Kurdish population in Turkey surpasses 22.5 million: Turkish data

DIYARBAKIR (AMED), Turkey’s Kurdish region,—The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has recently released new data on the birth records of Kurdish citizens in Turkey, Rudaw TV reported.

This latest publication offers a clearer picture of the Kurdish population, revealing that 22,691,824 Kurds reside in Turkey.

The majority of this population hails from the southeastern cities traditionally associated with the Kurdish community.

Based on these figures, Kurds make up over 30 percent of Turkey’s total population, which stands at 74.7 million. It is important to note that these numbers only account for individuals registered with official government institutions.

The first population census in Turkey took place in 1927, shortly after the founding of the Turkish Republic. At the time, the overall population was recorded as 13,464,564. Of this total, 2,323,359 were Kurds, with Serhat emerging as the largest Kurdish city, boasting 38,000 residents, followed by Dilok.

Over the decades, the Kurdish population has seen significant growth. By 1950, it had risen to 3,850,723 and continued to climb, reaching 5,147,680 in 1960 and 10,505,672 by 1990.

In the year 2000, TurkStat reported 12,751,808 Kurds residing in Kurdish cities across the country, a figure that grew to 14,733,894 by 2012.

According to official data, there are currently 8,902 Kurdish villages, alongside 108 towns and 275 districts predominantly populated by Kurds.

It is worth mentioning that certain dynamics have influenced these numbers. Between 1990 and 1997, for example, approximately 4,000 Kurdish villages were evacuated and destroyed under the guise of security measures.

Many villagers were displaced and resettled in other parts of Turkey, and this displacement affected census counts during that period, as those who had relocated were not included in the Kurdish city population figures.

Researcher and writer Rohat Alakom highlights the presence of Kurdish villages beyond the southeastern region.

He notes that there are 102 Kurdish villages in Ankara, 75 in Konya, 44 in Kirsehir, and 313 villages in central Anatolia.

While there are no official statistics on the number of Kurds in this area, estimates suggest that the Kurdish population in central Anatolia could be no less than one million.

Additionally, a significant number of Kurds from Anatolia have emigrated to Europe, further complicating efforts to determine an accurate count.

Historian Jalili Jalil has brought attention to historical documents, including an 1888 letter from Suleyman Beg, a member of the Gozanogullari family, in which he identified himself as a Kurd when communicating with the Russian ambassador. Such historical references underline the longstanding Kurdish presence in Turkey and the surrounding region.

TurkStat also released data on internal migration patterns within the country. The largest group of migrants appears to have moved from Mardin to Izmir, with other notable movements including migrants from Adana to Urfa and from Erzurum to Bursa.

While these statistics offer insight into the Kurdish population in Turkey, they are not without limitations. For instance, not all individuals born in Kurdish-majority cities are ethnically Kurdish, as these areas are home to various ethnic groups.

However, by factoring in migration patterns and population movements, an estimated Kurdish population of around 20 million is considered reasonable.

Overall, TurkStat’s latest census data offers a glimpse into the Kurdish demographic within Turkey, alongside the broader context of migration and historical developments shaping the Kurdish population’s distribution across the country.

(With files from Rudaw)