NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Kurdistan (Iraq)

The Kurdistan Region (Kurdish: حكومه تى هه ريمى كوردستان, Hikûmetî Herêmî Kurdistan, Arabic: اقلیم کردستان) is an autonomous, federally recognized political entity located in northern Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north and Syria to the west. Its capital is the city of Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr. It has been suggested that Kurdish blogs be merged into this article or section. ... The Arabic language ( ), or simply Arabic ( ), is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Arbil (also written Erbil or Irbil; Arabic: â€Ž, ArbÄ«l; Kurdish: , HewlÃªr) is believed by many to be the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world and is one of the larger cities in Iraq [1] [2] [3]. The city lies eighty kilometres (fifty miles) east of Mosul. ... It has been suggested that Kurdish blogs be merged into this article or section. ...

Etymology

The name Kurdistan comes from the word "Kurd" (from the ancient Kingdom of Corduene) plus the place suffix of "stan", together meaning Land of the Kurds. Kurdistan (literally meaning the land of Kurds[1]; old: Koordistan, Curdistan, Kurdia, also in Kurdish: KurdewarÃ®) is the name of a geographic and cultural region in the Middle East, inhabited predominantly by the Kurds. ... This article or section may contain inappropriate or misinterpreted citations. ...

The regional government refers to it as Kurdistan-Iraq (or simply Kurdistan region) but avoiding from using Iraqi Kurdistan^[2] The full name of the locak goverment is "Kurdistan Regional Government" (abbrev: KRG). Kurdish nationalists refer to it as "South Kurdistan" (Southeastern Turkey being "North Kurdistan"). During the Ba'ath regime in the 70's and 80's, the region was called "Kurdish Autonomous Region". Liberty Leading the People by EugÃ¨ne Delacroix Nationalism is an ideology [1] that holds that a nation is the fundamental unit for human social life, and takes precedence over any other social and political principles. ...

History

Following World War I and the defeat of Ottoman Empire, Kurds were promised an independent nation-state in the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres. However following the defeat of the Greek forces in the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), the Treaty of Lausanne was signed in 1923 in Turkey's favor. The larger area known as Turkish Kurdistan was given to Turkey and the southern areas around Mosul were put under direct British rule. The history of the Kurds stretches from ancient times to the present day. ... Combatants Allied Powers: France Italy Russia Serbia United Kingdom United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul von Hindenburg Reinhard... now. ... The term nation-state, while often used interchangeably with the terms unitary state and independent state, refers properly to the parallel occurence of a state and a nation. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ... The Treaty of SÃ¨vres of August 10, 1920, was a peace treaty between the Entente and Associated Powers[1] and the Ottoman Empire after World War I. The treaty was signed by the Ottoman Government, but Sultan Mehmed VI never signed that treaty. ... Combatants Greece Turkish Revolutionaries Commanders Gen Leonidas Paraskevopoulos, Gen Anastasios Papoulas, Gen Georgios Hatzianestis Ali Fethi Okyar, Ismet Inonu, Mustafa Kemal Strength 120,000 men 450,000 men [1] Casualties 30,000 dead; 20,820 captured 20,000 dead; 10,000 wounded The Grecoâ€“Turkish War of 1919â€“1922, also... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Conference of Lausanne. ... Turkish Kurdistan (Kurdish: BakurÃª KurdistanÃª) is an unofficial name for the southeastern part of Turkey densely inhabited by Kurds. ...

British Mandate

On December 1, 1918, during a meeting in Sulaimaniya with Colonel Arnold Wilson, the Acting Civil Commissioner for Mesopotamia, Kurdish leaders called for British support for a united and independent Kurdistan under British protection. Between 1919 and 1922, Shaikh Mahmoud Hafid, an influential Kurdish leader based in Sulaimaniya, formed a Kurdish government and led two revolts against the British rule. It took the British authorities two years to put down his uprisings. The first revolt began on May 22, 1919 with the arrest of British officials in Sulaimaniya and it quickly spread to Mosul and Arbil. Then the British exiled Mahmoud to India. In July 1920, 62 tribal leaders of the region, called for independence of Kurdistan under a British mandate. The objection of the British to the Kurdish self-rule was driven by the fear that the success of the Kurdish area will tempt the two Arab areas of Baghdad and Basra to follow suit, hence endangering the direct British control over all Mesopotamia. In 1922, Britain restored Shaikh Mahmoud to power, hoping that he would organize the Kurds to act as a buffer against the Turks, who had territorial claims over Mosul. Shaikh Mahmoud declared a Kurdish Kingdom with himself as the King, though later on he agreed to limited autonomy within the new state of Iraq. In 1930, following the announcement of admission of Iraq to the League of Nations, Shaikh Mahmoud started a third uprising which was suppressed with British air and ground forces ^[3]^[4]. 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Sulaymaniyah (Arabic: as-sulaymÄnÄ«yÃ¤, Kurdish: SlÃªmanÃ®) is a city in the southeast of greater Kurdistan (the Kurdish-speaking region of the Middle East). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Arbil (also written Erbil or Irbil; Arabic: â€Ž, ArbÄ«l; Kurdish: , HewlÃªr) is believed by many to be the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world and is one of the larger cities in Iraq [1] [2] [3]. The city lies eighty kilometres (fifty miles) east of Mosul. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ...

By 1927, Barzani clan had become vocal supporters of Kurdish rights in Iraq. In 1929, the Barzanis demanded the formation of a Kurdish province in northern Iraq. Emboldened by these demands, in 1931 Kurdish notables petitioned the League of Nations to set up an independent Kurdish government. Under the pressure from the Iraqi government and the British, the most influential leader of the clan, Mustafa Barzani was forced into exile in Iran in 1945. Later he moved to the Soviet Union after the collapse of the Republic of Mahabad in 1946 ^[5]. 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... The Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, built between 1929 and 1938, was constructed as the Leagues headquarters. ... Mustafa Barzani (March 14, 1903â€“March 1, 1979) was a Kurdish nationalist leader and President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Qazi Mohammad, president of the Republic of Kurdistan The Republic of Mahabad (Kurdish: KomarÃ® Mehabad, Persian: Ø¬Ù…Ù‡ÙˆØ±ÛŒ Ù…Ù‡Ø§Ø¨Ø§Ø¯ ), officially Republic of Kurdistan, established in Iranian Kurdistan, was a short-lived, Soviet backed Kurdish state of the 20th century after the Republic of Ararat in Turkey. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Barzani Revolts 1960-1975 and their Aftermath

After the military clopedia/Coup" onmouseover="pv(event, 100)" onmouseout="unpv(100)" style="">coup by Abdul Karim Qasim in 1958, Barzani was able to return from exile and to set up his own political party, Kurdistan Democratic Party, which was granted legal status in 1960. But soon afterwards, Qasim tried to incite Baradost and Zebari tribes against Barzani. In June 1961, Barzani led his first revolt against the Iraqi government with the aim of securing Kurdish autonomy. Due to the disarray in the Iraqi Army after the 1958 coup, Qasim's government was not able to subdue the insurrection. This stalemate irritated powerful factions within the military and is said to be one of the main reasons behind the Baathist coup against Qasim in February 1963. Abdul Salam Arif declared a ceasefire in February 1964 which provoked a split among Kurdish urban radicals on one hand and traditional forces led by Barzani on the other. Barzani agreed to the ceasefire and fired the radicals from the party. Despite this, Baghdad government tried once more to defeat Barzani's movement by the use of force. However this campaign failed in 1966, when Barzani forces defeated the Iraqi Army near Rawanduz. After this, Arif regime announced a 12-point peace program in June 1966, which was not implemented due to the overthrow of Arif in 1967 in a coup by the Baath Party. The Baath regime started a campaign to end the Kurdish insurrection, however the campaign was stalled in 1969. This can be partly attributed to the internal power struggle in Baghdad and also tensions with Iran. Moreover, the Soviets pressured the Iraqis to come to terms with Barzani. Hence a peace plan was announced in March 1970 which provided for a broader autonomy than before. The plan also gave Kurds representation in government bodies and it was to be implemented in four years^[6]. Despite this, the iraqi government embarked on a Arabization program in the oil rich regions of Kirkuk and Khanaqin in the same period ^[7]. In the following years, Baghdad government overcame its internal divisions and concluded a treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union in April 1972 and ended its isolation within the Arab world. On the other hand, Kurds remained dependent on the Iranian military support and could do little to strengthen their forces. A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Abdul Karim Qassim (or Abdel Karim Kassem or various other spellings) (1914_1963) was an Iraqi military officer involved in the 1958 military coup détat. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP; Kurdish: Partiya Demokrat a KurdistanÃª or PDK) is a Kurdish political party led by Massoud Barzani. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... Baath Party flag The Ba‘ath Parties (also spelled Baath or Ba‘th; Arabic: اﻟﺒﻌﺚ) comprise political parties representing the political face of the Ba‘ath movement. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Abdul Salam Arif (1921, Baghdad - April 13, 1966), president of Iraq (1963-1966). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Rowanduz, Ø±ÙˆØ§Ù†Ø¯ÙˆØ² is a city located in Soran region in Iraqi Kurdistan close to Iranian border. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Baath Party flag The Arab Socialist Bath Party (also spelled Baath or Baath; Arabic: ØØ²Ø¨ Ø§Ù„Ø¨Ø¹Ø« Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨ÙŠ Ø§Ù„Ø§Ø´ØªØ±Ø§ÙƒÙŠ) was founded in 1945 as a radical, secular Arab nationalist political party. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Soviet redirects here. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Kirkuk city centre. ... Iraq map with Khanaqin Khanaqin (Arabic Ø®Ø§Ù†Ù‚ÙŠÙ† ChanaqÄ«n, Kurdish Ø®Ø§Ù†Ù‡ Ù‚ÙŠÙ† XaneqÃ®n, also transliterated as Khanakin, Xanaqin) is a Kurdish city outside the Kurdish Autonomous Region in north-eastern Iraq. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

The Algiers Agreement

In 1974, Iraqi government began a new offensive against the Kurds and pushed them close to the border with Iran. Moreover, Iraq informed Tehran that it was willing to satisfy other Iranian demands in return for an end to its aid to the Kurds. With the mediation of the Algerian President Houari Boumédiènne, Iran and Iraq reached a comprehensive settlement in March 1975 known as Algiers Pact. The agreement left the Kurds helpless and Tehran cut supplies to the Kurdish movement. Barzani fled to Iran with many of his supporters. Others surrendered en masse and the rebellion was finished in a few days. As a result Iraqi government extended its control over northern region after 15 years and in order to secure its influence, started an Arabization program by moving Arabs to the oil fields in Kurdistan, particularly the ones around Kirkuk ^[8]. Th repressive measures carried out by the iraqi regime against Kurds after the Algiers agreement, led to renewed clashes between the Iraqi Army and Kurdish guerrillas in 1977. As a result in 1978 and 1979, 600 Kurdish villages were burned down and around 200,000 Kurds were deported to the other parts of the country ^[9]. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Houari BoumÃ©dienne (original name Mohamed Ben Brahim Boukharouba) (August 23, 1932 - December 27, 1978) was President of Algeria from 19 June 1965 to 27 December 1978 (Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until 12 December 1976). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Kirkuk city centre. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Iran-Iraq War and Anfal Campaign

During the Iran-Iraq War, the regime implemented anti-Kurdish policies and a de facto civil war broke out. Iraq was widely-condemned by the international community, but was never seriously punished for oppressive measures, including the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds, which resulted in thousands of deaths. (See Halabja poison gas attack.) League, and the UN, without any success. ... Chemical warfare is warfare (and associated military operations) using the toxic properties of chemical substances to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy. ... Photo said to have been taken in the aftermath of the attack. ...

Al-Anfal campaign constituted a systematic genocide of the Kurdish people in Iraq. From March 29, 1987 until April 23, 1989, Iraqi army under the command of Ali Hassan al-Majid carried out a genocidal campaign against Kurds, characterized by the following human rights violations: The widespread use of chemical weapons, the wholesale destruction of some 2,000 villages, and slaughter of around 50,000 rural Kurds, by the most conservative estimates. The large Kurdish town of Qala Dizeh (population 70,000) was completely destroyed by the Iraqi army. The campaign also included Arabization of Kirkuk, a program to drive Kurds out of the oil-rich city and replace them with Arab settlers from central and southern Iraq ^[10]. Kurdish sources report the number of dead to be greater than 182,000 ^[11]. Excavating the skeletons of Kurds killed at the Al-Anfal Campaign. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ali Hassan al-Majid Ali Hassan al-Majid (born 1941), is an Iraqi official and commander. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Early detection of chemical agents Sociopolitical climate of chemical warfare While the study of chemicals and their military uses was widespread in China, the use of toxic materials has historically been viewed with mixed emotions and some disdain in the West (especially when the enemy were doing it). ... Arabization is the gradual transformation of an area into one that speaks Arabic and is part of the Arab culture. ... Kirkuk city centre. ... The Arabs (Arabic: Ø¹Ø±Ø¨) are a heterogenous ethnic group who are predominantly speakers of the Arabic language, mainly found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ...

After the Gulf War

The Kurdistan Region was originally established in 1970 as the Kurdish Autonomous Region following the agreement of an Autonomy Accord between the government of Iraq and leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish community. A Legislative Assembly was established in the city of Arbil with theoretical authority over the Kurdish-populated governorates of Arbil, Dahuk and As Sulaymaniyah. In practice, however, the assembly created in 1970 was under the control of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein until the 1991 uprising against his rule following the end of the Persian Gulf War. Concerns for Safety of Kurdish refugees was reflected in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 which gave birth to a safe haven, in which allied air power protected a Kurdish zone inside Iraq^[12]. While the no-fly zone covered Dohuk and Irbil, it left out Sulaimaniya and Kirkuk. Then following several bloody clashes between Iraqi forces and Kurdish troops, an uneasy and shaky balance of power was reached, and the Iraqi regime withdrew its military and other personnel from the region in October 1991. At the same time, Iraq imposed an economic blockade over the region, reducing its oil and food supplies ^[13]. The region thus gained de facto independence, being ruled by the two principal Kurdish parties – the Kurdish Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan – outside the control of Baghdad. The region has its own flag and National Anthem. Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Arbil (also written Erbil or Irbil; Arabic: â€Ž, ArbÄ«l; Kurdish: , HewlÃªr) is believed by many to be the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world and is one of the larger cities in Iraq [1] [2] [3]. The city lies eighty kilometres (fifty miles) east of Mosul. ... A governorate is a subnational entity. ... ArbÄ«l (Ø£Ø±Ø¨ÙŠÙ„ in Arabic language, HewlÃªr in Kurdish , also transliterated as Irbil or Erbil) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... Dahuk (also referred to as Dohuk) (Arabic: Ø¯Ù‡ÙˆÙƒ , Kurdish: Duhok) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... As SulaymÄnÄ«yah province is a province of Iraq, within the Kurdish Autonomous Region. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: , [1]; born April 28, 1937[2]), was the President of Iraq from July 16, 1979 until April 9, 2003, when he was deposed during the United States-led invasion of Iraq. ... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... Dahuk (also referred to as Dohuk) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... This article is about the province of Iraq. ... Sulaymaniyah (Arabic: as-sulaymÄnÄ«yÃ¤, Kurdish: SlÃªmanÃ®) is a city in the southeast of greater Kurdistan (the Kurdish-speaking region of the Middle East). ... Kirkuk city centre. ... The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is a Kurdish political party led by Massoud Barzani. ... The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: YakÃªtÃ® NÃ®ÅŸtimanÃ® Kurdistan) is a political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. ... Baghdad ( translit: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ...

Elections held in June of 1992 produced an inconclusive outcome, with the assembly divided almost equally between the two main parties and their allies. During this period, the Kurds were subjected to a double embargo: one imposed by the United Nations on Iraq and one imposed by Saddam Hussein on their region. The severe economic hardships caused by the embargoes, fueled tensions between the two dominant political parties: KDP and PUK over control of trade routes and resources ^[14]. This led to internecine and intra-Kurdish conflict and warfare between 1994 and 1996. After 1996, 13% of the Iraqi oil sales were allocated for Iraqi Kurdistan and this led to a relative prosperity in the region^[15]. Direct United States mediation, led the two parties to a formal ceasefire in Washington Agreement in September 1998. It is also argued that the Oil for Food Program from 1997 onward had an important effect on cessation of hostilities ^[16]. Kurdish parties joined forces against the Iraqi regime in the Operation Iraqi Freedom in Spring 2003. The Kurdish military forces known as peshmerga played a key role in the overthrow of the former Iraqi regime ^[17]. On May 19, 1992, elections were held to the Kurdistan National Assembly, the parliament of the Kurdish Autonomous Region in Iraq. ... This article is about the economic term. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: , [1]; born April 28, 1937[2]), was the President of Iraq from July 16, 1979 until April 9, 2003, when he was deposed during the United States-led invasion of Iraq. ... The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP; Kurdish: Partiya Demokrat a KurdistanÃª or PDK) is a Kurdish political party led by Massoud Barzani. ... The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: YakÃªtÃ® NÃ®ÅŸtimanÃ® Kurdistan) is a political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq arguably without the explicit backing of the... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Peshmerga, peshmarga or peshmerge (Kurdish: pÃªÅŸmerge) is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters, they have been labelled by some as freedom fighters. ...

KDP and PUK have united to form an alliance with several smaller parties, and the Kurdish alliance has 53 deputies in the new Baghdad parliament, while the Kurdish islamic Union has 5. PUK-leader Jalal Talibani has been elected President of the new Iraqi administration, while KDP leader Massoud Barzani is President of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Jalal Talabani (in Kurdish:ïºŸï»ªï»»ï» ïº—ïºŽï»Ÿï»ªïº‘ïºŽï»§ï»° /Celal TalebanÃ® )(in Arabic: Ø¬Ù„Ø§Ù„ Ø·Ø§Ù„Ø¨Ø§Ù†ÙŠ: jalÃ¢l tÃ¢labÃ¢nÃ®) (born 1933), Iraqi politician, was named President of Iraq on April 6, 2005 by the Iraqi National Assembly. ... Massoud Barzani Massoud Barzani (born August 16, 1946) is the head of the Autonomous Kurdish Government in Iraq and leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. ...

Politics

Since 1992, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has been based in Erbil. The KRG has a parliament, elected by popular vote, called the Iraqi Kurdistan National Assembly, and a cabinet composed of the KDP, the PUK and their allies (Iraqi Communist Party, the Socialist Party of Kurdistan etc.). Nechervan Idris Barzani has been prime minister of the KRG since 1999. Official languages: Kurdish and Arabic Capital: Erbil Prime Minister: Nechervan Idris Barzani Area about 80 000 km² Population - Total (2005): - Density: perhaps 5,750,000 40/km² Currency: Iraqi dinar Time zone: UTC+3 National anthem: Ey Reqîb The Kurdish Autonomous Region is a political entity established in 1970... This article is about the province of Iraq. ... Iraqi Kurdistan National Assembly (Kurdish: EncumenÃ® NÃ®ÅŸtimanÃ® Kurdistan, Arabic: lit: Al-Majlis Al-Watani Li Kurdistan) is the parliament of Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraqi Kurdistan. ... Since its foundation in 1934, the Iraqi Communist Party (in Arabic: Ø§Ù„ØØ²Ø¨ Ø§Ù„Ø´ÙŠÙˆØ¹ÙŠ Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø§Ù‚ÙŠ) has dominated the left in Iraqi politics. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...

After the 2003 Invasion of Iraq Kurdish politicians were represented in the Iraqi governing council. On January 30, 2005 three elections were held in the region: 1) for Transitional National Assembly of Iraq 2) for Iraqi Kurdistan National Assembly and 3) for provincial councils ^[18]. The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period recognized the autonomy of the Kurdistan Regional Government during the interim between "full sovereignty" and the adoption of a permanent constitution. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3008x1960, 1521 KB)Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld meets with Massoud Barzani in Iraqi Kurdistan, on April 12, 2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3008x1960, 1521 KB)Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld meets with Massoud Barzani in Iraqi Kurdistan, on April 12, 2005. ... This article regards the 2003 invasion of iraq. ... The Iraqi Governing Council. ... The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period is the current Iraqi constitution signed on March 8, 2004 by the Iraq Interim Governing Council. ... The electorate of Iraq went to the polls on 15 October 2005 to vote in a referendum on whether or not to ratify the proposed Iraqi constitution of 2005. ... The current constitution of Iraq was approved by an October 15, 2005 ratification vote. ...

The Kurdistan Regional Government currently has constitutionally recognised authority over the provinces of Erbil, Dohuk, and Suleimaniya, as well as de facto authority over parts of Diyala and Ninawa and Kirkuk (at-Ta'mim) provinces. This article is about the province of Iraq. ... Dahuk (also referred to as Dohuk) (Arabic: Ø¯Ù‡ÙˆÙƒ , Kurdish: Duhok) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... As SulaymÄnÄ«yah province is a province of Iraq, within the Kurdish Autonomous Region. ... Diyala is one of the constituent governorates of the nation of Iraq. ... Ninawa (in Arabic: Ù†ÛŒÙ†ÙˆØ§ ,in kurdish: Neynewa, in Assyrian: Nineveh) is a governorate (province) in Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. ... At Tamim is a province of the nation of Iraq. ...

Economy

The Kurdistan region's economy is dominated by the oil sector, agriculture and tourism. Due to relative peace in the region it has a more developed economy in comparison to other parts of Iraq.

Prior to the removal of Saddam Hussein, the Kurdistan Regional Government received approximately 13% of the revenues from Iraq's Oil-for-Food Program. By the time of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the program had disbursed $8.35 billion to the KRG. Iraqi Kurdistan's food security allowed for substantially more of the funds to be spent on development projects than in the rest of Iraq. By the program's end in 2003 $4 billion of the KRG's oil-for-food funds remained unspent. The Oil-for-Food Programme was established by the United Nations in 1996 to allow Iraq to sell oil on the world market in exchange for food, medicine and the like. ...

Following the removal of the regime of Saddam Hussein and the subsequent violence, the three provinces fully under the Kurdistan Regional Government's control were the only three in Iraq to be ranked "secure" by the US military. The relative security and stability of the region has allowed the KRG to sign a number of investment contracts with foreign companies. In 2006 the first new oil well since the invasion of Iraq was drilled in the Kurdistan region by the Norwegian energy company DNO. Initial indications are that the oil field contains at least 100 million barrels of oil and will be pumping 5,000 bpd by early 2007. The KRG has signed exploration agreements with two other oil companies, Canada's Western Oil Sands and the UK's Sterling Energy. Barrels per day (abbreviated bpd or b/d) is a measurement used to describe the amount of crude oil produced or consumed by an entity in one day. ...

The stability of the Kurdistan region has allowed it to achieve a higher level of development than other regions in Iraq. In 2004 the per capita income was 25% higher than in the rest of Iraq. The two chief cities of the region, Arbil and Sulaymaniyah, both have international airports serving destinations through the Middle East and parts of Europe. The government continues to receive a portion of the revenue from Iraq's oil exports, and the government will soon implement a unified foreign investment law. The KRG also has plans to build a media city in Arbil and free trade zones near the borders of Turkey and Iran.

Since 2003, the stronger economy of Kurdistan has attracted around 20,000 Arab workers from the rest of Iraq to seek jobs in Iraqi Kurdistan ^[19] .

Geography

The Iraqi Kurdistan is largely mountainous, with the highest point being a 3,611 m (11,847 ft) point known locally as Cheekah Dar (black tent). There are many rivers flowing and running through mountains of the region making it distinguished by its fertile lands, plentiful water, picturesque nature. Mount Cook, a mountain in New Zealand A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ... A foot (plural: feet) is any of several old units of distance or length, measuring around a quarter to a third of a meter. ... Cheekah Dar (Black Tent) is the highest point in Southern Kurdistan at 3,611 m (11,847 ft). ...

The mountainous nature of Kurdistan, the difference of temperatures in its various parts, and its wealth of waters, make Kurdistan a land of agriculture and tourism. In addition to various minerals, oil in particular, which for a long time was being extracted via pipeline only in Kurdistan through Iraq.

The largest lake in the region is Lake Dukan. Lake Dukan is the largest lake in Kurdistan Region which lies in northeastern Iraq. ...

It is worthy to note that the term "Northern Iraq" is a bit of a geographical ambiguity in usage. "North" typically refers to the Kurdistan Region. "Center" and "South" or "Center-South" when individually referring to the other areas of Iraq or the rest of the country that is not the Kurdistan Region. Most media sources continually refer to "North" and "Northern Iraq" as anywhere north of Baghdad.

The Kirkuk question

One particularly difficult issue yet to be resolved is the future boundaries of the region. Many Kurds wish it to be expanded to include the cities of Mosul and Kirkuk, but this is complicated by the Assyrian, Turkmen and Arab populations of both cities and the opposition of Turkey, which is concerned about the region's potential to break away from Iraq (with possible consequences for its own Kurdish minority).^[20] The Kirkuk region has seen considerable friction on ethnic lines, including reported "extra-judicial detentions" of Arab and Turkmen men by Kurdish security forces.^[21] The final boundaries of the autonomous region are set to be decided through a number of referendums before the end of 2007; the referendum on Kirkuk will be held on 15 November 2007. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Kirkuk city centre. ... Assyrians are Aramaic-speaking Christians who consider themselves to be indigenous inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and inheritors of the ancient culture of Assyria. ... The Arabs (Arabic: Ø¹Ø±Ø¨) are a heterogenous ethnic group who are predominantly speakers of the Arabic language, mainly found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... Kirkuk city centre. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Governorates

Iraqi Kurdistan is divided among 6 governorates of which currently three are under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. These governorates are called in Kurdish parêzge. Particularly in Iraqi government documents the term governorate is preferred: A governorate is a subnational entity. ... It has been suggested that Kurdish blogs be merged into this article or section. ...

There will be a referendum to determine whether these governorates will be included in the Kurdish Regional Government sometime between now and December 2007, while Kurds are insisting that the referendum be held as soon as possible. Image File history File links KurdistanRegion_Governorates. ... Image File history File links KurdistanRegion_Governorates. ... As SulaymÄnÄ«yah province is a province of Iraq, within the Kurdish Autonomous Region. ... ArbÄ«l (Ø£Ø±Ø¨ÙŠÙ„ in Arabic language, HewlÃªr in Kurdish , also transliterated as Irbil or Erbil) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... Dahuk (also referred to as Dohuk) (Arabic: Ø¯Ù‡ÙˆÙƒ , Kurdish: Duhok) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... Diyala (Arabic: Ø¯ÙŠØ§Ù„Ù‰) is one of the constituent governorates of the nation of Iraq. ... At Tamim is a province of the nation of Iraq. ... Ninawa (in Arabic: Ù†ÛŒÙ†ÙˆØ§ ,in kurdish: Neynewa ) in Assyrian: Nineve is a governorate (province) in Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

Demographics

The population is about 5-6 million. The majority of these are Sunni Muslims. There are also significant numbers of Yazidis and Christians. Kurds comprise the ethnic majority in the region while the Turkmen and Assyrian, Chaldean, Armenian and Arabs who particularly reside in the western part of the area make up the rest. The Yazidi or Yezidi (Kurdish: ÃŠzidÃ®) are adherents of a small Middle Eastern religion with ancient origins. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Christ. ... Assyrians are Aramaic-speaking Christians who consider themselves to be indigenous inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and inheritors of the ancient culture of Assyria. ...

Military

Peshmerga or peshmerge (Kurdish: pêşmerge) is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters, they have been labelled by some as freedom fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" (pêş front + merg death e is) the peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been around since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman and Qajar empires which had jointly ruled over the area known today as Kurdistan. Peshmerga, peshmarga or peshmerge (Kurdish: pÃªÅŸmerge) is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters, they have been labelled by some as freedom fighters. ... Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... The Contras were often referred to as Freedom Fighters by US President Ronald Reagan. ... Kurdistan (literally meaning the land of Kurds[1]; old: Koordistan, Curdistan, Kurdia, also in Kurdish: KurdewarÃ®) is the name of a geographic and cultural region in the Middle East, inhabited predominantly by the Kurds. ... The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... now. ... The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. ...

Peshmerga forces also played a significant role with coalition troops in liberation of northern Iraq from the Ba'ath regime.

Culture

Kurdish cultural heritage is rooted in some of the world's oldest cultures; Iranian, Medean and Assyrian. Through the ages, this heritage has been subject to injustices, neglect and repression, or has been eclipsed by other cultures. Important components of the original cultural heritage have disappeared or have been destroyed. There are numerous examples of how valuable or irreplaceable Kurdish physical heritage are endangered or destroyed, like the threat posed by the Illusi Dam in Kurdistan (Turkey), where the oldest Kurdish city, Hasankeyf, soon is to be covered by water. ^[22] Kurdish culture has developed over hundreds of years. ...

Kurds have always been among the more liberal Muslims and as a result Kurdish women have faced less restrictions in wearing hijab or holding jobs outside home than other muslim women. The Kurdish culture is close to Iranian culture among their neighbours. For example they celebrate Newroz as the new year day, which is celebrated on March 21. It is the first day of the month of Xakelêwe in Kurdish calendar and the first day of spring. ^[23] Hijab or Ä§ijÄb () is the Arabic term for cover (noun), based on the root ØØ¬Ø¨ meaning to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter. In some Arabic-speaking countries and Western countries, the word hijab primarily refers to womens head, face, or body covering. ... Norouz (Newroz in Kurdish) (also spelled Noe-Rooz, Norouz, Norooz, Noruz, Novruz, Noh Ruz, Nauroz, Nav-roze, Navroz, NÃ¡w-RÃºz or Nowrouz and in Persian Ù†ÙˆØ±ÙˆØ²) is the traditional Iranian festival of spring which starts at the exact moment of the vernal equinox, commencing the start of the spring. ...

Music

Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish classical performers - storytellers (çîrokbêj), minstrels (stranbêj) and bards (dengbêj). There was no specific music related to the Kurdish princely courts, and instead, music performed in night gatherings (şevbihêrk) is considered classical. Several musical forms are found in this genre. Many songs are epic in nature, such as the popular lawiks which are heroic ballads recounting the tales of Kurdish heroes of the past like Saladin. Heyrans are love ballads usually expressing the melancholy of separation and unfulfilled love. Lawje is a form of religious music and Payizoks are songs performed specifically in autumn. Love songs, dance music, wedding and other celebratory songs (dîlok/narînk), erotic poetry and work songs are also popular. Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers - storytellers (Ã§Ã®rokbÃªj), minstrels (stranbÃªj) and bards (dengbÃªj). ... Assyrian music is divided into three main sections or periods, The Ancient Period that is of (Ur, Babylon and Nineveh), The middle period or Tribal and Folkloric period, and the Modern Period. ... This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A bard is a poet or singer, in religious or feudal contexts. ... The epic is a broadly defined genre of poetry, and one of the major forms of narrative literature. ... Artistic representation of Saladin. ... A work song is a typically rhythmic a cappella song sung by people working on a physical and often repetitive task. ...

Views of Kurdistan

Historical and touristic attractions

Geli Eli Beg Waterfall Geli Eli Beg Waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iraqi Kurdistan which lies in the mountainous northern part of the country in the Kurdistan Region, northern Arbil. ... The Citadel of Arbil (in Kurdish: Qelay HewlÃªr) is an ancient citadel located in northern Mesopotamia, (northern modern Iraq), in center of city of Arbil (Hewler) capital of Kurdistan Region. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Arbil. ... Sulaymaniyah (Arabic: as-sulaymÄnÄ«yÃ¤, Kurdish: SlÃªmanÃ®) is a city in the southeast of greater Kurdistan (the Kurdish-speaking region of the Middle East). ... Zakho (Kurdish: Zaxo,Arabic: Ø²Ø§Ø®Ùˆ) is a city in the Duhok province of Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, near the border with Turkey. ... Sulaymaniyah (Arabic: as-sulaymÄnÄ«yÃ¤, Kurdish: SlÃªmanÃ®) is a city in the southeast of greater Kurdistan (the Kurdish-speaking region of the Middle East). ...

Colleges and universities

The Salahaddin University (Zankoy SelaheddÃ®n in Kurdish) is located in Arbil (Hewler), capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan region. ...

Footnotes

^ [1]
^ [2]
^ C. Dahlman, The Political Geography of Kurdistan, Eurasian Geography and Economics, Vol.43, No.4, 2002, p.286
^ Saad Eskander, Britain's Policy in Southern Kurdistan: The Formation and Termination of the First Kurdish Government, 1918-1919, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol.27, No.2, 2000 pp.151,152,155,160
^ G.S. Harris, Ethnic Conflict and the Kurds, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, p.118, 1977
^ G.S. Harris, Ethnic Conflict and the Kurds, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, pp.118-120, 1977
^ [3]
^ G.S. Harris, Ethnic Conflict and the Kurds, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, p.121, 1977
^ M. Farouk-Sluglett, P. Sluglett, J. Stork, Not Quite Armageddon: Impact of the War on Iraq, MERIP Reports, July-September 1984, p.24
^ Human Rights Watch Report About Anfal Campaign, 1993.
^ [4]
^ L. Fawcett, Down but not out? The Kurds in International Politics, Reviews of International Studies, Vol.27, 2001 p.117
^ M. Leezenberg, Iraqi Kurdistan: contours of a post-civil war society, Third World Quarterly, Vol.26, No.4-5, June 2005, p.636
^ H.J. Barkey, E. Laipson, Iraqi Kurds And Iraq's Future, Middle East Policy, Vol. XII, No.4, Winter 2005, pp.67
^ M. M. Gunter, M. H. Yavuz, The continuing Crisis In Iraqi Kurdistan, Middle East Policy, Vol.XII, No.1, Spring 2005, pp.123-124
^ M. Leezenberg, Iraqi Kurdistan: contours of a post-civil war society, Third World Quarterly, Vol.26, No.4-5, June 2005, p.639
^ [5]
^ H. Walker, T. Clark, Election in Iraq - 30 January 2005:An Assessment, Journal of Asian Affairs, Vol.36, No.2, July 2005, p.182
^ H.J. Barkey, E. Laipson, Iraqi Kurds And Iraq's Future, Middle East Policy, Vol. XII, No.4, Winter 2005, p.68
^ "Arabs and Turkmen fear Kurdish control of Kirkuk.", AFP.
^ "Kurdish Officials Sanction Abductions in Kirkuk". Washington Post, June 15, 2005.
^ [6]
^ [7]