KURDISTAN

KURDISTAN
The land of Kurds

Kurdistan
Kurdistan is located in the Middle East, in South west Asia
Kurdistan region is situated in south-west Asia between latitude 34 and 37 and longitude 41 and 64 .
It is divided over four countries: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria:
Borders were drawn after the World War I
Kurdistan is similar to Texas or France in area .

When & Why the Division?
Kurds have been living in Kurdistan from as early as 2400 B .C. The first Kurdish empire was known as the Media Empire (900-500 B.C.).
Due to geographical, dialectic and feudal factors, Kurdistan was then divided into number of Kingdoms each ruled by a tribe.
Kurdistan was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century and converted into Islam.
While being a part of the Islamic Empire, the Kingdoms kept their independence.
Historically the Kurds lived on this area four thousands of years and they were famous when it comes to plantation and animal breeding Kurdistan is well known for it’s rich agriculture and natural resources the excavations showed that Kurdistan people were the first who practiced agriculture in a village called jermo where the remains of wheat and barley crops cultivation had been found.

When & Why the Division?
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following the World War I, the Kurds were promised to gain an independent state according the Treaty of Sevre 1920; yet this part of the Treaty has not been ratified.
Even the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) didn’t mentioned the right of kurds to have an independent state.

Consequences of the Division
The issue of Kurdish autonomy was a source of conflict and political instability in those countries with large Kurdish communities.
Continuous Revolts
Declaration of the Republic of Kurdistan in 1945 in Iran which lasted for 11 months
Uprising in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1991.

Geography & Weather
Geography
Kurdistan is almost mountainous green region.
Watershed of many rivers and lakes.
Weather
Climate varies:
Summer: Hot and dry winter: cold, rainy, and snow

Population
Kurdistan of Turkey : about 23 to 25 millions.
Kurdistan of Iran : about 9 millions
Iraqi Kurdistan: about 7 millions
Kurdistan of Syria : 2 millions.
About 2 millions in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan.
Total: 40 to 45 millions.

Language
The Kurdish language belongs to Indo-European language , close to Persian and Romanian languages. It is fundamentally different from Arabic and Turkish .

Religion
The Kurds are mostly Sunni Muslims and few Shi’as, Christians, Jews, Yezedians.

Kurdistan Flag

Iraqi Kurdistan
Under Saddam’s Regime
During the decade of 1980, Saddam massacred about 182000 Kurds through an ethnic campaign policy called Anfal and (8000) civil Barzanian.
In 1988, Halabja (the Kurdish city )was attacked by Ba’ath’s regime with chemical weapons and 5000 civil innocent people were killed .

Iraqi Kurdistan
Since 1991, the three Northern cities Hawler, Sulemani and Duhok have been under the control of the Kurds themselves.
After free elections, the first Kurdish Parliament was established which proposed Iraq to be a Federal Country.

Iraqi Liberation
Iraqi Kurds welcomed the American forces to land in their region after they were not allowed by Turkey.
Peshmerga took part in Iraq liberation.

Kurdish police and Kurdish Army (Peshmarga) are keeping the security of the region.
Kurdistan

Iraqi President
Now, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd leader , is the President of Iraq.

Kurdistan region
Iraqi Kurdistan President
MASUD BARZANI

The Big Dream is
ONE INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN

Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan can be the pioneer.

Now a days, the Iraqi Kurdistan is a good pattern of Democracy, strong Government institutions and Freedom in the middle east. Try to make a tour in the Region and you will see different aspects of modern life, high buildings, bridges, hotels, modern super markets, international airports, and many other public services which are under construction. Here, we might not forget the role of Zaytoon Division in rebuilding our Region and keeping the area secured and stable as much as possible.

"Indeed, almost all ordinary Kurds would like to see complete independence.” However "They don't want to bite off more than they can chew.” Specifically, the Kurdish leadership would like to avoid antagonizing the Americans, who have been their allies.

The Industry in Kurdistan:
The experts of Ministry of Industry have begun to prepare the five year Industrial Strategic Plan for Kurdistan region.
According to the last available statistics, the population of Erbil Governorate is estimated around 4000,000 and the percentage of population of 16-60 years is around 58%.
About 1000,000 are employment25%,while 34% of population are students or employers in private sectors.
Total numbers of issued industrial plants and factories are about 2500 and there are near to 20000 industrial employees. In other words, the total percentage of industrial employees is within 2% of total employment.

Ministry of Industry has a main role and responsibility to develop industry beginning to prepare an industrial plan to solve recent and future problems.
They‘ve collected the necessary data and clarified recent statue of region Industries and identified some principles , goals , also obstacles and suggestions . This report is describing some of their approach.

1. Installation of new industrial plants in 15 sectors with regard to existing possibilities, abilities and local resources.
2. To supply 50% of necessary foods by establishing of Agro-Industries and coordinating with Agriculture Ministry to produce strategic agricultural products by training and supporting of the farmers.
3. To supply 70% of home and office furniture by establishing of new plants by private sector and assisting them to improve their ability and technology.
4. To supply 80% of building materials by establishing necessary plants by private sector and’ natural resources Ministry’ to explore and identify the new mineral resources.
5. To supply 3500 new jobs especially for women in handicrafts active facilities through training and financial supports.
6. To establish several Industrial zones.
To support foreign & local investors MOI corporate and deal with projects & activities according to the law of investment no 4 of 2006 .

Kurdish children's

The Agriculture of Kurdistan:
The climate is considered to be mild and the rain system is very much effected by the Mediterranean sea that divide the whole region into three levels of raining that ranges from 250 – 1200mm.
The majority of the Kurds are depending on agriculture. There was a war of genocide inflicted upon them where hundreds of thousands were exterminated, they were deported and forced to immigration. In 1988, with the "Anfal" unjustified operations by the government in Baghdad, over 4800 Kurdish villages were leveled to the ground and destroyed forcing its people to flee, Also nature had its share of exploitation and destruction. Water resources and rives were ruined or damaged. Forests were burned and gracing lands were totally destroyed along with agriculture areas. As if this was not enough, millions of landmines were planted instead, these mines are still constitute danger to this very day. After the second Gulf war march 1991 and the rebellion of the people in Kurdistan, plans were drawn to take people back to their villages and rebuilt life their. Projects were laid out and even today the program of encouraging farmers to return to their villages is going ahead.

Today the strategy of MOA/KRG is as follows:
1- The major concerns of MOA are the transition from relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction to sustainable agricultural development.
2- Insuring food security for the people through increasing agricultural and animal Products using up-to-date methods
3- Give full support to private investors and encourage them to participate in establishing factories and other production centers. .
4- Activate the Agriculture bank and offer finance to peasants and farmers to increase their income.
5- Make complete and full use of agricultural land with emphasizing on obtaining Good quality in every field. Purchase agricultural crops and animal product from the farmers, and establishing storages and silos.
6- Encouraging the people to return to their villages and their places of origin. This will demand regional and international support, especially organizations that work in agricultural fields.
7- Open seminars and training centers to educate farmers on both local and international levels to help them enlarge their capabilities and allow them to have sort of skills on agricultural matters.
8- Adoption of advanced technologies, new cultivation methods…
9- Enhance marketing system
10- Efforts to catch up with the rest of the world and to open doors with developed counterparts and companies
11- Reduction of rural poverty.

Tourism of Kurdistan:
the attractive weather of the region in all seasons, varying environment and a treasure consisting of woods, water and mountains, the authorities know that the fantastic nature is not enough to attract tourists ,but there should be availability of tourist services , travel facilities, banking services, and security; therefore, we try seriously to renew these facilities and polarizing foreign to develop the tourist foundations in accordance with the set goals to convert this sector to a main source of our budget. In addition to the provision of all natural tourist requirements, we have to concentrate on the provision of security in a country where the people are well known of their good hospitality which is part of the Kurds daily life who are very pleased to have visitors.
Tourism has been selected as the most important one to compensate the shortage of the petroleum fortune. Economy decision makers of Kurdistan were aware of the importance of their country which is the cradle of ancient civilizations and junction of various religions and cultures. Hence, it has been realized that tourism is our everlasting treasure not the petrol which is obsolescence.

To reach the set goals, the government has set a new vision based on three points :
1- Tourism could be one of the basic pillars of the economy.
2- Tourism should be a bridge between civilizations and a means of dialogue and communication with the world.
3- Tourism could be a means of regional development.
The ministry also studies the wishes of the investors and tries to improve investment formulas, and provide additional facilities in the areas of tourism attraction through providing integral tourist areas and lands ready for investment in all provinces of the region.

The trade of Kurdistan:
The ministry of trade has been established by the new cabinet in the mid of the year 2006. the decision is made after the reaching to the satisfaction of the necessity establishing the trade ministry.
In the ministry of trade many huge and important tasks as following:
1- Facilitating the internal and external commercial activities.
2- supporting the private and mixed sector.
3- supporting the foreign & local investment.
4- Participating in the activities that give benefits to the transparency to promote the experiences and qualifications of the people.
5- Cooperation with foreign commercial delegations and trade representatives of the neighbor and the other countries in the region to reach to the best mutual understanding in future.

There are wide-scale projects in various fields and wide spread in the Kurdish cities. Some of them are going to be finished in near future and others will begin at soon after they have been put into the range of the investment strategic projects. The enterprises in Erbil alone are more than 170 commercial projects (smalls & medium size) the case is same in Suleimaniya & Duhok.
Regarding trade there is brisk consumer market in the region; following is a small importing movement.

The investment in Kurdistan
Basically depending upon the existence and availability of the investment members and presence of high security living levels in Kurdistan region a law for Investment No.4 on 2006 with a board of investment has been established .The law deals with foreign investors as locals .
In the law , the following facilities are issued :-
Land preparation .
Taxes & custom fees exception .
Insuring infra structure facilities to the project boundary.
Foreign investor free to transfer capital anywhere .