Kurds in Kazakhstan

Kurds in Kazakhstan

Total population
38,325 (0,2%) (2011 census) 46,000–150,000
Regions with significant populations
Almaty Province, Jambyl Province, South Kazakhstan Province
Languages
Kazakh, Kurdish, Russian
Religion
Overwhelmingly Islam
Related ethnic groups
Iranian people (Yazidis, Zazas)

Kurds in Kazakhstan refers to the people born in or residing in Kazakhstan who are of Kurdish origin. According to the most recent Kazakh census in 2011, the Kurdish population is 38,325 or 0,2% of the population, but Vice President of the Kurdish Association of Kazakhstan, Malikshah Gasanov numbers the population up to 46,000, because many Kurds list themselves as Turks and Azeris. Most of the Kurdish population in Kazakhstan were deported by Stalin from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Years later, Kurds immigrated to Kazakhstan from the neighbouring countries, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

In cities with a substantial Kurdish population, Kurdish literature and Kurdish language is taught in the primary and secondary schools. In the village of Kashkabulak, Kurdish students can study Kurdish through 12th grade. And since 1990, Kurds also have had their own newspaper, the Kurdistan newspaper.

Religion among Kazakh Kurds

  Islam (98.3%)

  Christianity (0.52%)

  Atheist and non-religious (0.7%)

  Other and undeclared (0.39%)

  Judaism (0.02%)

  Buddhism (0.01%)

Mother tongue among Kazakh Kurds

  Kurdish (88.7%)

  Other languages (11.3%)

Deportation and immigration

Kurds were deported twice to Central Asia from Caucasia. The first deportation occurred in 1937 where Stalin deported Kurds from Nakhchivan and the second deportation occurred in 1944 in Georgia. Stalin feared a Turkish invasion and he saw Kurds as unreliable, even though many Kurds served in the Soviet military. Many of them died during the deportations.

After the Osh riots and the riots in Fergana Valley between Kyrgyzs and Uzbeks, many Kurds moved to Kazakhstan.

See also

• Nadir Nadirov
• Kurdish population
• Yazidis