Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Kurds vote on independence

On 25 September, Iraq’s Kurdish population voted on whether or not they want independence from Iraq. The Kurds are one of the biggest groups of people with shared ancestry in the Middle East, living in an area that spans Turkey, Armenia, Iraq, Syria and Iran. In Iraq, they have their own state, but it is controlled by the Iraqi government. Around 72% of those who are able to vote took part.