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The Kurds

© P Jerome Jayanth

The Kurds are a people living in the mountainous regions of south-western Asia. The Kurds are believed to have lived there for the past 2400 years. The Kurds are also said to have descended from the Medes. The land where the Kurds live is called Kurdistan. It is a semimountainous region. Kurdistan is spread over Iran, Iraq, Syria and other countries of the region. The Kurds were converted to Islam in the 7th century A D when Arab conquerors brought Islam to the region. Most Kurds are followers of the Sunni sect whilst a small percentage are Shiites. Besides a small number of people follow the Cult of Angel, an ancient Kurdish faith.

The Kurds live in a mountainous area. The entire region is an active seismic zone. The Taurus, the zagros the Elburz are a few of the mountain ranges. Kurdistan contains the watershed of two of the world's most fabled rivers - Tigris and Euphratex

The Kurds are principally a rural people living in villages. But, the number of urban settlers is on the increase. The Kurds are organized as tribes and clans. The tribes are in turn organized into tribal confederations. The chief occupations of the people are agriculture and livestock raising. The Principal crops include cereals, such as, cereasl, wheat, barley.Tyhe mountainous soil is poor and does not hold much promise for agriculture. The Turkish government has sponsored hydel power projects in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers which hold potential for economic development.

The Kurds are a minority in all the countries they inhabit. The struggle for an independent homeland has been going on since the early part of the twentieth century. Violent struggles have occured in Turkey and Iraq.

A Kurdish Chieftain

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