Kurds in Finland (; ) are a linguistic and ethnic minority in Finland. , there were 18,460 Kurdish-speaking people in Finland.
History Kurds started first arriving to Finland in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1995 there were 1,166 Turkish citizens in Finland, out of which around 300-550 were Kurds. A significant portion of the Turkish pizzerias and kebab-restaurants in Finland are established by Kurds, some Kurds work at the airports in Finland. While others come to Finland for studying, or work in IT companies.
Some of the Finnish Kurds originate from Turkey and Iran, but most of them have come from Kurdistan region of Iraq, where they started arriving from in the 1990s as UNHCR quota refugees. Kurds make up the majority of Iraqi immigrants to Finland. After ISIL gained ground against the Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan the Finnish Kurds organized protests against ISIL. According to the chairman of Finnish-Kurdish friendship association several dozens of Finnish Kurds had left to Syria and Iraq in order to fight against ISIL.
Culture Finnish Kurds speak several different dialects of Kurdish, the largest of which are Sorani and Kurmanji Kurdish. Kurmanji has more speakers worldwide, but Sorani is the most spoken Kurdish dialect in Finland. It is likely that there are more ethnic Kurds than there are those who speak it as a first language. For example, some of the Kurds who originate from Turkey speak Turkish rather than Kurdish. There are several different Kurdish organizations in Finland, many of which have direct or indirect connections to political parties in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Most Finnish Kurds are Muslims, some are atheists or non-practicing Muslims.
Different Kurdish organizations in Finland host their own Nowruz (Kurdish new year) celebrations.
Organizations There are several Kurdish organizations in Finland, including Kurdiliitto and Suomalais-Kurdilainen ystävyysseura.
Political activism In October 2019, thousands of Finnish Kurds staged a protest in Helsinki over Turkey's military operation in Syria. On 26 August 2022, Kurds living in Finland held a demonstration in Helsinki to protest the NATO agreement with Finland, Sweden and Turkey and the trilateral memorandum meeting of Finland, Sweden and Turkey. As in May 2022 Finland made an accession bid to join NATO, Turkey demanded that Finland end its support to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and People's Defense Units (YPG).
Demographics
People with Kurdish as mother tongue living in Finland according to Statistics Finland. Kurdish speakers by municipality (2024) Municipality Population Whole country 17,953 Helsinki 4,265 Turku 2,403 Espoo 2,350 Vantaa 2,246 Tampere 818 Lahti 777 Jyväskylä 437 Oulu 370 Salo 340 Vaasa 221 Lieto 145 Raisio 144 Kerava 136 Kotka 128 Porvoo 115 Raseborg 111 Hämeenlinna 110 Seinäjoki 108 Kaarina 104 Kouvola 104 Nurmijärvi 102 Kuopio 101 Rovaniemi 99 Joensuu 97 Lappeenranta 97 Hyvinkää 91 Lohja 80 Kirkkonummi 77 Pori 71 Imatra 62 Kajaani 62 Kauniainen 62 Sipoo 57 Kokkola 56 Tuusula 54 Varkaus 53 Järvenpää 51 Riihimäki 47 Pietarsaari 45 Vihti 45 Forssa 42 Pirkkala 41 Kangasala 40 Mikkeli 37 Mariehamn 33 Raahe 32 Uusikaupunki 28 Heinola 27 Äänekoski 27 Karkkila 26 Larsmo 25 Hanko 24 Nokia 24 Loimaa 23 Rusko 22 Iisalmi 21 Tornio 21 Rauma 19 Pieksämäki 17 Kemi 16 Lempäälä 16 Mäntsälä 16 Naantali 15 Savonlinna 15 Jomala 14 Kristinestad 14 Pudasjärvi 14 Korsholm 13 Ylöjärvi 13 Kokemäki 12 Laukaa 12 Loviisa 12 Sastamala 12 Outokumpu 11 Kankaanpää 10 Orimattila 10
Notable people
Helly Luv, a singer and dancer Makwan Amirkhani, a mixed martial artist Milan Jaff, a convicted criminal and gang leader Aram Hasanzada, a footballer
See also Kurdish diaspora Immigration to Finland Kurds in Sweden
References