Geographical Kurdistan
"WELCOME TO KURDISTAN!" - [View Map - 1945] A huge sign in large black English, Arabic and Kurdish letters introduces visitors from Turkey to a vast mountain area of northern Iraq, inhabited by some 4.5 million Kurds. Recently this area was the scene of a near genocide launched by Saddam Hussein against his enemies, the Kurds.
Although the world's attention has recently been focused on the Kurds of northern Iraq, Kurds live in numerous other countries of the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and North America.
After the flood God blessed
Noah and his sons and told them to "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth", this blessing was passed directly onto Noah's sons and their sons.
Madai who was a son of
Japheth was therefore blessed with land directly from God. This was the homeland of the Medes (Kurds). Historically the Medes are known as the "lazy son", as they are the only descendants of Japheth son of Noah, who have remained in the Middle East. All of Japheth's other sons moved into Europe. As a result of the blessing of this land directly from God, the Kurds have remained in this land even with invasions from the Arab, Ottoman, Mongolian, Russian and British Empires.
The traditional
Kurdish territory also houses many historic places as mentioned in the Bible.
Including
Mt. Ararat, the place where Noah landed after the flood.
Kurdistan is the geographic area, which is home to the majority of Kurds. It was named for the first time in the twelfth century by the Seljuk Turks to identify the region under their control, which was inhabited by Kurds. If the Middle East map were to be redrawn to give the Kurds their own boundaries, Kurdistan would be as large as France, stretching over 200,000 square miles and encompassing six countries. Of the worldwide population of nearly 35-40 million, over 36 million Kurds are unevenly distributed between Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Kurdistan is a rugged, mountainous region, much of which is covered with snow for over half the year. Three large river systems; the Arax, Tigris and Euphrates create fertile valleys where Kurds farm and pasture sheep, goats and cattle. Much of the oil in these countries is found in Kurdistan.
Ruled by the governments of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Kurds are the largest ethnic group in the world without a state of their own. If it were ever to separate from these various regimes and gain independence, Kurdistan would be the third most populous country in the Middle East after Turkey and Iran.
Kurdish territory has fluctuated throughout history, experiencing numerous expansions and contractions due to wars, deportations and forced resettlements. Yet incredibly, Kurds have clung to their mountains, against all odds. They have struggled time and time again to preserve their ethnic identity and their freedom of self-determination.
SPLASHED ALL OVER THE GLOBE
Turkey has the largest share; with 40% of the world's Kurds living in the south east of the country, and comprising 20% of Turkey's population. It is the agricultural section of Turkey, which produces most of Turkey's meat, grain, vegetables and dairy products. Over two million now live in Istanbul alone, 75 miles from their homeland.
Iranian Kurds make up 12% of the population. Since 1960, land reform has allowed 30% of the Kurds to buy land. A high percentage lives in an urban setting and work in industrial jobs. Kurds of eastern Iran live along the Central Asian and Afghan borders more than 600 miles from their traditional homelands in northwestern Iran.
Along the western border, in the most rugged part of Kurdistan, Kurds reside in small villages of under 2 000 people. A few maintain the semi-nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors. In general, the area is wooded and twice as densely populated as the rest of Iran. The Kurdish Luri was forced to set aside their Kurdish identity by the Iranian government. These people make up a population of 5 million in the west and the south west Iran.
The Kurds of Iraq live along that country's northeastern borders with Turkey and Iran. Most are farmers and all but a few thousand have given up the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the past in favour of settled farming. This region of Kurdistan is fertile with cold and snowy winters. The Kurds of Iraq form more than 30% of the population. The Iraqi government declared war against the Kurds. That war was called (Anfal). The name was taken from the Koran in the book of Islam. In this war 200 000 people were killed and 5000 villages and towns were destroyed.
The Kurds of Syria make up about 10% of the population. They live in two separate enclaves along the northern border with Turkey. In an effort to dilute the Kurdish population, Syria has deported large numbers of them, perhaps 100 000 or more, into southern Syria and settled Arabs among them. By forcing Kurds to resettle outside their home areas, the Syrian government hopes to assimilate them into larger Arab society and thus avoid their potential threat.
Although some Kurds moved to Turkstan in the 1500s, large numbers of Kurds emigrated in the late 1800s and early 1900s as refugees from the wars between Ottoman Turkey and Tsarist Russia. The distinct Kurdish communities of Central Asia are separated by religion, place of origin and vast distance. Still, many look toward Kurdistan, maintaining traditional custom and dress.
Lebanon often became a haven for Kurdish political dissidents who were persecuted in their homeland. However, since the Lebanese War started, most Kurds have moved out of Lebanon to Syria and other countries.
The small Kurdish community of Amman, Jordan is made up of mostly those who have fled from Iraq following the Gulf War. They do not exceed 10,000 in number. Most were farmers, but have had to adapt to city life. They are refugees in a city of refugees. (Amman has large communities of Palestinian refugees.)
Over half a million Kurds live and work in Europe, for the most part in Germany.
Since the recent Gulf War, some five thousand Kurds have entered North America as refugees.
About 15,000 Kurds are reported to have immigrated to Australia.
