Kurds in Georgia

Georgian Kurds
Total population
13,861 (2014 census).[1][2]
0.48%
50.000 - 60.000[3]
Regions with significant populations
Batumi, Meskheti, Javakheti, Adjara,[1] Rustavi,[4] and Abkhazia.[5]
Languages
Kurdish (Kurmanji), Georgian, Russian
Religion
Predominantly: Yazidism
Minority: Sunni Islam and Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Other Iranic peoples, especially other Kurds and Yazidis
 
People
Population
  • Homeland
History

Ancient

Karduchian dynasties

Corduene
Zabdicene
Cyrtians
Moxoene

Medieval

Modern
Culture
Languages
Kurdish languages
Religion

The Kurds in Georgia (Kurdish: Kurdên Gurcistanê, Кӧрдэн Гӧрщьстанэ) (Sorani Kurdish: کوردانی جۆرجیا) form a major part of the historically significant Kurdish population in the post-Soviet space, and are members of the eponymous ethnic group that are citizens of Georgia. In the 20th century, most Kurds fled religious persecution in the Ottoman Empire to the Russian Empire.[6] The return of their Kurdish surnames needs effort according to a Kurdish activist in Georgia.[7] The Kurds also have their own schools, school books and a printing press in Georgia. Illiteracy among them disappeared in the early 1900s.[4] Kurds in Georgia are politically neutral; however, in 1999 they staged a huge demonstration in Tbilisi, demanding the release of the founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, Abdullah Öcalan.[8] Kurds in Georgia today use Cyrillic script. Earlier, in the 1920s, they used the Latin script.[9]

  1. ^ a b "The Human Rights situation of the Yezidi minority in the Transcaucasus" (PDF). United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. p. 18.
  2. ^ "Ethnic Groups of Georgia: Census 2002 (Total/Percentage)" (PDF). EcmiCausasus. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  3. ^ "Refworld | Georgia: Treatment of the Kurds, in particular of Yezidi Kurds".
  4. ^ a b United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (1 August 1998). "Georgia: Treatment of the Kurds, in particular of Yezidi Kurds". Refworld: The leader in Refugee Decision Support. Retrieved 5 November 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ "Ethno-demographic history of Abkhazia, 1886 - 1989" (PDF). Abkhaz World. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  6. ^ James Minahan (1998). Miniature empires: a historical dictionary of the newly independent states. p. 320. ISBN 0-313-30610-9. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Discrimination of Kurd-Yezids in Georgia". Human Rights in Georgia. Humanrights.ge. 15 October 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  8. ^ Prime-News news agency (23 February 1999). "Georgia: Tbilisi Kurds stage protest action, demand Ocalan's release". BBC Monitoring (via News Library). Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  9. ^ Manana Kock Kobaidz. "Minority identity and identity maintenance in Georgia" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)