Kurds or Kurdish people are an Iranic ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northern Syria. There are exclaves of Kurds in Central Anatolia, Khorasan, and the Caucasus, as well as significant Kurdish diaspora communities in the cities of western Turkey and Western Europe. The Kurdish population is estimated to be between 30 and 45 million.
Kurdish is a language or a group of languages spoken by Kurds in the geo-cultural region of Kurdistan and the Kurdish diaspora. Kurdish languages constitutes a dialect continuum, many of which are not mutually intelligible, belonging to Western Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family. The main three dialects or languages of Kurdish are Northern Kurdish, Central Kurdish, and Southern Kurdish.
Kurdish music refers to music performed in the Kurdish languages and Zaza-Gorani languages. The earliest study of Kurdish music was initiated by the renowned Armenian priest and composer Komitas in 1903, when he published his work "Chansons kurdes transcrites par le pere Komitas" which consisted of twelve Kurdish melodies which he had collected. The Armenian Karapetê Xaço also preserved many traditional Kurdish melodies throughout the 20th century by recording and performing them. In 1909, Scholar Isya Joseph published the work "Yezidi works" in which he documented the musical practice of the Yazidis including the role of the musician-like qewal figures and the instruments used by the minority.
Akre or Aqrah is a disputed city in northern Iraq. The Iraqi Government officially considers it part of the Ninawa Governorate while the Kurdistan Regional Government claims it as part of the Duhok Governorate. Akre is known for its celebrations of Newroz.
The Republic of Ararat, or Kurdish Republic of Ararat, was a self-proclaimed Kurdish state from 1927 to 1931. It was located in eastern Turkey, centred on Karaköse Province. "Agirî" is the Kurdish name for Ararat.
The Kurdish population of Syria is the country's largest ethnic minority, usually estimated at around 10% of the Syrian population and 5% of the Kurdish population.
The Kurdish population is estimated to be between 30 and 45 million. Most Kurdish people live in Kurdistan, which today is split between Iranian Kurdistan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Turkish Kurdistan, and Syrian Kurdistan.
Paul Maubec, known by his pen name Chris Kutschera, was a French journalist, researcher, writer and specialist on the Middle East, with particular interest focused on Kurdish national movements. During his career he interviewed and photographed leading Kurdish figures, many of whom later took senior government positions, including: Mustafa Barzani, Dara Tawfiq, Masoud Barzani, Jalal Talabani, Nechirvan Barzani, Hoshyar Zibari and Barham Saleh.
Kurds in the United States refers to people born in or residing in the United States of Kurdish origin or those considered to be ethnic Kurds.
Kurds in Germany are residents or citizens of Germany of full or partial Kurdish origin. There is a large Kurdish community in Germany. The number of Kurds living in Germany is unknown. Many estimates assume that the number is in the million range. In February 2000, the Federal Government of Germany estimated that approximately 500.000 Kurds lived in Germany at that time.
Kurds in Switzerland are residents in Switzerland of full or partial Kurds origin. The Kurds in Switzerland mainly reside in the Cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Basel-Stadt and are descendants of migrants of refugees from the regions around Pazarcık, Kahraranmaraş or Erzincan. There are also shia kurdish migrants from Iranian Kurdistan, the region around Ilam and Kermanshah along with Feyli Kurds from Baghdad who mainly reside Geneva and Zürich
The Kurdish Institute of Brussels is a non-profit organization, based in Brussels, Belgium, which aims for the integration of the Kurds and other minorities into the Belgian society, as well as to promote the Kurdish culture both in and out of Kurdistan.
The total number of Kurds in Istanbul is estimated variously from 1 million. Because Istanbul is widely accepted to house the largest Kurdish population in any city in the world, it is often dubbed as the biggest Kurdish city. The influx of Kurds to Istanbul was also motivated by the forced depopulation of Kurdish villages during the Kurdish Turkish conflict.
France–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between France and Kurdistan Region. France has a consulate general in Erbil and Kurdistan Region has a representation in Paris. The ties between France and Kurdistan Region have been very close since the presidency of François Mitterrand (1981–1995), when his wife Danielle Mitterrand played an instrumental role in the campaign for the no fly zone over Kurdistan Region in 1991. France has a military presence in Kurdistan Region, and Consul General Dominique Mas described their relations as being "historic" and "long-term".
Kamuran Ali Bedirxan was a Kurdish politician, lawyer and writer.
Joyce Blau, is a linguist who specializes in Kurdish language and literature.
Kurds in Greece are the people in Greece of Kurdish origin. Kurds have primarily migrated to Greece due to war and persecution. Most asylum seekers in Greece during the 1990s were Kurds from mainly Iraq but also from southeastern Turkey. A total of 43,759 Kurds entered in Greece in the latter part of 1990s, in which 40,932 were from Iraq and 2,827 from Turkey. However, only 9,797 of these sought asylum in Greece.
Kurds in Norway are Kurds living in Norway. The number of Kurds is estimated between 7,100 and 25,000 and they come mainly from countries in the Middle East. Most Norwegian Kurds live in the capital Oslo. In 1993, population of Kurds in Norway was estimated as 2,000 by Kurdish Institute of Paris (KIP). Today, citing a report of the KIP, Rudaw estimates that between 25,000 and 30,000 Kurds reside in Norway.
Kurds in Denmark are Kurds living in Denmark. The number of Kurds is estimated between 25,000 and 30,000 and they come mainly from countries in the Middle East. Most Danish Kurds live in the capital Copenhagen.
Emine Kara, also known by the nom de guerre Evîn Goyî, was a Turkish Kurdish militant and political activist who served as president of the Mouvement des femmes kurdes en France.
