Kurds

Kurds are an ethnic group primarily inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, spanning parts of southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, western Iran, and northern Syria. They number in the tens of millions, with most living in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, and sizable diasporas in Europe and the Americas. Global estimates commonly range from 25 to 35 million.

Kurds speak Kurdish, an Indo-Iranian language with major dialects such as Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) and Sorani (Central Kurdish). The writing system varies by region: Kurmanji is usually written in Latin script in Turkey and Syria, while Sorani uses an Arabic script in Iran and Iraq. Kurdish culture includes music, literature, traditional dress, and strong oral traditions.

Kurds have a long historical presence in the region. After World War I, Kurdish aspirations for an independent state were not realized, and borders were drawn without a Kurdish state. In Iraq, the Kurdistan Region enjoys de facto autonomy with its own government; in Syria, Kurdish groups established autonomous administrations in the northeast during the civil war.

Most Kurds are Sunni Muslims (Hanafi), but there are sizable Yazidi, Christian, and other minority communities among Kurds.

Kurdish nationalism exists in many forms, from cultural rights to armed groups. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has conducted an insurgency in Turkey and is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.