Both the terms Kurds and Persians are the ethnic groups belonging to the country of Iran. In terms of culture, they both have a difference in it, and they also follow different traditions and languages.
Kurds are not as progressive as Persians and are considered minority groups. The Kurds and Persians have many differences between them which are based on the religion they follow, the language they speak and many more.
Let us know more differences between the two in detail.
Key Takeaways
- Kurds are an ethnic group primarily living in Kurdistan, spanning parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
- Persians are an ethnic group from Iran and speak the Persian language.
- Both groups have unique cultural and historical backgrounds but share some commonalities, such as language roots.
Kurds vs Persians
Kurds are an ethnic group who inhabit the region of Kurdistan, which includes parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Armenia. They have their own Kurdish language and a long history in the Middle East. Persians are an ethnic group native to Iran with a rich history and cultural heritage.
Kurds are an ethnic group of people with no independent religion of their own. These people are not confined to one place or country as they can be spotted anywhere.
They are considered as the indigenous groups of the Mesopotamian plain. The Kurds speak the Kurdish language and are known for their distinctive language.
Persians on the other hand is a highly dominant ethnic group of people. They speak the Persian language and follow independent religions as well.
The Persians are also considered as the main group of Iran who is still remembered as warriors from ancient times.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Kurds | Persians |
|---|---|---|
| History | They are considered ancient to the Mesopotamian plain | These are the lineages of the Aryan group |
| Language | Kurdish | Persian |
| Religion | No independent religion | Follow their religion |
| Belong to | They have a population of around 30 million and are considered the largest ethnic group in the world who do not have their state | They live in Persia which is now known as modern Iran |
| Considered as | Minority group, who were dominated by other ethnic groups | Majority group, who dominated most of the ethnic groups |
What is Kurds ?
Kurds are a group of people from the Middle East affiliated with Kurdish culture or Kurdistan, a region in Iraq. They are also known to be from the Mesopotamian plain.
Millions of Kurds are considered as one of the world’s largest ethnic groups, which do not have a country. They inhabit places like Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey etc. Including present-day Armenia.
Previously, they are also known to have inhabited mountain areas of Lake Van and Lake Urmia. During the 16th and early 18th centuries. Kurds were ruled by the Ottoman Empire, which was an imperial state controlling most of southeast Europe, west of Asia etc.
During this time, the Kurds lived in the regions along with several other ethnic groups. The Kurds have faced domination since the beginning by other ethnic groups, and still, they do not have any country of their own.
The language spoken by these people is Kurdish, also known as Sorani. They don’t have any independent religion to follow. In Turkey, the Kurds are referred to as the people residing there with Kurdish origin.
They are known to be covering almost 15-20% population of Turkey, but they are primarily situated in the east and southeast of the country.
What is Persians?
The Persians are the Iranian ethnic group that covers almost half of Iran’s population, and Persian is also the Latin term for Iranian. The language spoken by these people is Persian which is widely spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, some parts of Uzbekistan etc.
This language is native to the Pars province, located in southern Iran. The Persians are considered as a dominant ethnic group who migrated to the regions of Persis by the 19th century probably.
The name ‘Persian’ comes from a region named ‘Persis’ from where Cyrus the Great came and even began his campaigns to unite other regions which were present in the Iranian peninsula.
Talking about the history of Persians, the first empire was based in the west of Asia and founded by Cyrus the Great. This empire became the largest empire in ancient history.
The Persians are also known for their inventions, such as horizontal windmills for pumping water etc. They were also involved in building techniques for refrigeration and underground ventilation methods.
The Persians are considered as the people who dominated for a very long period of time. In today’s time, they are remembered as warriors from ancient times.
Main Differences Between Kurds and Persians
- Kurds are minority ethnic groups who were dominated by other ethnic groups, whereas Persians are the dominant ethnic group.
- Kurds are indigenous people of Mesopotamian plains, whereas Persians are descendants of Aryan people.
- In terms of an independent religion, Kurds do not have one but Persians follow Zoroastrianism as their independent religion.
- Kurds were not able to set up any proper living, but the Persians succeeded in setting up an empire as well.
- The language these two groups speak is also different; Kurds speak Kurdish, and Persian speak Farsi.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1872497315000551
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/3017874
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the Kurds and Persians, focusing on their historical, cultural, and religious disparities.
Very informative. The differences in the religious beliefs and historical backgrounds between Kurds and Persians are quite intriguing.
Indeed, the cultural and historical dimensions of the Kurds and Persians are fascinating. The language roots are of particular interest.
The contrast between the two groups in setting up living and empires is a compelling factor in understanding the differences.
The comparison of Kurds and Persians is enlightening in highlighting their unique cultural and historical backgrounds.
The difference in the independent religion followed by Kurds and Persians is a crucial distinction between the two.
Kurds are an ancient group with no independent religion, whereas Persians have more dominion and follow Zoroastrianism as their independent religion
Kurds are indigenous to Mesopotamian plains while Persians are descendants of the Aryan group.
The historical and cultural backgrounds of both Kurds and Persians are remarkable, and their unique language roots are of great interest.