Iraq. Kurds in Iraq: numbers, religion

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:42

Today, not every nation, even if numerous, has its own state. There are many countries in the world where people of several nationalities live, which causes some tension in society.

The world's largest nation with little or no state is the Kurds. Increasingly, the news reports about this people. Many people don't know much about them. Who are they? The article provides some information about the Kurds: religion, population, places of residence, etc.

About the Kurds

Kurds are an ancient people who mainly live in mountainous areas (Kurdistan) and unite many tribes. This area covers the territories of Syria, Iran, Turkey and Iraq. As a rule, their way of life is semi-nomadic. Their main occupations are agriculture and cattle breeding.

Scientists have not yet been able to establish their exact origin. Both the ancient Medes and the Scythians are called Kurds. There are also suggestions that the Kurdish peoples are close to the Armenian, Georgian,Azerbaijani and Jewish peoples. What is the religion of the Kurds? Most of them profess Islam, there are Christians, Yezidis and Jews.

Unknown and the exact number. In total, about 20-40 million of them live all over the world: in Turkey - 13-18 million, in Iran - 3.5-8 million, in Syria - about 2 million, in Asia, America and Europe - approximately 2, 5 million (living in communities).

On the resettlement of the nation

The number of Kurds in Iraq is more than 6 million people. Their exact number is unknown, since the population census in the areas where the Kurds live has never been carried out.

As noted above, they live in some countries of the Middle East, which includes Iraq. According to the recently adopted constitution in this country, Iraqi Kurdistan has the status of broad autonomy. It appears that the territories are semi-independent of the government of Iraq.

But there is one contradictory example. And the Catalans in Spain thought so, but Madrid has always had the main word. The authorities of the country took and completely dissolved the Parliament of Catalonia, although the latter tried to prove and do something in order to secede from Spain. The Kurds are in the same position. We can say that they have no rights.

Iraqi Kurdistan

This republic is unrecognized, but it has its own anthem, languages (Sorani and Kurmanji), president and prime minister. Currency - Iraqi dinar.

A population of 3.5 million lives in an area of approximately 38,000 square kilometers. km. CapitalIraqi Kurdistan - Erbil.

Ethnic Kurds in Kurdistan

Territories of Iraqi Kurdistan (adjusted by referendum 2005) include the following areas: Suleimani, Erbil, Kirkuk, Dahuk, Khanekin (or Diyala Governorate), Sinjar, Makhmur. Most of the ethnic Kurds of Iraq live in them, but there are other nationalities in them. Only 3 governorates - Dahuk, Suleimani and Erbil - are officially called the Kurdistan region, and the rest of the lands, where the Kurds also live, cannot even boast of partial autonomy yet.

In 2007, the planned referendum failed to be held in Iraqi Kurdistan. Otherwise, the ethnic group that lives in the rest of the Iraqi territories could gain at least partial independence.

Today, there is an aggravation of the situation - the Turkomans and Arabs living in these lands, and in considerable numbers, are more opposed to them and do not want to adopt Kurdish laws.

A bit of the history of South Kurdistan

There are some assumptions that the modern ethnic group of Kurds was formed precisely on the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan. Initially, the Median tribes lived here. This is evidenced by the very first written source found near Sulaimaniya, made in the Kurdish language. The parchment is dated to the 7th century. This is a short poem, the content of which laments the destruction of Kurdish shrines as a result of the attack of the Arabs.

After the Battle of Chaldiran, which took place in 1514, Kurdistanjoined the Ottoman Empire. In general, the population of Iraqi Kurdistan has been living in the same territory for many centuries. In the Middle Ages, there were several emirates here that had almost complete independence: Baban (the main city is Sulaimaniya), Sinjar (the center is the city of Lalesh), Soran (the capital is Rawanduz), Bakhdinan (Amadiya). In the 19th century, in its first half, these emirates were completely liquidated by Turkish troops.

Present

Modern Kurds in Iraq, as before, are experiencing oppression. The territories belonging to the Kurds were carefully cleared in the 1990s. The indigenous population was expelled and even exterminated. Their lands were settled by Arabs and became controlled by Baghdad. But in 2003, when US troops began to invade Iraq, the Kurds came out on their side. The long-term oppression of this people by the state of Iraq played a big role in this. The transfer of the US military took place precisely on the territory of Kurdistan. Autonomy came to the Kurds of Iraq after the fall of Baghdad.

Today, numerous companies have begun to develop in Kurdistan. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of tourism, especially since there is something to see here.

Investments in Iraqi Kurdistan for foreign investors are effective (exemption for 10 years from taxes). The oil industry, which is the basis of the economy of any country in the Middle East, is also actively developing here.