KORDESTAN

Kordestan: translation

One of the provinces inIran, Kordestan is the only province in historical Kurdistan that bears this name, which means "land of the Kurds." However, Kordestan covers only part of the historical Kurdish area in Iran. Kurds also live inKirmanshah, Western Azerbaijan, Ilam, and Hamadin.

Sanandaj (Sinna) is the capital of Kordestan and the general name of the district around it. The population is largely Sunni Kurdish.Sheikhsof theNaqshbandi sufiorder have traditionally been influential, although earlier themirsofArdalanwere Shiite, possibly because of their former connections to theAhl-i Haqq. Most Kurds in the region speak the so-called southeastern dialects of Kurdish, which are closer to modern Persian thanSorani. Just to the west, however, there areGuranispeakers.