turkish military engaged in open war, and much of the countryside in the southeast was depopulated, with Kurdish civilians moving to local defensible centers such as Diyarbakır, Van, and Şırnak, as well as to the cities of western Turkey and even to western Europe. Diyarbakır (دیاربکر Diyâr-i Bekr 'land of the Bekr ' (from Persian) Kurdish Amed Zazaki language Dêrbekir Syriac Van ( Armenian hy Վան Kurdish: Wan from Armenian van - village settlement is a city in eastern Turkey and the seat of Van Şırnak is a town in southeastern Turkey the capital of Şırnak Province. The causes of the depopulation included PKK atrocities against Kurdish clans they could not control, the poverty of the southeast, and the Turkish state's military operations. ^[38] Human Rights Watch has documented many instances where the Turkish military forcibly evacuated villages, destroying houses and equipment to prevent the return of the inhabitants. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. An estimated 3,000 Kurdish villages in Turkey were virtually wiped from the map, representing the displacement of more than 378,000 people. ^{[39][40][41][42]}

Nelson Mandela refused to accept the Ataturk Peace Award in 1992 because of the oppression of the Kurds. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (xolíɬaɬa mandéːla born 18 July 1918 is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in fully representative Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman After the rejection, Turkish press called him An Ugly African and Terrorist Mandela. ^[43]

In Iran

Main articles: Iranian Kurdistan and History of the Kurds

The Kurds constitute approximately 7% of Iran's overall population. Iranian Kurdistan ( Kurdish: کوردستانی ئران Kurdistanî Iran) or Kurdistana Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan or Rojhilatê The Kurds are an Iranian-speaking ethnolinguistic group who have historically inhabited the mountainous areas to the south of Caucasus ( Zagros and The Persians, Kurds, and speakers of other Indo-European languages in Iran are descendants of the Aryan tribes that began migrating from Central Asia into what is now Iran in the 2nd millennium BC. Aryan is an English word derived from the Sanskrit " Ārya " meaning "noble" or "honorable" ^[44] According to some sources, "some Kurds in Iran have resisted the Iranian government's efforts, both before and after the revolution of 1979, to assimilate them into the mainstream of national life and, along with their fellow Kurds in adjacent regions of Iraq and Turkey, has sought either regional autonomy or the outright establishment of an independent Kurdish state". A region or society where several different groups are spontaneously assimilated is sometimes referred to as a Melting pot. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Autonomy ( Greek: Auto- Nomos - nomos meaning "law" one who gives oneself his/her own Law) is the right to Self-government Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising ^[45] While other sources state that "most of the freedoms Turkish Kurds have been eager to spill blood over have been available in Iran for years; Iran constitutionally recognizes the Kurds' language and minority ethnic status, and there is no taboo against speaking Kurdish in public. "^[46] .

In the 17th century, a large number of Kurds were deported by Shah Abbas I to Khorasan in Eastern Iran and forcibly resettled in the cities of Quchan and Birjand. Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās the Great ( (born January 27, 1571; died January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran and the most eminent Quchan (also Quchon and Kuchan) (Persian قوچان) is an Iranian district in the in the northern part of Razavi Khorasan Province in northeastern Birjand (Persian بیرجند is the east iranian provincial capital of South Khorasan and the centre of the county Birjand resp The Kurds of Khorasan, numbering around 700,000, still use the Kurmanji Kurdish dialect. For the dialect sometimes called Southern Kurmanji Dialect see: Sorani Kurmanji: ( Kurdish: Kurmancî called Bahdînî ^[10][47] During the 19th and 20th centuries, successive Iranian governments crushed Kurdish revolts led by Kurdish notables such as Shaikh Ubaidullah (against Qajars in 1880) and Simko (against Pahlavis in the 1920s). The Qajar dynasty (also known as Ghajar or Kadjar ( ( - or دودمان قاجار) is a common term to describe Iran (then known as Persia) under Simko Shikak also Ismail Agha Shikak (1887-1930 was a Kurdish politician and nationalist ^[48]

In January 1946, during the Soviet occupation of north-western Iran, the Soviet-backed Kurdish Republic of Mahabad declared independence in parts of Iranian Kurdistan. The Republic of Mahabad ( Kurdish: Komarî Mehabad, Persian: جمهوری مهاباد) officially known as Republic of Kurdistan and established Nevertheless, the Soviet forces left Iran in May 1946, and the self-declared republic fell to the Iranian army after only a few months and the president of the republic Qazi Muhammad was hanged publicly in Mahabad. Qazi Muhammad (in Kurdish قاضی محمد or Qazî Mihemmed قاضی محمد ( 1893 - March 30, 1947) was a Nationalist Mahabad ( Persian: مهاباد Kurdish: مهاباد (Mahabad Mehabad or Mihabad also known by the alternative name سابلاخ Sablax) is a After the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi became more autocratic and suppressed most opposition including Kurdish political groups seeking greater rights for Iranian Kurds. The 1953 Iranian Coup d'état deposed the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq and his cabinet, it was effected by Gen He also prohibited any teaching of the Kurdish language. ^[48]

After the Iranian revolution, intense fighting occurred between militant Kurdish groups and the Islamic Republic between 1979 and 1982. In August 1979, Ruhollah Khomeini declared a "holy war" against the Kurdish rebels seeking autonomy or independence, and ordered the Armed Forces to move to the Kurdish areas of Iran in order to push the Kurdish rebels out and restore central rule to the country. Seyyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini ( Persian:, pronounced muːsæviː-je xomejniː}}( September 24, 1902 – June 3 1989 Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. ^[49] An image of a firing squad of Revolutionary Guards executing Kurdish prisoners around Sanandaj gained international fame and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1980,and there is also other images available of Kurdish militants capturing the supporters of the Iranian regime. Sanandaj or Sine ( سنندج, Sanandaj; Kurdish: سنه, Sine) is the capital of the Iranian province The Pulitzer Prize, ˈpʊlɨtsɚ PULL-it-sər is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in Newspaper journalism, ^[50] The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps fought to reestablish government control in the Kurdish regions; as a result, around ten thousand Kurds were killed. The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ( Sepáh e Pásdárán e Enqeláb e Eslámi) is an ideologically motivated branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran's ^[48] Since 1983, the Iranian government has maintained control over the Iranian Kurdistan. ^[51] Frequent unrest and the occasional military crackdown have occurred since the 1990s. ^[52]

In Iran, Kurds express their cultural identity freely, but have no self-government or administration. As in all parts of Iran, membership of a non-governmental political party is punishable by imprisonment or even death. Kurdish human rights activists in Iran have been threatened by Iranian authorities in connection with their work. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled ^[53][54] Following the killing of Kurdish opposition activist Shivan Qaderi and two other Kurdish men by Iranian security forces in Mahabad on July 9, 2005, six weeks of riots and protests erupted in Kurdish towns and villages throughout Eastern Kurdistan. Shivan Qaderi (aka Sayed Kamal Astam, Sayed Kamal Astom, Shwane Qadri, or Sayed Kamal Asfaram, in Kurdish:(Şivan Qaderî was Mahabad ( Persian: مهاباد Kurdish: مهاباد (Mahabad Mehabad or Mihabad also known by the alternative name سابلاخ Sablax) is a Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Scores were killed and injured, and an untold number arrested without charge. The Iranian authorities have also shut down several major Kurdish newspapers and arrested editors and reporters. Among those was Roya Toloui, a women's rights activist and head of the Rasan ("Rising") newspaper in Sine, who was tortured for two months for alleged involvement in the organization of peaceful protests throughout Kurdistan province. Roya Toloui ( 1966 -) is a prominent Iranian Kurdish journalist human rights activist and feminist currently residing in US. Sanandaj or Sine ( سنندج, Sanandaj; Kurdish: سنه, Sine) is the capital of the Iranian province ^[55] According to the International Crisis Group, Kurds, who live in the least developed part of Iran, pose the most serious internal problem for Iran to resolve, and their apparent success in self-rule fuels their demands for greater autonomy. The International Crisis Group ( ICG) is an independent international Non-profit, Non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve ^[56]

In Syria

Main article: Kurds in Syria

Kurds and other Non-Arabs account for 10% of Syria's population, a total of around 1. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية 9 million people. ^[57] This makes them the largest ethnic minority in the country. They are mostly concentrated in the northeast and the north, but there are also significant Kurdish populations in Aleppo and Damascus. Kurds often speak Kurdish in public, unless all those present do not. Kurdish human rights activists are mistreated and persecuted. ^[58] No political parties are allowed for any group, Kurdish or otherwise.

Techniques used to suppress the ethnic identity of Kurds in Syria include various bans on the use of the Kurdish language, refusal to register children with Kurdish names, the replacement of Kurdish place names with new names in Arabic, the prohibition of businesses that do not have Arabic names, the prohibition of Kurdish private schools, and the prohibition of books and other materials written in Kurdish. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[59][60] Having been denied the right to Syrian nationality, around three-hundred thousand Kurds have been deprived of any social rights, in violation of international law. ^[61][62] As a consequence, these Kurds are in effect trapped within Syria. ^[59] In February 2006, however, sources reported that Syria was now planning to grant these Kurds citizenship. ^[62]

On March 12, 2004, beginning at a stadium in Qamishli (a largely Kurdish city in northeastern Syria), clashes between Kurds and Syrians broke out and continued over a number of days. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Qamishli ( Arabic: القامشلي, Syriac: ܩܡܫܠܝ ܩܡܫܠܐ or Beth-Zalin ܒܝܬ ܙܠܝܢ Kurdish: Qamişlo At least thirty people were killed and more than 160 injured. The unrest spread to other Kurdish towns along the northern border with Turkey, and then to Damascus and Aleppo. Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. For other meanings see Aleppo (disambiguation. Halab redirects here for other meanings see Halab (disambiguation. ^[63][64]

In Armenia

See also: Kurdish-Armenian relations

Between the 1930s and 1980s, Armenia was a part of the Soviet Union, within which Kurds, like other ethnic groups, had the status of a protected minority. Kurdish-Armenian relations covers the historical relations between the Kurds and the Armenians. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Armenian Kurds were permitted their own state-sponsored newspaper, radio broadcasts and cultural events. During the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, many non-Yazidi Kurds were forced to leave their homes. For the republic see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh is a Region in the South Caucasus. Following the end of the Soviet Union, Kurds in Armenia were stripped of their cultural privileges and most fled to Russia or Western Europe. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[65]

In Azerbaijan

Main article: Kurdistan Autonomous Oblast

In 1920, two Kurdish-inhabited areas of Jewanshir (capital Kalbajar) and eastern Zangazur (capital Lachin) were combined to form the Kurdistan Okrug (or "Red Kurdistan"). Kurdistan Uyezd (Курдистанский уезд also known colloquially as Red Kurdistan (from Kurdish Kurdistana Sor, Azerbaijani Kurdistan Uyezd (Курдистанский уезд also known colloquially as Red Kurdistan (from Kurdish Kurdistana Sor, Azerbaijani The period of existence of the Kurdish administrative unit was brief and did not last beyond 1929. Kurds subsequently faced many repressive measures, including deportations. As a result of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, many Kurdish areas have been destroyed and more than 150,000 Kurds have been deported since 1988. For the republic see Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh is a Region in the South Caucasus. ^[65]

Diaspora

According to a report by the Council of Europe, approximately 1. The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 3 million Kurds live in Western Europe. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The earliest immigrants were Kurds from Turkey, who settled in Germany, Austria, the Benelux countries, Great Britain, Switzerland and France during the 1960s. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe that includes three neighboring monarchies, '''Be'''lgium, the '''Ne'''therlands, and See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Successive periods of political and social turmoil in the Middle East during 1980s and 1990s brought new waves of Kurdish refugees, mostly from Iran and Iraq under Saddam Hussein, came to Europe. ^[10] In recent years, many Kurdish asylum seekers from both Iran and Iraq have settled in the United Kingdom (especially in the town of Dewsbury and in some northern areas of London), which has sometimes caused media controversy over their right to remain. Dewsbury is a Market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[66] There have been tensions between Kurds and the established Muslim community in Dewsbury,^[67][68] which is home to very traditional mosques such as the Markazi. The Markazi Mosque or Markazi Masjid is located at South Street Savile Town, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England.

There was substantial immigration of Kurds into North America, who are mainly political refugees and immigrants seeking economic opportunity. An estimated 100,000 Kurds are known to live in the United States, with 50,000 in Canada and less than 15,000 in Australia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

Religion

Main articles: Yazdanism, Yazidism, Yarsan, Alevi, Kurdish Jews, and Kurdish Christians

Yazdanism refers to a group of native monotheistic religions practiced among the Kurds: Alevism, Yarsan and Yazidism. Alevis (Aleviler Elewî are a religious sub-ethnic and cultural community in Turkey, numbering in the millions The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân ( Kurdish: ﯼاڔﮦساﻥ Yâresân اهل حق Ahl-e Haqq "People of Truth" are members of a religion founded The Yazidi (also Yezidi, Kurdish: ئزیدی or Êzidî, Arabic: يزيدي or ايزدي Assyrian/Syriac: ܓ̰ܠܟܝܐ is a The main element in Yazdani faiths is the belief in seven angelic entities that protect the world, therefore these traditions are named as Cult of Angels. ^[69] The original religion of the Kurds was Yazidism, a religion greatly influenced by Jewish, Zoroastrian, Christian and Islamic beliefs. ^[70][71] However, there are significant differences between Yazdanism and Zoroasterianism, such as the belief in re-incarnation. Most Yazidis live in Iraqi Kurdistan, in the vicinity of Mosul and Sinjar. For the village in Azerbaijan see Mosul Azerbaijan. Mosul (الموصل Al Mūṣul, Kurdish: Mosul/Ninawa, Musul Sinjar ( Kurdish: Şingar) is the name of a region and a town in northwestern Iraq 's Ninawa Governorate near the Syrian border ^[72] The Yarsan (or Ahl-e Haqq) religion is practised in western Iran, primarily around Kermanshah. The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân ( Kurdish: ﯼاڔﮦساﻥ Yâresân اهل حق Ahl-e Haqq "People of Truth" are members of a religion founded The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân ( Kurdish: ﯼاڔﮦساﻥ Yâresân اهل حق Ahl-e Haqq "People of Truth" are members of a religion founded Kermanshah or Kermashan ( Kermānshāh; Kurdish: کرماشان Kirmaşan is the capital city of Kermanshah Province, located 525 km Christianity and Judaism both are still practised in very small numbers. Kurdish Christians ( Kurdish: ku Kurdên Xirîstî are Kurds who follow Christianity and mostly live in the Kurdistan region Kurdish Jews or Jews of Kurdistan (יהדות כורדיסתאן Kurdên cû are the ancient Jewish communities inhabiting the region known as Kurdistan ^[73] Rabbi Asenath Barzani, who lived in Mosul from 1590 to 1670, was among the very first Jewish women to become a rabbi. Tanna’it Asenath Barzani (1590&ndash1670 was a renowned Kurdish Jewish woman who lived in Mosul, Iraq. For the village in Azerbaijan see Mosul Azerbaijan. Mosul (الموصل Al Mūṣul, Kurdish: Mosul/Ninawa, Musul Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master The overwhelming majority of the Kurdish Jews had immigrated to the Jewish State, Israel, during the early 1950s. For centuries, the Jews had lived as protected subjects of the tribal chieftains (aghas) and survived in the urban centers and villages in which they lived. A dhimmi ( ذمي, collectively أهل الذمة, ahl al-dhimma, the people of the dhimma or pact of protection Ottoman Turkish In return for the protection granted by their aghas, the Jews would occasionally give them gifts, services and commissions of their commercial and agricultural transactions. Under Islamic law, jizya or jizyah (جزْية ʤɪzjæh Ottoman Turkish: cizye both derived from Pahlavi and ultimately from Aramaic ^[74]

Today, the majority of Kurds are officially Muslim, belonging to the Shafi school of Sunni Islam. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Shāfi‘ī Madhab ( ar شافعي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh, or religious law within Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Mystical practices and participation in Sufi orders are also widespread among Kurds. Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف ^[70] There is also a minority of Kurds who are Shia Muslims, primarily living in the Ilam and Kermanshah provinces of Iran, Central Iraq (Fayli Kurds). Īlām, also Elam Kurdish, is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. Kermanshah or Kermashan ( Kermānshāh; Kurdish: کرماشان Kirmaşan is the capital city of Kermanshah Province, located 525 km For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Alevis are another religious minority among the Kurds, mainly found in Turkey. Alevis (Aleviler Elewî are a religious sub-ethnic and cultural community in Turkey, numbering in the millions

It has been said that Kurds "hold their Islam lightly", meaning that their faith tends not to be as assertive as it can become in other areas. ^[70] One consequence, for example, has been the greater freedoms enjoyed by Kurdish women; they do not cover their faces, their hijab is less restrictive, and they do not wear full-cover garments such as the Iranian chador or Arabic abaya. Kurdish women ( Kurdish: Jinên/Afiretên Kurd) have traditionally played important roles in Kurdish history society and politics Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to A chador or chadar ( Persian چادر‎) from Sanskrit chattram) is an outer Garment or open Cloak worn by The abaya ( Arabic عباءة plural abayat عباءات is an Overgarment worn by some women in parts of the Islamic world. ^[75][76]

Culture

Main articles: Kurdish culture, Kurdish literature, and Kurdish women

Kurdish culture is a legacy from the various ancient peoples who shaped modern Kurds and their society, but primarily of three layers of indigenous (Hurrian), ancient Iranian (Medes), and Islamic roots. Kurdish culture ( Kurdish:کۆلتاری كوردی (Koltari Kurdi or çand û toreya kurdî) is a group of distinctive cultural traits practiced by Kurdish people Kurdish literature (in Kurdish: Wêjeya Kurdî) refers to Literature written in Kurdish language. Kurdish women ( Kurdish: Jinên/Afiretên Kurd) have traditionally played important roles in Kurdish history society and politics The Hurrians (also Khurrites; cuneiform Ḫu-ur-ri 𒄷𒌨𒊑 were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. Cultural Muslim is a general term used to define a group of people who are identified by association with a Muslim community rather than Islamic faith or

Kurdish culture is close to that of other Iranian peoples. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. Kurds, for instance, also celebrate Newroz (March 21) as New Year's Day. Nowrūz ( /noruz/ ↔, (English New Day various local pronunciations and spellings) is the traditional Iranian New year Holiday celebrated Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. ^[75]

Kurdish films mainly evoke poverty and the lack of rights of Kurdish people in the region. Yılmaz Güney (Yol ^[77]) and Bahman Qubadi (A Time for Drunken Horses, Turtles Can Fly) are among the better-known Kurdish directors. Yılmaz Güney, ( April 1, 1937 — September 9, 1984) was a Kurdish Film director, scenarist, Novelist Yol ( Turkish for "The Road" or "The Way" is a 1982 Turkish film. Bahman Ghobadi ( Kurdish: به‌همه‌نی قوبادی Persian: بهمن قبادی) is a Kurdish Iranian Film director. A Time for Drunken Horses ( Persian: زمانی برای مستی اسب‌ها Zamani barayé masti asbha, Kurdish: Demek jibo hespên Turtles Can Fly is a 2004 Film written and directed by the Kurdish filmmaker from Iran Bahman Ghobadi, with notable theme

Music

Main article: Kurdish music

Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers: storytellers (çîrokbêj), minstrels (stranbêj), and bards (dengbêj). Kurdish Music ( Sorani Kurdish:گۆرانی کوردی Gorani Kurdi) ( Kurmanji Kurdish: Muzîk û strana kurdî) refers to music performed in Bijan Kamkar ( Kurdish: بیژن کامکار,, born 1949 is an Iranian Kurdish musician Storytelling is the ancient art of conveying events in Words Images and Sounds often by Improvisation or embellishment minstrel was a medieval European Bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories about distant places or about real or imaginary historical events Etymology The word is a Loanword from descendant languages of Proto-Celtic *bardos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gwerh2 No specific music was associated with the Kurdish princely courts. Instead, music performed in night gatherings (şevbihêrk) is considered classical. Several musical forms are found in this genre. Many songs are epic in nature, such as the popular Lawiks, heroic ballads recounting the tales of Kurdish heroes such as Saladin. An epic is a lengthy Narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation A ballad is a Poem usually set to Music; thus it often is a story told in a Song. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c Heyrans are love ballads usually expressing the melancholy of separation and unfulfilled love, while Lawje is a form of religious music and Payizoks are songs performed during the autumn. Love songs, dance music, wedding and other celebratory songs (dîlok/narînk), erotic poetry, and work songs are also popular. A work song is typically a Rhythmic A cappella Song sung by people working on a physical and often repetitive task

See also

Kurdistan History of the Kurdish people Turkish Kurdistan Kurds in Turkey Iranian Kurdistan

Iraqi Kurdistan Kurds in Syria Kurdistan Okrug List of Kurdish people Kurdish organisations

Origins of the Kurds Yazidis Kurdish Jews Kurdish Christians Kurdish American

Modern Kurdish governments

• Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) (1991 to date)
• Kingdom of Kurdistan (1922–1924)
• Republic of Ararat (1927–1931)
• Republic of Mahabad (1946)

Notes and references

Bibliography

• Barth, F. 1953. Principles of Social Organization in Southern Kurdistan. Bulletin of the University Ethnographic Museum 7. Oslo.
• Hansen, H. H. 1961. The Kurdish Woman's Life. Copenhagen. Ethnographic Museum Record 7:1-213.
• Leach, E. R. 1938. Social and Economic Organization of the Rowanduz Kurds. London School of Economics Monographs on Social Anthropology 3:1-74.
• Longrigg, S. H. 1953. Iraq, 1900-1950. London.
• Masters, W. M. 1953. Rowanduz. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Michigan.

External links

• Lawk Salih, Latest development of the economic progress of Kurdistan and KRG.
• Kurds and Kurdistan, Encyclopaedia of Islam.
• Kurds, Encyclopaedia Britannica.
• Kurd, Encyclopaedia Britannica.
• The Kurds: People without a country, Encyclopaedia Britannica.
• The Kurdish Institute of Paris Kurdish language, history, books and latest news articles.
• The Encyclopaedia of Kurdistan
• Istanbul Kurdish Institute
• The Kurdish Center of International Pen
• Kurdish Library, supported by the Swedish Government. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation.
• Yazidism: Historical Roots, International Journal of Kurdish Studies, January 2005.
• Ethnic Cleansing and the Kurds
• The Kurds in the Ottoman Hungary by Zurab Aloian
• "The Other Iraq" Kurdish Information Website

The Kurdish Issue in Turkey

• A report on the Kurdish IDP's - 2005
• A German newspaper's take on the Kurdish issue - 2005
• The Guardian - What's in a name? Too much in Turkey - 2001
• The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists' take - 1999

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