Ethnic Diversity in Western Asia

The lack of correspondence between the territories occupied by ethnicities and by nationalities is especially severe in Western Asia (discussed here) and West-central Asia (discussed on pages 254–255).Western Asia has been the center of long-standing conflicts among ethnicities. Ethnic diversity is intermixed with religious diversity, as discussed in the previous chapter. The region has also experienced military intervention by states outside the region. The terrorist organization Islamic State is also an important source of conflict in the region, as discussed in the next chapter.

Below depicts the diversity of ethnicities in Western Asia. The most numerous ethnicities in the region are Turks, Iraqi Arabs, Azerbaijanis, Kurds, and Syrian Arabs. Numerous others appear on the map.

Ethnicities in Western Asia

Ethnicities in Turkey

Ethnic Turks comprise approximately three-fourths of the population of Turkey. The Republic of Turkey was created in the 1920s to encompass the territory inhabited by ethnic Turks, but other ethnicities live there. The most populous minority in Turkey is the Kurds, who make up 18 percent of the population and are clustered in the eastern portion of Turkey.

Ethnicities in Iraq

Iraqi Arabs comprise 90 percent of Iraq’s population, but they are divided by branches of Islam. Iraqi Shiites claim a history of discrimination at the hands of Iraqi Sunnis since the 1930s. As President (1979–2003), Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, violently suppressed Shiite and Kurdish movements for seeking autonomy within Iraq. The United States led an attack against Iraq in 2003 that resulted in the removal and death of Saddam Hussein. Having invaded Iraq and removed Hussein from power, the United States became embroiled in a complex and violent struggle among ethnicities.

Ethnicities in Syria

Syria’s government has been controlled since 1963 by the minority Alawites, including Hafez-al-Assad (President 1971–2000) and his son Bashar al-Assad (President beginning in 2000). The Alawites have exercised control through suppression of the rights of the majority Sunni Muslim population as well as the other minority groups. As a result, a civil war has raged in the country since 2011, pitting the Alawite-controlled government against other groups. Complicating Syria’s civil war has been the presence of the Islamic State terrorists, who have seized control over a portion of the country.

Ethnicities in Lebanon

Lebanon is divided among around 55 percent Muslims, 40 percent Christians, and 5 percent Druze. The Druze are sometimes classified as Muslims, but they do not follow Islam’s five pillars of faith described in Chapter 6 and therefore do not self-identify as Muslims. Lebanon’s religious groups have tended to live in different regions of the country. During a civil war between 1975 and 1990, several religious groups formed private militias to guard their territory. The territory controlled by each militia changed according to battles with other religious groups. Lebanon’s Christians and Muslims consider themselves ethnically distinct from each other. The Christians regard themselves as descendants of the ancient Phoenicians who once occupied present-day Lebanon, whereas the country’s Muslims are regarded as ethnically Arab. Lebanon’s Constitution officially recognizes 18 religions and requires that each be represented in the Chamber of Deputies according to its percentage in the 1932 census.

Pause & Reflect 7.3.2

How do religious differences complicate the ethnic conflicts discussed on this page? Which country is an exception in this respect? Explain.

Debate It!

Should ethnicities be encouraged to pursue national independence?

• A country may contain many ethnicities that are able to live together peacefully. However, in other places an ethnic group may seek independence because it is unable to live peacefully as a minority in countries dominated by other ethnicities

Supporting Independence for Kurds

Shopkeeper displays fabric with the flag of Kurdistan, which he hopes will be an independent country some day.

Turks Demonstrate against Kurdish Independence

Turkey opposes independence for Kurds who are clustered in the eastern part of Turkey.

Encourage Independence

• In an independent country, a vulnerable ethnic group can protect itself from being dominated by others.

• The government is more likely to represent the group’s interests.

• People’s desire to associate and organize with others of the same ethnicity should be respected.

Do Not Encourage Independence

• Ethnic groups intermingle in space, so cannot be realistically separated into distinct territories.

• Peace requires ethnic groups to interact and cooperate.

• An ethnic group espousing hatred and discrimination could use the power of a state to inflict harm on other ethnicities.