History, Geography and Contemporary Geopolitics (UPSC Analytical Note)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The Kurdish Question in West Asia: History, Geography and Contemporary Geopolitics (UPSC Analytical Note)
1. Introduction
The Kurds constitute one of the largest stateless ethnic groups in the world, numbering roughly 30–45 million people. They inhabit a contiguous mountainous region across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, commonly referred to as Kurdistan (“land of the Kurds”).
The Kurdish question has become one of the most persistent geopolitical issues in the Middle East. It intersects with ethnic nationalism, territorial sovereignty, regional security, and international power politics. For students of international relations and civil services examinations, the Kurdish issue is important for understanding the complexities of West Asian geopolitics.
2. Geography of Kurdistan
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