Kūrdistān

KŪRdistĀN, in the narrower sense, a province of Persia, situated in the hilly districts between Azerbaijan and Kermanshah, and extending to the Turkish frontier on the W., and bounded on the E. by Gerrus and Hamadan. In proportion to its size and population it pays a very small yearly revenue—only about £14,000—due to the fact that a great part of the population consists of wild and disorderly nomad Kūrds. Some of these nomads pass their winters in Turkish territory, and have their summer pasture-grounds in the highlands of Kūrdistān. This adds much to the difficulty of collecting taxation. The province is divided into sixteen districts, and its eastern part, in which the capital is situated, is known as Ardelan. The capital is Senendij, usually known as Sinna (not Sihna, or Sahna, as some writers have it), situated 60 m. N.W. of Hamadan, in 35° 15´ N., 47° 18´ E., at an elevation of 5300 ft. The city has a population of about 35,000 and manufactures great quantities of carpets and felts for the supply of the province and for export. Some of the carpets are very fine and expensive, rugs 2 yards by 1½ costing £15 to £20. Post and telegraph offices have been established since 1879.