Final answer:
The Kurdish people are tied together by a shared cultural heritage, a distinct language, and a common historical narrative. They inhabit areas across Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, and have long sought an independent state, which has often been met with suppression. They are the largest nation of people without a country, which strengthens their unity and calls for nationhood.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several factors tie the Kurdish people together as a distinct ethnic group seeking greater autonomy or an independent nation-state. One unifying factor is their shared cultural heritage, which includes their own language, customs, and historical narratives that are distinct from the Arab, Persian, and Turkish populations they live among. Geographically, the Kurds inhabit regions spanning across modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, where they have long sought recognition for an independent Kurdistan. Politically, the pursuit of autonomy and self-determination has been a central aspect of Kurdish identity, with numerous uprisings and demands for an independent state historically being met with hostility and suppression by the governments in the region. The Kurds are also the largest nation of people without a country, with a population of about 25 million in the Middle East, which further strengthens their call for nationhood. A significant historical moment was in 1945 when they petitioned the UN for their own country. Despite this, they have so far been denied a separate state and continue to live as an ethnic minority spread across multiple countries, with movements for independence often discouraged by global powers due to geopolitical concerns like Balkanization.