The most warlike peoples of the world are Kalmyks. The most powerful nation in the world

Any nation experiences a time of active wars and expansion. But there are tribes where militancy and cruelty are an integral part of their culture. These are ideal warriors without fear and morality.

Maori

The name of the New Zealand tribe "Maori" means "ordinary", although, in truth, there is nothing ordinary about them. Even Charles Darwin, who happened to meet them during his voyage on the Beagle, noted their cruelty, especially towards the whites (English), with whom they had to fight for territories during the Maori wars.

Maori are considered the indigenous people of New Zealand. Their ancestors sailed to the island approximately 2000-700 years ago from Eastern Polynesia. Before the arrival of the British in the middle of the 19th century, they had no serious enemies; they had fun mainly with civil strife.

During this time, their unique customs, characteristic of many Polynesian tribes, were formed. For example, they cut off the heads of captured enemies and ate their bodies - this is how, according to their beliefs, the enemy’s power passed to them. Unlike their neighbors, the Australian Aborigines, the Maori fought in two world wars.

Moreover, during World War II they themselves insisted on forming their own 28th battalion. By the way, it is known that during the First World War they drove away the enemy with their “haku” battle dance during the offensive operation on the Gallipoli Peninsula. This ritual was accompanied by war cries and scary faces, which literally discouraged enemies and gave the Maori an advantage.

Gurkhas

Another warlike people who also fought on the side of the British are the Nepalese Gurkhas. Even during colonial policy, the British classified them as the “most militant” peoples they encountered.

According to them, the Gurkhas were distinguished by aggressiveness in battle, courage, self-sufficiency, physical strength and a low pain threshold. England itself had to surrender to the pressure of their warriors, armed only with knives.

It is not surprising that back in 1815 a wide campaign was launched to attract Gurkha volunteers into the British army. Skilled fighters quickly gained fame as the best soldiers in the world.

They managed to take part in the suppression of the Sikh uprising, the Afghan, First and Second World Wars, as well as in the Falklands conflict. Today, the Gurkhas are still the elite fighters of the British army. They are all recruited there – in Nepal. I must say, the competition for selection is crazy - according to the modernarmy portal, there are 28,000 candidates for 200 places.

The British themselves admit that the Gurkhas are better soldiers than themselves. Maybe because they are more motivated. Although the Nepalese themselves say, it’s not about money at all. They are proud of their martial art and are always happy to put it into action. Even if someone pats them on the shoulder in a friendly manner, in their tradition this is considered an insult.

Dayaks

When some small peoples are actively integrating into the modern world, others prefer to preserve traditions, even if they are far from the values ​​of humanism.

For example, the Dayak tribe from the island of Kalimantan, who have earned a terrible reputation as headhunters. What to do - you can become a man only by bringing the head of your enemy to the tribe. At least this was the case back in the 20th century. The Dayak people (Malay for “pagan”) are an ethnic group that unites numerous peoples inhabiting the island of Kalimantan in Indonesia.

Among them: Ibans, Kayans, Modangs, Segais, Trings, Inichings, Longwais, Longhat, Otnadom, Serai, Mardahik, Ulu-Ayer. Even today, some villages can only be reached by boat.

The bloodthirsty rituals of the Dayaks and the hunt for human heads were officially stopped in the 19th century, when the local sultanate asked the Englishman Charles Brooke from the dynasty of white rajahs to somehow influence the people who knew no other way to become a man except to cut off someone's head.

Having captured the most militant leaders, he managed to guide the Dayaks to a peaceful path through a “carrot and stick policy.” But people continued to disappear without a trace. The last bloody wave swept across the island in 1997-1999, when all world agencies shouted about ritual cannibalism and the games of little Dayaks with human heads.

Kalmyks

Among the peoples of Russia, one of the most warlike are the Kalmyks, descendants of the Western Mongols. Their self-name translates as “breakaways,” which means Oirats who did not convert to Islam. Today, most of them live in the Republic of Kalmykia. Nomads are always more aggressive than farmers.

The ancestors of the Kalmyks, the Oirats, who lived in Dzungaria, were freedom-loving and warlike. Even Genghis Khan did not immediately manage to subjugate them, for which he demanded the complete destruction of one of the tribes. Later, the Oirat warriors became part of the army of the great commander, and many of them became related to the Genghisids. Therefore, it is not without reason that some of the modern Kalmyks consider themselves descendants of Genghis Khan.

In the 17th century, the Oirats left Dzungaria and, having made a huge transition, reached the Volga steppes. In 1641, Russia recognized the Kalmyk Khanate, and from now on, from the 17th century, Kalmyks became permanent participants in the Russian army. They say that the battle cry “hurray” once came from the Kalmyk “uralan”, which means “forward”. They especially distinguished themselves in the Patriotic War of 1812. 3 Kalmyk regiments, numbering more than three and a half thousand people, took part in it. For the Battle of Borodino alone, more than 260 Kalmyks were awarded the highest orders of Russia.

Kurds

The Kurds, along with the Arabs, Persians and Armenians, are one of the most ancient peoples of the Middle East. They live in the ethnogeographical region of Kurdistan, which was divided among themselves by Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria after the First World War.

The Kurdish language, according to scientists, belongs to the Iranian group. In religious terms, they have no unity - among them there are Muslims, Jews and Christians. It is generally difficult for Kurds to come to an agreement with each other. Even Doctor of Medical Sciences E.V. Erikson noted in his work on ethnopsychology that the Kurds are a people merciless to the enemy and unreliable in friendship: “they respect only themselves and their elders. Their morality is generally very low, superstition is extremely high, and real religious feeling is extremely poorly developed. War is their direct innate need and absorbs all interests.”

It is difficult to judge how applicable this thesis, written at the beginning of the 20th century, is today. But the fact that they never lived under their own centralized power makes itself felt. According to Sandrine Alexi of the Kurdish University in Paris: “Every Kurd is a king on his own mountain. That’s why they quarrel with each other, conflicts arise often and easily.”

But for all their uncompromising attitude towards each other, the Kurds dream of a centralized state. Today, the “Kurdish issue” is one of the most pressing in the Middle East. Numerous unrest in order to achieve autonomy and unite into one state have been ongoing since 1925. From 1992 to 1996, the Kurds fought a civil war in northern Iraq; permanent protests still occur in Iran. In a word, the “question” hangs in the air. Today, the only Kurdish state entity with broad autonomy is Iraqi Kurdistan.

Any nation experiences a time of active wars and expansion. But there are tribes where militancy and cruelty are an integral part of their culture. These are ideal warriors without fear and morality.

Maori

The name of the New Zealand tribe "Maori" means "ordinary", although, in truth, there is nothing ordinary about them. Even Charles Darwin, who happened to meet them during his voyage on the Beagle, noted their cruelty, especially towards the whites (English), with whom they had to fight for territories during the Maori wars. Maori are considered the indigenous people of New Zealand. Their ancestors sailed to the island approximately 2000-700 years ago from Eastern Polynesia. Before the arrival of the British in the middle of the 19th century, they had no serious enemies; they had fun mainly with civil strife. During this time, their unique customs, characteristic of many Polynesian tribes, were formed. For example, they cut off the heads of captured enemies and ate their bodies - this is how, according to their beliefs, the enemy’s power passed to them. Unlike their neighbors, the Australian Aborigines, the Maori fought in two world wars. Moreover, during World War II they themselves insisted on forming their own 28th battalion. By the way, it is known that during the First World War they drove away the enemy with their “haku” battle dance during the offensive operation on the Gallipoli Peninsula. This ritual was accompanied by war cries and scary faces, which literally discouraged enemies and gave the Maori an advantage.

Gurkhas

Another warlike people who also fought on the side of the British are the Nepalese Gurkhas. Even during colonial policy, the British classified them as the “most militant” peoples they encountered. According to them, the Gurkhas were distinguished by aggressiveness in battle, courage, self-sufficiency, physical strength and a low pain threshold. England itself had to surrender to the pressure of their warriors, armed only with knives. It is not surprising that back in 1815 a wide campaign was launched to attract Gurkha volunteers into the British army. Skilled fighters quickly gained fame as the best soldiers in the world. They managed to take part in the suppression of the Sikh uprising, the Afghan, First and Second World Wars, as well as in the Falklands conflict. Today, the Gurkhas are still the elite fighters of the British army. They are all recruited there - in Nepal. I must say, the competition for selection is crazy - according to the modernarmy portal, there are 28,000 candidates for 200 places. The British themselves admit that the Gurkhas are better soldiers than themselves. Maybe because they are more motivated. Although the Nepalese themselves say, it’s not about money at all. They are proud of their martial art and are always happy to put it into action. Even if someone pats them on the shoulder in a friendly manner, in their tradition this is considered an insult.

Dayaks

When some small peoples are actively integrating into the modern world, others prefer to preserve traditions, even if they are far from the values ​​of humanism. For example, the Dayak tribe from the island of Kalimantan, who have earned a terrible reputation as headhunters. What to do - you can become a man only by bringing the head of your enemy to the tribe. At least this was the case back in the 20th century. The Dayak people (Malay for "pagan") are an ethnic group that unites numerous peoples inhabiting the island of Kalimantan in Indonesia. Among them: Ibans, Kayans, Modangs, Segais, Trings, Inichings, Longwais, Longhat, Otnadom, Serai, Mardahik, Ulu-Ayer. Even today, some villages can only be reached by boat. The bloodthirsty rituals of the Dayaks and the hunt for human heads were officially stopped in the 19th century, when the local sultanate asked the Englishman Charles Brooke from the dynasty of white rajahs to somehow influence the people who knew no other way to become a man except to cut off someone's head. Having captured the most militant leaders, he managed to guide the Dayaks to a peaceful path through a “carrot and stick policy.” But people continued to disappear without a trace. The last bloody wave swept across the island in 1997-1999, when all world agencies shouted about ritual cannibalism and the games of little Dayaks with human heads.

Kalmyks

Among the peoples of Russia, one of the most warlike are the Kalmyks, descendants of the Western Mongols. Their self-name translates as “breakaways,” which means Oirats who did not convert to Islam. Today, most of them live in the Republic of Kalmykia. Nomads are always more aggressive than farmers. The ancestors of the Kalmyks, the Oirats, who lived in Dzungaria, were freedom-loving and warlike. Even Genghis Khan did not immediately manage to subjugate them, for which he demanded the complete destruction of one of the tribes. Later, the Oirat warriors became part of the army of the great commander, and many of them became related to the Genghisids. Therefore, it is not without reason that some of the modern Kalmyks consider themselves descendants of Genghis Khan. In the 17th century, the Oirats left Dzungaria and, having made a huge transition, reached the Volga steppes. In 1641, Russia recognized the Kalmyk Khanate, and from now on, from the 17th century, Kalmyks became permanent participants in the Russian army. They say that the battle cry “hurray” once came from the Kalmyk “uralan”, which means “forward”. They especially distinguished themselves in the Patriotic War of 1812. 3 Kalmyk regiments, numbering more than three and a half thousand people, took part in it. For the Battle of Borodino alone, more than 260 Kalmyks were awarded the highest orders of Russia. But in the Great Patriotic War they let us down - some of them formed the Kalmyk Cavalry Corps, which sided with the Third Reich.

Kurds

The Kurds, along with the Arabs, Persians and Armenians, are one of the most ancient peoples of the Middle East. They live in the ethnogeographical region of Kurdistan, which was divided among themselves by Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria after the First World War. The Kurdish language, according to scientists, belongs to the Iranian group. In religious terms, they have no unity - among them there are Muslims, Jews and Christians. It is generally difficult for Kurds to come to an agreement with each other. Even Doctor of Medical Sciences E.V. Erikson noted in his work on ethnopsychology that the Kurds are a people merciless to the enemy and unreliable in friendship: “they respect only themselves and their elders. Their morality is generally very low, superstition is extremely high, and real religious feeling is extremely poorly developed. War is their direct innate need and absorbs all interests.” It is difficult to judge how applicable this thesis, written at the beginning of the 20th century, is today. But the fact that they never lived under their own centralized power makes itself felt. According to Sandrine Alexi of the Kurdish University in Paris: “Every Kurd is a king on his own mountain. That’s why they quarrel with each other, conflicts arise often and easily.” But for all their uncompromising attitude towards each other, the Kurds dream of a centralized state. Today, the “Kurdish issue” is one of the most pressing in the Middle East. Numerous unrest in order to achieve autonomy and unite into one state have been ongoing since 1925. From 1992 to 1996, the Kurds fought a civil war in northern Iraq; permanent protests still occur in Iran. In a word, the “question” hangs in the air. Today, the only Kurdish state entity with broad autonomy is Iraqi Kurdistan.

Is it possible to call an entire country cool? Is it fair to say that one nation is cooler than another? - asks CNN. Considering that most countries have murderers, tyrants and reality TV stars, the answer is a clear yes, and CNN has taken on the task of answering its own question.

To sort the cool from the less fortunate, we've compiled this list of the most stylish people on the planet. Not an easy task when you are dealing with almost 250 candidates. The main problem, of course, is that every nationality in the world thinks they are the coolest - except for the Canadians, who are too self-deprecating for that kind of thing.

Ask a man from Kyrgyzstan which people are the coolest in the world, and he will say “Kyrgyz”. Who knows (seriously, who would know?), maybe he's right. Ask a Norwegian and he will finish carefully chewing a piece of Thai green curry, take a sip of Thai Singha beer, look wistfully at the Thai resort of Phuket and the sun that eludes his country for 10 months of the year, and then mutter quietly to some suicidal lack of conviction: “Norwegians”.

It's not an easy task to determine who is cooler. Italians because some of them wear tight fitting designer suits? Are Russians uncool because some wear outdated tracksuits and wrestling hairstyles?

Are the Swiss too neutral to be cool?

So let's see which nations are considered cool by CNN.

10. Chinese

Not the most obvious choice, but with a population of over one billion, statistically China must have its share of cool people. It's also wise to include the Chinese in any list, for example, because if we didn't, China's resourceful hackers would simply break into the site and add themselves anyway.

Not to mention the fact that they managed to accumulate most of the world's currency.

Icon of cool: Brother Sharp is a homeless man whose appearance unwittingly made him aware of Internet fashion.

Not so cool: the concept of personal integrity is still largely unknown in the Middle Kingdom.

9. Botswana

Despite tax evader Wesley Snipes and Angelina Jolie's exciting adventures in Namibia, neighboring Botswana is taking the crown of cool from this country.

Even the animals are relaxed in Botswana. The country, which has the highest population in Africa, chooses not to care for wild animals like some other safari countries.

Icon of cool: Mpul Kwelagobe. Crowned Miss Universe 1999, Kwelagobe has truly achieved "making the world a better place" and tirelessly fights for HIV/AIDS awareness.

Not so great: Botswana leads the world in the spread of HIV/AIDS.

8. Japanese

We obviously won’t talk about the salaries of the Japanese, their jobs and karaoke, where each of them pretends to be Elvis. The Japanese torch of cool is held defiantly by Japanese teenagers, whose whims and warped modern consumerism, fashion and technology often dictate what the rest of the world (we mean you, Lady Gaga) wears.

Cool Icon: Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may have been the coolest world leader, but former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is our pick. Forget teenagers, this man knows a lot about style, especially when it comes to shirts.

Not so great: Japan's population is rapidly aging. The future is very gray.

7. Spaniards

For what? With sun, sea, sand, siestas and sangria, Spain is awesome. The Spanish don't even start the party until most other countries have gone to bed.

It's a shame it's time for everyone to go home.

Cool Icon: Javier Bardem. Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz.

Not so great: we still remember the failure of the Spanish basketball team in China in 2008.

6. Koreans

Always ready to drink, refusing to participate in endless rounds of soju-vodka drinking is a personal insult in Seoul. By saying “one-shot!”, you can make friends with Koreans and become the best buddies in the world. Koreans are the leaders of almost all current trends in music, fashion, and cinema. They dominate and earned some bragging rights when that “one-shot!” turns into 10 or 20.

Icon of cool: Park Chan-Wook has achieved cult status among emo film actors around the world.

Not so great: Kimchi flavor.

5. Americans

What? Americans? War-intimidating, planet-polluting, arrogant, armed Americans?

Let's leave global politics aside. Where would today's hipsters be without rock 'n' roll, classic Hollywood films, great American novels, blue jeans, jazz, hip-hop, The Sopranos and cool surfing?

Okay, someone else could have come up with the same thing, but the fact is that it was America who came up with it.

Icon of cool: Matthew McConaughey: Whether he's playing a rom-com or stuck in astronauts and cowboys, he's still cool.

Not so cool: preemptive military strikes, random invasions, predatory consumption, pathetic math estimates, and Walmart's fat fruits automatically place Americans on any "most depraved" list.

4. Mongols

The air here is filled with some mystery. These imperturbable souls who love freedom lead a nomadic lifestyle, preferring throat singing and yurts. Everything is fur - boots, coats, hats. It adds its own splendor to the historical mystique. Who else keeps eagles as pets?

Icon of cool: Actress Khulan Chuluun, who played the wife of Genghis Khan in the very cool film “Mongol”.

Not so cool: Yaki and dairy products at every meal.

Jamaicans are the envy of the English-speaking world and have the most distinctive and recognizable hairstyle on the planet. Note to tourists: dreadlocks only look cool on Jamaicans.

Icon of cool: Usain Bolt. The fastest man and nine-time Olympic champion.

Not so great: high murder rates and widespread homophobia.

2. Singaporeans

Just think: in this digital age, where blogging and updating Facebook is almost all that interests today's youth, old school concepts have been rebooted. The prodigies will now inherit the Earth.

With its absurdly computer-literate population, Singapore is a geek hub, and its residents can claim their rightful place as avatars of modern cool. They're probably all tweeting about it right now.

Icon of cool: Lim Ding Wen. This child prodigy could program in six computer languages ​​at the age of nine. A glorious future awaits him.

Not so great: With everyone on the computer, the local government is actually encouraging Singaporeans to have sex.

1.Brazilians

Without the Brazilians we wouldn't have samba or the Rio Carnival. We wouldn't have Pele and Ronaldo, we wouldn't have tiny swimsuits and tanned bodies on Copacabana beach.

They don't use their sexy reputation as a cover to exterminate dolphins or invade Poland, so we have no choice but to call Brazilians the coolest people on the planet.

So, if you are Brazilian and reading this - congratulations! Although, since you're sitting in front of a computer and not showing off your six-pack on the beach, you probably don't feel cool.

Icon of cool: Seu Jorge. Bowie's Portuguese makes you want Ziggy Stardust to be from Brazil, not outer space.

Not so cool: Mmmmm, Brazilian meat and cocoa are delicious, but the destruction of vast tracts of rainforest by agriculture leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Where the land is rich in heroes is in Ukraine. The name of Poddubny immediately comes to mind, whose fame thundered throughout the world at the beginning of the last century.

It’s not for nothing that the surname is connected with the oak tree - other world wrestlers could not break it and defeat it. And Ukrainians were officially recognized as the strongest nation at the “hero games”. In 2007, Ukrainian strongmen won the competition for the fourth time in a row and rightfully received the lifetime title of the strongest nation on the planet.

I remember this day as now, because from excitement for this team, I could not calmly watch the “battle of the titans” and ran circles around the house, asking my wife who was leading there. The guys tore everyone up like Tuzik tore a hot water bottle. Two brothers also come from Ukraine - Klitschko. These guys actually collected a collection of championship belts. In any country, ask about Ukraine and the first thing you will hear in response is Klitschko, boxing. I still feel bad for Vitaly when he was awarded a defeat in the fight with Lewis due to a cut eyebrow. After all, he was winning on points at that time.

A trip to Ukraine explained to me why this nation is the strongest:

• many rivers and lakes;
• forests and mountains;
• friendly atmosphere;
• love for native land.

What about the Cossack heritage? These brave warriors weren’t even afraid of the devil. They were strong and resilient, excellent in hand-to-hand combat, and in the saddle they held themselves as if they were born there. Neighboring countries were glad to see them as allies, because they fought to the end, without retreating and fought to the death.

Any nation experiences a time of active wars and expansion. But there are tribes where militancy and cruelty are an integral part of their culture. These are ideal warriors without fear and morality.

The name of the New Zealand tribe "Maori" means "ordinary", although, in truth, there is nothing ordinary about them. Even Charles Darwin, who happened to meet them during his voyage on the Beagle, noted their cruelty, especially towards the whites (British), with whom they fought for territory during the Maori wars.

Maori are considered the indigenous people of New Zealand. Their ancestors sailed to the island approximately 2000-700 years ago from Eastern Polynesia. Before the arrival of the British in the middle of the 19th century, they had no serious enemies; they “entertained” themselves mainly through civil strife.

During this time, their unique customs, characteristic of many Polynesian tribes, developed. For example, they cut off the heads of captured enemies and ate their bodies - this is how, according to their beliefs, the enemy’s power passed to them. Unlike their neighbors - the Australian Aborigines - the Maori participated in two world wars.

It is known that during the First World War they used their haka war dance to force the enemy to retreat during an offensive operation on the Gallipoli Peninsula. This ritual was accompanied by warlike cries, stomping and terrifying grimaces, which literally discouraged enemies and gave the Maori an advantage.

During the Second World War, the Maori themselves insisted on forming their own 28th battalion.

Another warlike people who also fought on the side of the British were the Nepalese Gurkhas. Back in colonial times, the British categorized them as the "most militant" people they encountered. According to them, the Gurkhas were distinguished by aggressiveness in battle, courage, self-sufficiency, physical strength and a low pain threshold. Among these proud warriors, even a friendly pat on the shoulder is considered an insult. The British themselves had to surrender under the pressure of the Gurkhas, armed only with knives.

It is not surprising that as early as 1815 a widespread campaign was launched to recruit Gurkha volunteers into the British army. Fearless warriors quickly gained fame as the best soldiers in the world.

They managed to take part in the suppression of the Sikh uprising, in the Afghan, First and Second World Wars, as well as in the Falklands conflict. Today, the Gurkhas are still the elite fighters of the British army. They are all recruited there – in Nepal. And I must say that the competition, according to the modernarmy portal, is crazy - 28,000 candidates are vying for 200 places.

The British themselves admit that the Gurkhas are better soldiers than themselves. Maybe because they are more motivated. Although the Nepalese themselves say, it’s not about money at all. They are proud of their martial art and are always happy to put it into action.

When some small peoples are actively integrating into the modern world, others prefer to preserve traditions, even if they are far from the values ​​of humanism.

For example, the Dayak tribe from the island of Kalimantan, who have earned a terrible reputation as headhunters. What can you say if, according to their traditions, you can become a man only by getting the head of your enemy. At least this was the case back in the 20th century. The Dayak people (Malay for “pagan”) are an ethnic group that unites numerous peoples inhabiting the island of Kalimantan in Indonesia.

Among them: Ibans, Kayans, Modangs, Segais, Trings, Inihings, Longwais, Longhat, Otnadom, Serai, Mardahik, Ulu-Ayer. Even today, some of them can only be reached by boat.

The bloodthirsty rituals of the Dayaks and the hunt for human heads were officially stopped in the 19th century, when the local sultanate asked the Englishman Charles Brooke from the dynasty of white rajahs to somehow influence the people, whose representatives do not know any other way to become a man except to cut off someone's head.

Having captured the most warlike leaders, through a policy of carrots and sticks, he seemed to be able to set the Dayaks on a peaceful path. But people continued to disappear without a trace. The last bloody wave swept across the island in 1997-1999, when all world agencies shouted about ritual cannibalism and the games of little Dayaks with human heads.

Among the peoples of Russia, one of the most warlike peoples are the Kalmyks, descendants of the Western Mongols. Their self-name translates as “breakaways”; Oirats means “those who did not convert to Islam.” Today, most of them live in the Republic of Kalmykia. Nomads are always more aggressive than farmers.

The ancestors of the Kalmyks, the Oirats, who lived in Dzungaria, were freedom-loving and warlike. Even Genghis Khan did not immediately manage to subjugate them, for which he demanded the complete destruction of one of the tribes. Later, the Oirat warriors became part of the army of the Mongol commander, and many of them became related to the Genghisids. Therefore, it is not without reason that some of the modern Kalmyks consider themselves descendants of Genghis Khan.

In the 17th century, the Oirats left Dzungaria and, having made a huge transition, reached the Volga steppes. In 1641, Russia recognized the Kalmyk Khanate, and from that time on, Kalmyks began to be constantly recruited into the Russian army. It is said that the battle cry "hurray" once came from the Kalmyk "uralan", meaning "forward". They especially distinguished themselves in the Patriotic War of 1812. Three Kalmyk regiments numbering more than three and a half thousand people took part in it. For the Battle of Borodino alone, more than 260 Kalmyks were awarded the highest orders of Russia.

The Kurds, along with the Arabs, Persians and Armenians, are one of the most ancient peoples of the Middle East. They live in the ethnogeographical region of Kurdistan, which after the First World War was divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

The Kurdish language, according to scientists, belongs to the Iranian group. In religious terms, they have no unity - among them there are Muslims, Jews and Christians. It is generally difficult for Kurds to come to an agreement with each other. Also Doctor of Medical Sciences E.V. Erikson noted in his work on ethnopsychology that the Kurds are a people merciless to the enemy and unreliable in friendship: “They respect only themselves and their elders. Their morality is generally very low, superstition is extremely high, and real religious feeling is extremely poorly developed. War is their direct innate need and absorbs all interests.”

It is difficult to judge how relevant this thesis, expressed at the beginning of the 20th century, is today. But the fact that they never lived under their own centralized power makes itself felt. According to Sandrine Alexy of the Kurdish University in Paris: “Every Kurd is a king on his own mountain. That’s why they quarrel with each other, conflicts arise often and easily.”

But for all their uncompromising attitude towards each other, the Kurds dream of a centralized state. Today, the “Kurdish issue” is one of the most pressing in the Middle East. Numerous unrest organized by the Kurds in order to achieve autonomy and unite into one state have continued since 1925. From 1992 to 1996, they fought a civil war in northern Iraq, and permanent protests still occur in Iran. In a word, the “question” hangs in the air. Now the only Kurdish state entity with broad autonomy is Iraqi Kurdistan.