'Mesopotamia' [‎11r] (21/152)

Mesopotamia I
RACE
11
neither the good nor the bad qualities that are likely
to make a successful trader.
The Turks, as the governing race in Mesopotamia,
occupied the majority of the official positions, both
civil and military. A few thousand of the inhabitants
of Baghdad claimed Turkish origin, often without
justification. There is a Turkoman population in the
neighbourhood of Tuz Khurmatli, Kirkuk, and Altun
Keupri. Turkomans are also found in the plains east
of Mosul, and west of Mosul at Tel Afar.
The Persians in Mesopotamia concentrate especially
at the Shiah holy cities in Irak; thus at Kerbela they
form the majority of the population; at Nejef they
constitute about a third. They number several
thousands in Baghdad, where they are for the most
part engaged in trade. There are a few Persians in
the towns towards the Turko-Persian frontier, and
some have recently come from the Gulf coast to work
as labourers in southern Irak.
There are Jewish communities hi the principal
towns of Mesopotamia, particularly in Baghdad,
where the Jews number perhaps about 50,000. They
form an important element in commercial affairs, and
the trade of Baghdad and Basra is much under their
control.
The Syrian Christians dwell principally in northern
Mesopotamia. There are also a few thousand in
Baghdad. Armenians are found chiefly in the
Diarbekr vilayet; there are also a certain number in
Baghdad, where many are wealthy men of business.
There are some thousands of Yezidis in the Jebel
Sin jar. and also in the neighbourhood of Mosul.
They form a marked group, owing to their peculiar
religion. Very few are left of the Circassians settled
in Mesopotamia b)^ the Turkish Government after the
Russian War of 1877. Their numbers have been
reduced by their failure to adapt themselves to the
climate, and by quarrels with their neighbours. Other
groups, such as the Sabians, Chabaks, Indians,
Afghans, Pathans, and Lurs, number only a very few