The document provides information on the Kurdish homeland and people. It discusses the geography, population distribution, history, languages, religions, culture, and challenges faced by the Kurdish people. The Kurdish homeland spans across parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Armenia, with a total area of about 230,000 square miles. It has been divided among these countries since the end of World War I. The Kurdish population numbers around 30 million people scattered across the region.

1. Land & Ecology
Kurdish homeland of about
230,000 square miles is about the
areas of Germany and Britain
combined, or roughly equal to
France.
“Kurds home ends where the
mountains end”
Mt. Alvand starts from Iran with
the highest point 11,745
Mt. Ararat at 16,946 feet in Turkey
More arable land than most middle
eastern
River valleys
Invention of agriculture-12,000
years ago
Indo-Europian- Medes

2. Population
Northern Kurdistan-Southeast Turkey
• 15 to 20 million
Eastern Kurdistan-Northwest Iran
• 6-7 million
Southern Kurdistan-Northern Iraq
• 5-6 million
West or Rojava-Northern Syria
• 3.5-4 million

3. History
Being the native inhabitants of their land there are no
"beginnings" for Kurdish history and people. Kurds and their
history are the end products of thousands of years of continuous
internal evolution and assimilation of new peoples and ideas
introduced sporadically into their land. Genetically, Kurds are the
descendants of all who ever came to settle in Kurdistan, and not
any one of them.
By about 2,600 years ago, the Medes had already set up an
empire that included all Kurdistan and vast territories far beyond.
The Treaty of Sevres (signed August 10, 1921) anticipated an
independent Kurdish state to cover large portions of the former
Ottoman Kurdistan. Unimpressed by the Kurds' many bloody
uprisings for independence, France and Britain divided up
Ottoman Kurdistan between Turkey, Syria and Iraq. The Treaty of
Lausanne (signed June 24, 1923) formalized this division. Kurds
in Iran, were kept where they were by Teheran.

4. Geopolitics
Since the end of World War I, Kurdistan has been administered by
five sovereign states, with the largest portions of the land being
respectively in Turkey (43%) , Iran (31%), Iraq (18%), Syria (6%) and
the former Soviet Union (2%).
The Kurds part of Iran have lived under that state's jurisdiction
since 1514
The other three quarters of the Kurds lived in the Ottoman Empire
from that date until its break-up following WWI. The French
Mandate Syria received a piece, and the British incorporated
central Kurdistan or the into Mandate of Iraq.
Northern and western Kurdistan were to be given choice of
independence by the Treaty of Sevres(August 10, 1920) but instead
they were awarded to the newly established Republic of Turkey
under the term of the Treaty of Lausanne (June 24, 1923).
The Russian/Soviet Kurds had passed into their sphere in the
course of the 19th century when territories were ceded by
Persia/Iran.

5. Language
Modern kurdish
• Kurmanji group
¾ or 15-20 million
Sorani- 6-7 million
• Gurani-Zaza dialects
10-12 million

6. Religion
Muslims-Sunni
Muslims-Shiete
3/5th
1/2 million
Alawies
(Turkey)-distinct
from islam
20 %
Yazidies -Islam-
judaism-christianity
2 %
Yarasan-Ahle Haq 13 %
Bahaie and
Christian
1 %
Sufiesm (Islamic Mystic)
Chant and dance to worship Allah

7. Culture & Life
 Family oriented
 Marriage between cousins is
common
 Tribal leadership is inherited
 Kurdish women freely associate
with men
 Rich in culture
 Oral tradition:
 Epic poems: adventure of love
and battle
 Literature appeared in 7th
century
 Dance and music

8. Dance

9. Music

10. Celebrations and major holidays
New Year-March 21st
• Folktale-Kawe the
Blacksmith
Islamic Holidays
• Ramazan
• The birth of Profit
Mohammad

11. Newroz-New Year

12. Wedding-Eastern

13. Wedding-Rojava

14. Northern – South East Turkey

15. Rojava
Women Fashion Show Newroz Festival

16. Southern – Northern Iraq

17. Eastern Kurdistan

18. Rojava-Popular Meals

19. Kelane Dolme

20. Village Life

21. Life in villiage

22. Village in Eastern Kurdistan

23. Peshmarge & Freedom Fighters

24. Global rally for peace and freedom in
Kubane

25. A way of life for the Kurds

26. What will be the future for them?

27. Thank You