Kurdistan is the mountainous transnational region of the Middle East regarded as the homeland of the Kurdish people, spanning parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria without corresponding to the borders of any single sovereign state. Home to one of the world's largest stateless ethnic groups, the region has seen recurring movements for autonomy or independence, most notably the Kurdistan Region, a self-governing federal entity within Iraq established after the 1991 Gulf War, while Kurdish populations elsewhere have continued to press for greater rights and recognition within their respective states.
Facts
Disputed
Area (sq km)Estimates vary sharply by source and definition. The Encyclopaedia Britannica figure quoted here is about 190,000 square kilometers, while the Encyclopaedia of Islam's own per country breakdown (also cited in the same Wikipedia article) sums to roughly 392,000 square kilometers across Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Recorded as debated rather than a single settled figure. Classification
Region TypePhysiographic or Climatic Region 1 Region TypePhysiographic or Climatic Region 1 Population2016 estimate from the Kurdish Institute of Paris, as cited in the Demographics section of the Wikipedia article; other sources give different totals depending on which territories are counted as Kurdistan. Connections
Associated With
Erbil, Cities Erbil (Hewler) is a major city of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Source Kurdistan (Wikipedia)
Southern Kurdistan lies in northern Iraq.
Source Kurdistan (Wikipedia)
The historical Kingdom of Corduene, in the Kurdistan area, ruled northern Mesopotamia and southeastern Anatolia.
Source Kurdistan (Wikipedia)
Northern Kurdistan lies in southeastern Turkey.
Source Kurdistan (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Origin Of
Also in Society and Culture Atlas: which originated in this subject.
Source Wikipedia: KurdsLead sectiontier 3Quote, Lead section
They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syria.
Also in Society and Culture Atlas: which originated in this subject.
Source Wikipedia: YazidiLead sectiontier 3Quote, Lead section
Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis ( ; Êzidî), are a Kurdish-speaking endogamous religious group indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in West Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran, with small numbers living in Armenia and Georgia.
Found There
Also in Language Atlas: found in this subject.
Source Kurdish language, WikipediaLead sentence 1Quote, Lead sentence 1
Kurdish (Kurdî, کوردی, pronounced [kʊrdiː] ) is a Northwestern Iranian language or group of languages spoken by Kurds in the region of Kurdistan, namely in southeast Turkey, northern Iraq, northwest Iran, and northern Syria.
Also in War and Military Atlas: found in this subject.
Sources
1. Kurdistan (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationGeography section, Britannica area estimate
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, Kurdistan covers about 190,000 km2 (or 73,000 square miles), and its chief towns are Diyarbakır (Amed), Bitlis (Bedlîs) and Van (Wan) in Turkey, Erbil (Hewlêr) and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq, and Kermanshah (Kirmanşan), Sanandaj (Sine), Ilam and Mahabad (Mehabad) in Iran.
Demographics section, Kurdish Institute of Paris 2016 estimate
According to 2016 estimate Kurdish Institute of Paris, total population of Kurdistan is around 34.5 million, and Kurds making 86% of population of Northern Kurdistan.
Introduction
Geographically, Kurdistan roughly encompasses the northwestern Zagros and the eastern Taurus mountain ranges.
Introduction (2)
Kurdistan (Kurdish: کوردستان, lit. 'land of the Kurds'; [ˌkʊɾdɪˈstɑːn] ), or Greater Kurdistan, is a roughly defined geo-cultural region and stateless nation in West Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, and national identity have historically been based.
Associated With: Turkey, Lead section
southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdistan)
Associated With: Iraq, Lead section
northern Iraq (Southern Kurdistan)
Associated With: Erbil, Geography/cities section
Hewler
Associated With: Mesopotamia, History section
ruled northern Mesopotamia and southeastern Anatolia from 189 BC to AD 384
On Continent: Asia, Lead
Kurdistan (Kurdish: کوردستان, lit. 'land of the Kurds'; [ˌkʊɾdɪˈstɑːn] ), or Greater Kurdistan, is a roughly defined geo-cultural region and stateless nation in West Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, and national identity have historically been based.
View the Source Wikidata: Kurdistan
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.