Most members of the ethnic group known as Kurds live in a region called Kurdistan. Kurdistan is a mountainous area in southwest Asia where the countries of Turkey, Iran, Syria, & Iraq meet. Kurds also live in the Caucasus region of central Asia in the republics of Azerbaijan & Armenia.
Kurds have lived in the mountains since prehistoric times. Early Kurds were herders of sheep & goats. Some Kurds continue to bring their animals to mountain pastures in the summer & return to valley villages in winter. Most Kurds, however, are settled farmers. Many have turned to city life. At the start of the 21st century, there were about 10–15 million Kurds in the world.
The main unit of traditional Kurdish society was the tribe. The leader of a tribe was known as a sheikh. Tribes & tribal rule are still important to some modern Kurds.
In the 7th century, most Kurds became followers of the religion known as Islam. People who practice Islam are called Muslims. There are two types of Muslims: Sunnites & Shiʿites. Kurds tend to be Sunnite Muslims & have had problems in regions governed by Shiʿites.
Kurds often have been encouraged to give up their identity & become more like the other residents of the countries in which they live. For example, Turkey's government outlawed the Kurdish language & limited where Kurdish costume could be worn.
Many Kurds would like to have their own country instead of being under the control of the nations in which they live. In the early 1920s, a treaty almost did make Kurdistan independent, but the document was later changed.
In the second half of the 20th century Kurds participated in many uprisings in which they sought political & cultural freedom. In 1970 an agreement gave Kurds in northern Iraq control of local government, but Kurdish leaders felt that was not enough & resumed fighting. Many Kurds in Iraq have been forced from their homes & into Turkey & Iran, only to experience tension with a different government.
