diaspora

Êzîdî Population Statistics and Diaspora Demography

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As of: 2026-05-22 Methodology: Multiple cross-validation across Wikipedia (DE+EN), UNHCR, IOM, EUAA, national censuses, Êzîdî NGOs (Yazda, Free Yezidi Foundation, Yezidis International, ZÊD), academic sources (Allison, Kreyenbroek, Açıkyıldız, Kızılhan, Omarkhali)

This article documents the Êzîdî population of all countries with a notable community. The historical migration movements are covered in the article [Migrationsrouten].

Trust scale 1-10 (assessed separately for each country):

  • 10 = Census within the last 5 years, UN-verified, independently confirmed multiple times
  • 8-9 = Official census ≥10 years old, or UNHCR/IOM data 2023-2025
  • 6-7 = NGO estimate with methodology, academic source, or government estimate
  • 4-5 = Community estimate without clear methodology, single press source
  • 1-3 = Assumption, rumour, not reproducible

IMPORTANT: Êzîdî population figures are notoriously unreliable. Reasons:

  1. In Iran/Turkey/Syria, Êzîdîs are often recorded in the census as “Muslims” or “Kurds”
  2. In Germany/Sweden/USA, Êzîdîs are not recorded as a distinct ethnic group (religious statistics are not clear-cut)
  3. NGO figures are systematically higher than official statistics (by a factor of 2-5×)
  4. Post-2014 genocide migration has rendered all earlier estimates obsolete

Table of Contents

  1. Global Total
  2. Iraq, homeland, Sinjar/Sheikhan
  3. Syria, Afrin/Hasaka
  4. Turkey, Mardin/Şanlıurfa
  5. Iran, West Azerbaijan/Urmia
  6. Armenia, Aparan/Alagyaz/Aknalich
  7. Georgia, Tbilisi
  8. Russia, Krasnodar/Stavropol/Moscow
  9. Azerbaijan
  10. Kazakhstan
  11. Ukraine
  12. Germany, largest diaspora worldwide
  13. Sweden
  14. France
  15. Belgium
  16. Netherlands
  17. Norway
  18. Denmark
  19. Switzerland
  20. Austria
  21. United Kingdom
  22. Italy
  23. Spain
  24. Greece
  25. USA, Lincoln/Nebraska
  26. Canada, Toronto/Winnipeg/London/Calgary
  27. Australia, NSW/Armidale
  28. Brazil / Argentina / Mexico
  29. Israel
  30. Japan
  31. Global Overview Table
  32. Sanctuaries Overview
  33. Source Index

1. Global Total

Source Year Figure Trust
Wikipedia EN (aggregated national censuses) 2024 700,000–1,500,000 7
Yezidis International / yezidisinternational.org 2024 ~1,000,000 6
Eziin (eziin.org/eng/about-the-yezidis-diaspora) 2023 ~1,500,000 (using max. NGO figures) 5
BBC / Britannica 2014–2024 (range) 700,000–800,000 7
Free Yezidi Foundation 2024 ~1,000,000 6

Consensus estimate 2024-2026: ~1,000,000 Êzîdîs worldwide, of which

  • ~500,000 in Iraq (homeland)
  • ~250,000 in Germany (largest diaspora)
  • ~30,000 in Armenia
  • the remainder spread across at least 30 countries

Pre-genocide estimate (2013): Before August 2014 there were ~800,000 Êzîdîs, of which ~550,000 in Iraq. 71% of the global Êzîdî population were displaced in 2014-2015 by ISIS (source: UN, OHCHR Report 2016).

2. Iraq 🇮🇶

2.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • Pre-genocide (2013): 500,000–700,000 (Yazda, Kreyenbroek)
  • Remaining in Iraq in 2024: ~400,000–500,000 (incl. IDPs)
  • IDPs in Kurdistan camps (2024): ~150,000–190,000 (UN-OCHA, IOM-DTM)
  • Returnees to Sinjar up to mid-2024: 128,538 (43% return rate)
  • Still in IDP status (Sinjar): 37,188 (Dec 2023)
  • Trust: 8 (several UN agencies, IOM-DTM reports converge)

2.2 Historical Development

Year Population in Iraq Source
c. 1900 ~100,000 (estimated, before the 1892 massacre) Açıkyıldız 2010
1950 ~150,000 Kreyenbroek 1995
1977 (Iraq census) c. 70,000 recorded as “Êzîdî” (Baath policy forcibly classified Êzîdîs as “Arabs”) Iraqi Census Board
2000 400,000–500,000 UNHCR estimate
2014 (before 3 August) 550,000 Yazda
2024 ~400,000 (incl. IDPs) IOM-DTM Iraq 2024
2026 380,000–420,000 (estimated, ongoing emigration) Free Yezidi Foundation

2.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

Region Pre-2014 Today 2024
Sinjar (Şingal) ~300,000 ~130,000 (returnees + remaining population)
Sheikhan (Şêxan) ~80,000 ~80,000 (largely stable, less affected by ISIS)
Ba’şiqa & Behzanî ~25,000 (twin villages 50 km south of Lalîş) ~10,000 (partly destroyed)
Lalîş/Ain Sifni ~5,000 ~5,000 (pilgrimage centre)
Erbil (KRG) ~10,000 ~15,000 (urban migration)
Dohuk + Khanke camps minimal ~120,000 IDPs in camps
  • Iraqi Constitution of 1925 formally recognised Êzîdîs as a minority (freedom of religion, own administration).
  • Baath regime (1968-2003): Forced Arabisation; Êzîdîsm negated as an independent religion; classified as “Arab Kurds”.
  • Post-2003 Constitution (Art. 2): Guarantees “free exercise of religion for Christians, Êzîdîs, Sabaean-Mandaeans”; Êzîdîsm explicitly recognised.
  • 2014 genocide: Recognised as genocide by the Iraqi Parliament in 2021; the Yazidi Female Survivors Law (March 2021) guarantees compensation and recognition for surviving women.
  • KRG status: Êzîdîs hold full citizenship rights in the Kurdistan Region; have their own representative in the KRG Parliament.
  • Freedom of religion: High in KRG territory; still unstable in Sinjar due to PKK/PMF conflicts.

2.5 Main Organisations

2.6 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • Lalîş (Laleş): the holiest sanctuary, a valley in the Nineveh Plains, the Tomb of Sheikh Adî ibn Musafir (12th c.); on the UNESCO tentative list since 2011. Every Êzîdî should make a pilgrimage there at least once in their lifetime (the 6-day pilgrimage Çejna Cemayî in October).
  • Mausoleum of Şêx Adî (the main Lalîş building, 12th c.), conical roof construction, the model for all Êzîdî temples worldwide.
  • 22 mausoleums in Ba’şiqa/Behzanî: destroyed by ISIS in 2014, reconstruction from 2019.
  • Mausoleum of Melek Miran (Ba’şiqa): restored.
  • Mam Reşan sanctuary (Sinjar): on Mount Şingal.
  • Şarfedîn sanctuary (Sinjar): an important pilgrimage site.

2.7 Sources for Iraq

  • IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), Master List Sinjar 2024 → iraqdtm.iom.int [Trust 10]
  • ReliefWeb: “Progress Toward Durable Solutions in Iraq: Sinjar District (June 2024)” [Trust 9]
  • UN-Habitat: “Emerging Land Tenure Issues among Displaced Yazidis from Sinjar” [Trust 9]
  • Atlantic Council: “An open wound, a fading light” (Aug 2025, 11th anniversary) [Trust 7]
  • EUAA Country Guidance Iraq 2024 → euaa.europa.eu/country-guidance-iraq-2024/3102-yazidis [Trust 9]
  • Yazidis in Iraq, Wikipedia EN (as of 2025) [Trust 6]

3. Syria 🇸🇾

3.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • Today (post-2018): 10,000–15,000 (Wikipedia EN); the NES Self-Administration cites 15,000.
  • Pre-2018 in Afrin alone: 25,000 in 22 villages
  • After the Turkish Operation Olive Branch (Jan-March 2018): only ~5,000 remained in Afrin.
  • Hasaka (Cizîrê): ~3,000–4,000 in the Qamişlî/Hasaka region
  • Trust: 6 (NES Self-Administration data + academic estimate by Açıkyıldız)

3.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Syria Source
1950 ~80,000 (before the 1962 census) Açıkyıldız
1962 (Syrian census) Êzîdîs + many Kurds classified as stateless Hassan study
1980 (start of emigration) ~50,000 Kreyenbroek
2010 (before the civil war) ~12,000–15,000 UN OCHA
2018 (pre-Afrin invasion) ~50,000 (incl. Afrin) NES Self-Administration
2024 ~10,000–15,000 Kurdistan24 / Wikipedia

3.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

  • Afrin (Çiyayê Kurmênc): 25,000 before 2018, today ~5,000. The centre of Êzîdî Syria.
  • Qamişlî (Qamişlo): Hasaka Province, ~2,000
  • Sere Kaniyê (Ras al-Ain): depopulated after the Turkish Operation Peace Spring (Oct 2019)
  • City of Hasaka: ~1,500

3.4 Migration Waves

  • 1962: The Syrian census stripped ~120,000 Kurds + Êzîdîs of their citizenship → stateless Êzîdîs (Ajanib/Maktoumin).
  • 1980s: Mass emigration due to forced assimilation, Baath Arabisation; the main destination was Germany.
  • 2011+ (civil war): Flight primarily to DE/SE/NL.
  • January 2018: Turkish Operation Olive Branch in Afrin → destruction of 22 Êzîdî villages, desecration of Êzîdî sanctuaries, ~20,000 fled to camps around Aleppo (Tel Refaat, Shahba).
  • October 2019: Operation Peace Spring → emptying of Êzîdî villages around Sere Kaniyê.
  • Syria (Assad regime): Êzîdîs not officially recognised as a distinct religion; identity cards stated “Muslim” or were left blank.
  • AANES (Rojava self-administration): Since 2014, Êzîdîs recognised as a religion with equal rights + an Êzîdî women’s council established.
  • Turkish-occupied Afrin (since 2018): De facto no freedom of religion; reported desecrations and pressure to convert.
  • Freedom of religion status: AANES = high; Turkey zone = very low.

3.6 Main Organisations

  • Êzîdî House Cizîrê (Mala Êzîdî, Qamişlî), founded c. 2014
  • Êzîdî Women’s Council (Rojava)
  • Mala Êzîdiyan in Afrin (active before 2018)

3.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • Sanctuary of Şêx Adî in Qastel Cindo (Afrin): damaged in 2018 by Turkish troops/SNA
  • Berberî sanctuary (Afrin)
  • Şêx Hemîd sanctuary (Hasaka)

3.8 Sources for Syria

  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidism in Syria” [Trust 6]
  • Kurdistan24: “Experts warn that Syria’s Yezidi minority is close to extinction” [Trust 6]
  • EUAA Country Guidance Syria 2023 → euaa.europa.eu [Trust 9]
  • Syrians for Truth and Justice: “Yazidis in Syria: Decades of Denial” [Trust 7]
  • The Kurdish Center for Studies: “Afrin’s Yazidis: An Ancient Culture Edges Toward the Precipice” [Trust 6]

4. Turkey 🇹🇷

4.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • Today: <500 in the original settlement areas + 2,000-2,500 Êzîdî refugees from Sinjar in the Midyat camp
  • Trust: 7 (US State Department + Turkish NGOs converge)

4.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Turkey Source
c. 1900 ~300,000 (before the Hamidiye persecution + the 1915 genocide) Society for Threatened Peoples
1950 ~80,000 Açıkyıldız
1980s ~60,000 Wikipedia EN
1993 24,309 (Turan study) Turan 1993
2000 (census) 423 (officially as a religious affiliation) Turkish census
2003 ~5,000 US State Dept
2010 <2,000 Çelebi
2019 <1,000 US Federal
2024 <500 long-established + 2,000 Sinjar refugees various sources

4.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

  • Mardin (province), Midyat, Nusaybin
  • Batman (province), city of Batman, Beşiri
  • Şırnak (province), İdil
  • Diyarbakır (Amed): Sur, Bismil, Çınar
  • Şanlıurfa (Riha): Viranşehir
  • Midyat (Mardin): Sinjar refugee camp with 2,000-2,500 Êzîdîs

4.4 Migration Waves

  • 1915 (Armenian genocide): Mass flight of Êzîdîs from Van/Kars/Bazîd to Transcaucasia (Armenia + Georgia). The first major formation of the Êzîdî diaspora in the Russian Empire.
  • 1960s (guest workers): The first wave to Germany. Many Êzîdîs from Mardin/Batman went as guest workers; preferred destinations were Celle (Telefunken from 1966), later Hannover/Bielefeld.
  • Post-1980 (Turkish military coup): The second wave to Germany. Political + religious persecution under General Evren.
  • 1990s: Asylum wave (a Federal Constitutional Court ruling of 30 June 1992 recognised Êzîdîs as a group subject to persecution).
  • 2014+: Sinjar refugees from Iraq (~16,000 in Aug 2014 in Turkey according to Turkish authorities), most of whom travelled on to DE/SE.
  • Turkish Constitution: Êzîdîsm not recognised as a distinct religion (only Sunni Hanafi Islam is officially recognised; alongside it, three “non-Muslim minorities” per the 1923 Lausanne Treaty: Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Jews, Êzîdîs NOT named).
  • Status since the 2010s: Effectively tolerated; no further state persecution (unlike up to the 1990s), but also no recognition.
  • Freedom of religion status: Low-medium; see the US State Department Religious Freedom Report on Turkey 2023.

4.6 Main Organisations

  • Êzîdî Vakfı (Türkiye): small representation in Istanbul
  • Êzdiyatî Kültür Derneği (small local associations in Diyarbakır + Batman)

4.7 Temples/Sanctuaries (historical)

  • Sanctuary of Şêx Mehemed (Bacîn, Diyarbakır Province): historical, barely visited today
  • Mam Reşan sanctuary (Tur Abdîn, Mardin): alongside the one of the same name on Sinjar
  • Mal-i Êzîdîyan in the villages around Midyat: most abandoned, some restored post-2010

4.8 Sources for Turkey

  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidism in Turkey” [Trust 6]
  • Botan Times: “What does it mean to be Yezidi in Turkey?” [Trust 5]
  • Çelebi, “Yezidis: An Ethno-Religious Group in Turkey” academia.edu [Trust 8]
  • Society for Threatened Peoples reports on Turkey [Trust 7]

5. Iran 🇮🇷

5.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • Today: <5,000 (very uncertain; probably 2,000-5,000)
  • Trust: 4 (no official census data; Encyclopaedia Iranica cites “small groups”)

5.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Iran Source
c. 1850 ~10,000 in West Azerbaijan + the Khoy region Encyclopaedia Iranica
1900 ~5,000 iranicaonline.org
2002 (Russia+Georgia+Iran combined) ~31,000 Wikipedia EN
2024 <5,000 estimate, Brill “Yazidism”

5.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

  • Urmia (Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province): historically important (visited by a missionary in 1846)
  • Khoy region: historical
  • Tabriz: diaspora
  • Maku, Salmas: small communities

5.4 Migration Waves

  • 19th c.: Persian-Russian and Persian-Ottoman wars → flight to Russian Armenia.
  • 1915-1918: A few Êzîdîs from Iranian Azerbaijan fled to Armenia during the turmoil of WWI.
  • 1979 (Islamic Revolution): Êzîdîs effectively pressured into conversion or emigration; most went to Armenia/Russia.
  • Iranian Constitution (Art. 13): Recognised minorities = Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians. Êzîdîs NOT recognised.
  • Êzîdîs must officially register as Muslims or as one of the recognised religions.
  • Freedom of religion status: Very low.

5.6 Main Organisations

  • No official Êzîdî organisations are permitted in Iran
  • Diaspora groups from Iran organise themselves in Armenia/Russia/Germany

5.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • No known active Êzîdî sanctuaries in Iran today
  • Historical sites in the Khoy region and Salmas (mentioned by Açıkyıldız)

5.8 Sources for Iran

  • Encyclopaedia Iranica “YAZIDIS i. GENERAL” → iranicaonline.org [Trust 9]
  • Encyclopedia.com “Yezidis” [Trust 6]
  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidism in Iran” [Trust 5]

6. Armenia 🇦🇲

6.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • 2022 census: 31,079 Êzîdîs (official)
  • NGO estimate 2024: 35,000-40,000 (Yezidi National Union, Aziz Tamoyan)
  • Trust: 9 (official census + NGO cross-check)

6.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Armenia Source
1828 first wave after the Russo-Persian + Russo-Turkish wars of 1828-29 Pizzoferrato
1877-78 second wave after the Russo-Turkish War, from Ayntap armeniantraveldirectory.com
1915-18 third and largest wave: flight from the Armenian genocide + Êzîdî persecution Allison 2011
1926 (Soviet census) ~12,000 Soviet statistics
1939 ~20,000 Soviet statistics
1989 (last Soviet census) 52,700 Soviet statistics
2001 (1st Armenian census) 40,620 Statistical Service of Armenia
2011 35,272 Armstat
2022 31,079 Armstat

Trend: Steady decline since 1989 due to emigration to Russia (economic) + Germany (post-2014). However, Êzîdîs remain the largest ethnic minority in Armenia.

6.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

  • Armavir Province: 17,665 (43.5% of all Êzîdîs in Armenia, Aknalich + Verin Artashat)
  • Aragatsotn Province: 6,405 (15.8%), Aparan, Alagyaz, Talin, Rya Taza
  • City of Yerevan: 4,733 (11.6%)
  • Verin Artashat: 4,270 (the largest single Êzîdî village in the world)
  • Aknalich: home of the Quba Mêrê Dîwanê

6.4 Migration Waves TO + Migration Waves FROM Armenia

  • 1828 (Russo-Persian War): First wave; Êzîdîs from Bazîd/Surmalu fled to Russian-controlled Armenia. Aparan/Talin were founded. The village of Sipan (formerly Pampa Kurda) was founded in 1828.
  • 1877-78 (Russo-Turkish War): Second wave from Ayntap (Gaziantep). They settled in Tekor (Kars), Surmalu, Aparan, Etchmiadzin, Armavir, Ashtarak.
  • 1915-1918 (WWI + Armenian + Êzîdî genocide): Third and largest wave from Van, Kars, Bazîd. Êzîdîs fled together with Armenians.
  • 1991+ (post-Soviet collapse): Emigration to Russia (Krasnodar, Stavropol) + Germany due to Armenia’s economic crisis.
  • 2014+ (Sinjar genocide solidarity): Armenia took in some Êzîdî refugees from Iraq (very few, mainly symbolic).
  • Armenian Constitution, Art. 41: Freedom of religion guaranteed.
  • 2002: Armenia ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and lists Yezidi/Êzdîkî as a separate language (the only such recognition by a UN member state).
  • Electoral Code: Guarantees one Êzîdî seat in the Armenian Parliament (National Assembly).
  • Freedom of religion status: High. Armenia is considered one of the most welcoming states for Êzîdîs worldwide.

6.6 Main Organisations

  • Yezidi National Union (YNU), Aziz Tamoyan, founded 1989, yezidiunion.am (represented Êzîdîs as a non-Kurdish ethnic group)
  • Êzîdîxana ya Aparanê: founded 1996, Aparan
  • Yezidi Center for Human Rights
  • Êzdîkî section of the Armenian Academy of Sciences (Yerevan, since 1959)
  • “Riya Teze” (newspaper 1930-2003), today partly continued online
  • Ezdikhana (socio-political organisation, Aparan) since 1996

6.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • Quba Mêrê Dîwanê (Aknalich, Armavir): the largest Êzîdî temple in the world, opened September 2019. 25 m high, 7 domes, financed by Mirza Sloyan (an Êzîdî from Russia). Architect Artak Ghulyan. 35 km west of Yerevan. Includes a seminary + museum.
  • Ziarat (Aknalich): the first Êzîdî temple of the Soviet/post-Soviet era, opened 2012, directly beside the Quba Mêrê Dîwanê
  • Êlegez/Aragats sanctuaries: small shrines on the Aragats mountain massif

6.8 Sources for Armenia

  • Statistical Committee of Armenia Census 2022 → armstat.am [Trust 10]
  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidis in Armenia” [Trust 7]
  • Christine Allison (Exeter), “Construction of Kurdish and Yezidi Identities…” 2011 [Trust 9]
  • Anthony Pizzoferrato, “Yazidi Community of Armenia” [Trust 6]
  • Armeniapedia “Yezidis” + “Kurds” [Trust 6]
  • Al Jazeera “Inside the world’s biggest Yazidi temple in Armenia” 2019 [Trust 7]
  • Hetq “Yezidi School Kids in Armenia” [Trust 7]

7. Georgia 🇬🇪

7.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • 2014 census: 12,174 Êzîdîs (official, 0.3% of the population)
  • NGO estimate 2024: 15,000-20,000 (Tbilisi-centred)
  • Trust: 8 (official census + academic estimate)

7.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Georgia Source
1919 Yezidi National Council Tbilisi registered Georgian State Archives
1989 (Soviet census) 33,331 Soviet statistics
2002 18,329 Geostat
2014 12,174 (of whom 11,194 in Tbilisi = 92%) Geostat
2024 (estimate) 12,000-15,000 International Yezidi Theological Academy Tbilisi

Trend: Drastic decline since 1989 (-65%) due to emigration to Russia + Germany.

7.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

  • Tbilisi: c. 92% of all Êzîdîs in Georgia, dense concentration in the 4th district (Marshal Gelovani Avenue)
  • Telavi (Kakheti), smaller community
  • Akhmeta district: scattered villages
  • Rustavi: small diaspora

7.4 Migration Waves TO + FROM Georgia

  • 1828+ and 1877+: As in Armenia (from the Ottoman Empire)
  • 1915-18: Main wave, the Armenian genocide
  • 1990s post-Soviet: Mass emigration to Germany (~20,000 in Germany have a Georgian background) + Russia
  • 2014+: Very small solidarity movement with Sinjar refugees
  • Georgian Constitution: Freedom of religion guaranteed
  • 2009: Êzîdîsm registered as a religious organisation
  • “Sultan Ezid Temple” in Tbilisi inaugurated in 2015, the first modern Êzîdî temple in Georgia
  • Freedom of religion status: Medium-high. Reports of sporadic discrimination, but no state pressure.

7.6 Main Organisations

  • Yezidi National Council Tbilisi: registered 1919, still active
  • International Yezidi Theological Academy Tbilisi: founded 2016, headed by Pîr Dima; teaching in Kurmancî + Russian (+ Arabic optional)
  • Yezidi Council of Georgia
  • Lalîş publishing house Tbilisi (books in Êzdîkî)

7.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • Sultan Ezid Temple (Tbilisi outskirts): opened 2015, regarded as the first Êzîdî temple in the post-Soviet-era Transcaucasus
  • International Yezidi Theological Academy (attached), since 2016

7.8 Sources for Georgia

  • Geostat: 2014 Census Results → geostat.ge [Trust 10]
  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidism in Georgia” [Trust 6]
  • “Between Orthopraxy and Orthodoxy: International Yezidi Theological Academy in Tbilisi” (kulturnistudia.cz) 2022 [Trust 9]
  • Foreign Policy Centre “Religion and Forced Displacement in Georgia” [Trust 7]

8. Russia 🇷🇺

8.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • 2010 census: 40,586 Êzîdîs (official)
  • 2021 census: 26,257 (official, a sharp decline in self-identification)
  • NGO estimate 2024: 80,000-200,000 (Êzîdî organisations estimate considerably higher; probably realistically ~80,000-100,000 including unregistered migrants from Armenia/Georgia)
  • Trust: 6 (official figures far lower than NGO ones; political census complications)

8.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Russia Source
Before 1991 minimal (Russian Federation as part of the USSR) Soviet statistics
2002 31,273 Russian census
2010 40,586 Russian census
2021 26,257 Russian census
2024 (NGO) 80,000-200,000 (estimated) Yezidism in Russia, Wikipedia

8.3 Main Settlement Cities/Regions

  • Krasnodar Krai: the largest concentration in the North Caucasus
  • Stavropol Krai: the second-largest
  • Moscow: urban diaspora
  • Saint Petersburg: academically and culturally centred
  • Nizhny Novgorod: an important community
  • Yaroslavl, Novosibirsk, Tambov, Rostov-on-Don: smaller communities

8.4 Migration Waves

  • 1991+: Main wave from Armenia/Georgia after the Soviet collapse; economically driven
  • 2014+: Smaller waves from Iraq (rare; Russia was not a primary destination for Sinjar refugees)
  • Russian Federation: In 2009, Êzîdîs were officially recognised as a religious community (Federal Service for Religious Affairs).
  • Êzîdîs can register either as a religion or as an ethnic group.
  • Freedom of religion status: Medium. No state pressure; occasional societal discrimination.

8.6 Main Organisations

  • Lalîş TV: a satellite broadcaster in Kurmancî from Moscow, founded April 2016 (Mirza Sloyan Foundation)
  • Yezidi Religious Center Russia (Moscow)
  • Mirza Sloyan Foundation (funder of the Quba Mêrê Dîwanê in Armenia)
  • Eziin Russia: eziin.org

8.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • No large temples in Russia (Êzîdîs continue to make pilgrimage to Lalîş + Aknalich)
  • Êzîdî cemeteries in Krasnodar with traditional east-facing orientation

8.8 Sources for Russia

  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidism in Russia” [Trust 6]
  • Reconsidering Russia: “Who Are the Yazidis of the Former Soviet Space?” [Trust 7]
  • Russian Federal Census 2021 (Rosstat) [Trust 9]
  • Joshua Project Russia [Trust 5]

9. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿

9.1 Current Estimate

  • Today: ~500 (very small, mainly people displaced from Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict)
  • Trust: 4 (no official data)

9.2 Historical Background

  • Before the Soviet period, Êzîdîs lived in the area of present-day Azerbaijan (the Karabakh steppes, Kalbacar)
  • During the Karabakh War of 1992-94: Êzîdîs were displaced from the Armenian-occupied areas
  • Today there is a small community in Baku, predominantly Soviet-era internationalists/mixed marriages
  • Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution, but restricted in practice
  • Êzîdîsm is not officially registered as a distinct religion

9.4 Sources

  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidis” (Azerbaijan section very brief) [Trust 4]

10. Kazakhstan 🇰🇿

10.1 Current Estimate

  • Today: ~500-1,000 (probably)
  • Trust: 3 (no separate data; Êzîdîs are subsumed under “Kurds” in the Kazakh census)

10.2 Historical Background

  • During the Soviet/Stalin deportations (1937-44): Êzîdîs from Transcaucasia were partly deported to Kazakhstan
  • Today there is a small community, mainly in Almaty + Astana
  • The Kazakh census of 2021 lists “Kurds” at ~46,000, of whom Êzîdîs are a fraction

10.3 Sources

  • Joshua Project Kazakhstan [Trust 4]
  • Ethnic groups in Kazakhstan, Wikipedia [Trust 5]

11. Ukraine 🇺🇦

11.1 Current Estimate

  • Before 2022: ~2,000-5,000 (mainly Kharkiv, Odessa, Kyiv)
  • Post-2022 (war): the majority fled to DE/PL
  • Trust: 3 (very little data)

11.2 Historical Background

  • Êzîdîs came mainly after 1991 from Armenia/Georgia
  • The University of Kharkiv was a point of contact for Êzîdî students

12. Germany 🇩🇪: LARGEST DIASPORA WORLDWIDE

12.1 Current Estimate 2024-2026

  • Central Council of Êzîdîs in Germany (ZÊD) 2024: ~250,000 (also cited in the media)
  • Political scientist Irfan Ortac 2022: 200,000
  • REMID conservative estimate: ~100,000
  • Consensus estimate 2024-2026: 200,000-250,000
  • Trust: 8 (several NGO sources + Bundestag recognition 2023 + academic studies)

12.2 Historical Development

Year Êzîdîs in Germany Source
Before 1960 0-100 (individual students) Wießner
1964 first wave of guest workers (Turkey) recruitment agreement documentation
1980 ~5,000 Wießner expert opinion
1992 ~20,000 (post Federal Constitutional Court asylum recognition) Schnoor NRW
2000 ~40,000 ZÊD predecessor
2014 (before Sinjar) ~80,000-120,000 Tagay 2014
2015-2019 +75,000 Sinjar refugees BAMF
2024 200,000-250,000 ZÊD + Bundestag

12.3 Main Settlement Cities (with estimates where possible)

City/Region Êzîdî estimate Notes
Hannover ~30,000-40,000 largest concentration, Êzîdî Academy, Lahe cemetery (200+ Êzîdî graves)
Celle ~15,000-20,000 oldest community (1966 Telefunken plant); largest relative to the town’s population
Bielefeld ~10,000 ZÊD founding location 2017; Senne cemetery
Oldenburg ~8,000 Êzîdî cemetery section since 1994
Bremen ~5,000 cultural centre
Bad Oeynhausen ~3,000 NRW cluster
Pforzheim ~2,000 Baden-Württemberg cluster
Frankfurt am Main ~3,000 Hessian cluster
Berlin ~5,000 growing post-2014
Cologne ~3,000 NRW
Kleve, Rees, Emmerich am Rhein, Kalkar 1,000-2,000 each NRW Lower Rhine cluster
Wilhelmshaven, Bad Zwischenahn 1,000-2,000 each Lower Saxony
Gießen ~2,000 Hessian
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern growing post-2014 allocations

Regional distribution: Southern Lower Saxony + northern North Rhine-Westphalia = ~70% of all Êzîdîs in Germany.

12.4 Migration Waves

  1. 1964-1973 (guest worker wave): Recruitment agreement with Turkey. Young Êzîdîs from Mardin/Batman/Tur Abdîn as “Turkish guest workers”. Celle (Telefunken 1966), later Hannover, Bielefeld, Cologne.
  2. 1973-1980 (family reunification): After the 1973 recruitment freeze. Women + children followed.
  3. 1980-1992 (Turkey asylum wave): After the Turkish military coup of 1980. The Federal Constitutional Court ruling of 30 June 1992 recognised Êzîdîs as “subject to group persecution”.
  4. 1980-1990 (Syria wave): Êzîdîs from Afrin + Hasaka (stateless since the 1962 census).
  5. 1991-2000 (post-Soviet wave): Êzîdîs from Armenia/Georgia/Russia/Ukraine.
  6. 2003-2010 (Iraq wave): Êzîdîs from Sheikhan/Sinjar after the 2nd Iraq War + the Qahtaniyah bombings of 2007.
  7. 2014-2019 (Sinjar genocide wave): ~75,000 Êzîdîs from Sinjar via Turkey → Greece → the Balkan route → Germany. The “NRW special quota” + a federal quota for women survivors from 2015 (initiated by Jan İlhan Kızılhan, Düzen Tekkal).
  8. 2020-2024 (secondary migration): Continuous influx from Iraqi camps (Khanke, Sharya) as well as following the loss of PKK security in Sinjar in 2020.
  • 30 June 1992: The Federal Constitutional Court recognised Êzîdîs from Turkey as a religious community subject to group persecution (case no. 2 BvR 1968/91).
  • 1993: The Higher Administrative Court of Lüneburg confirmed this for Lower Saxony.
  • 19 January 2023: The Bundestag formally recognised the 2014 ISIS genocide against the Êzîdîs as genocide.
  • 2024+: Demanded recognition as a religion in schools (KMK + the federal states).
  • Citizenship: The majority hold German passports (naturalisations since the 1990s).
  • Freedom of religion status: Very high. Established cemetery sections, community life, religious education planned in schools.

12.6 Main Organisations (with URLs)

  • Central Council of Êzîdîs in Germany (ZÊD): https://zentralrat-eziden.com, founded 29 January 2017 in Bielefeld, seat in Lollar
  • Federation of Êzîdî Associations in Germany: the largest, with 15+ member associations
  • Êzîdî Academy (EA): Hannover, founded 2009 (predecessor: Êzîdî Colloquium)
  • Society of Êzîdî Academics (GEA): Essen, founded 2012 (the world’s largest association of Êzîdî academics)
  • Society for Christian-Êzîdî Cooperation in Science and Research: founded 2011
  • Êzîdî Centre Abroad e.V. (EZIA): Hannover, contact Sheikh Ismet Barimou
  • Yezidi Studies Center: yezidistudiescenter.org
  • Háwar.help: the Düzen Tekkal foundation
  • Hêza Parastina Şingal (HPŞ): Qasim Şeşo, military self-defence
  • Êzîdî Women’s Council
  • Magazines/media: “Dengê Êzîdiyan”, “Roj”, “Lalîş”, “Qandîl”

12.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • No “classic” Lalîş-style temple in Germany, but:
  • Community centres with a religious character:
  • Hannover (Êzîdî Academy + EZIA)
  • Celle Mala Êzîdî
  • Bielefeld ZÊD
  • Oldenburg community hall
  • Êzîdî cemetery sections with traditional east-facing orientation + sun symbol:
  • Wesel (new cemetery): the first Êzîdî section in Germany, 1990
  • Hannover-Lahe (~200 graves, the largest)
  • Emmerich am Rhein (1990)
  • Bielefeld Senne cemetery (1994)
  • Oldenburg-Kreyenbrück park cemetery (1994)
  • Bochum main cemetery
  • Goch (Greversweg)
  • Herford (Eternal Peace, 2019)
  • Minden south cemetery

12.8 Sources for Germany

  • Central Council of Êzîdîs in Germany → zentralrat-eziden.com [Trust 8]
  • Wikipedia DE “Jesiden in Deutschland” [Trust 8]
  • ProAsyl: “The Yazidis: There Is No Going Back to the Time Before the Genocide” 2024 [Trust 8]
  • Yezidi Studies Center Hannover conference 2025 → yezidistudiescenter.org [Trust 8]
  • Bundestag resolution 19 January 2023 [Trust 10]
  • Cambridge Nationalities Papers “Selective Humanitarianism in Asylum Policies: Yezidi Refugees in Germany and France” [Trust 9]
  • ResearchGate “Growing Public Visibility of Yezidis in Germany” 2024 [Trust 8]

13. Sweden 🇸🇪

13.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~10,000 (Wikipedia EN); Yazda cites 6,000 (2018)
  • Consensus 2024: 8,000-12,000
  • Trust: 6

13.2 Historical Development

  • Before 2000: minimal
  • 2000-2010: a small wave of Êzîdî refugees from Turkey + Syria
  • 2014-2019: main growth through Sinjar genocide refugees (~5,000 in this phase)

13.3 Main Settlement Cities

  • Gothenburg: largest community
  • Stockholm
  • Södertälje: Assyrian-Êzîdî cluster
  • Örebro, Malmö: smaller groups
  • Full freedom of religion
  • Sweden opened its first ISIS trials with the participation of Êzîdî victims in 2024
  • Freedom of religion status: Very high

13.5 Main Organisations

  • Yezidi Riksförbundet i Sverige (Swedish Êzîdî Federation)
  • Sveriges Yezidiska Riksförbund Gothenburg

13.6 Sources

  • Wikipedia EN “Yazidis”, Sweden section [Trust 6]
  • AIDA Country Report Sweden 2024 [Trust 8]
  • UNHCR Sweden Fact Sheet 2024 [Trust 9]

14. France 🇫🇷

14.1 Current Estimate

  • Association des Yezidis de France 2024: ~10,000
  • Wikipedia EN: 10,000 (2018)
  • Trust: 6

14.2 Historical Background

  • Small Êzîdî communities since the 1990s
  • 2014+ Sinjar wave (smaller numbers than in Germany)
  • France launched its first ISIS trials with the participation of Êzîdî victims in 2025

14.3 Main Settlement Cities

  • The Paris region (Île-de-France)
  • Toulouse, Lyon, Marseille: smaller clusters
  • Freedom of religion guaranteed (laïcité)
  • France recognised the Êzîdî genocide in 2016

14.5 Main Organisations

  • Association des Yezidis de France (AYF) Paris
  • Mouvement pour la Sauvegarde du Peuple Yézidi

14.6 Sources

  • Cambridge Nationalities Papers (see Germany) [Trust 9]
  • AYF [Trust 5]

15. Belgium 🇧🇪

15.1 Current Estimate

  • 2018 (Wikipedia EN): ~35,000
  • Other sources 2024: 2,000-5,000 (considerably lower)
  • Consensus: Probably 5,000-15,000 (a large spread across sources)
  • Trust: 4-5

15.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Brussels
  • Antwerp
  • Liège
  • Freedom of religion guaranteed
  • Belgium + the Netherlands have a Joint Investigation Team against ISIS crimes committed against Êzîdîs (via Eurojust)

15.4 Sources

  • Wikipedia EN [Trust 5]
  • Eurojust statement Belgium+Netherlands [Trust 9]

16. Netherlands 🇳🇱

16.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~3,000-5,000
  • Trust: 5

16.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht

16.3 Migration Waves

  • 1980s-1990s: from Turkey
  • 2014+: Sinjar wave (Free Yezidi Foundation, Pari Ibrahim, is based in the Netherlands)
  • Full freedom of religion
  • The Netherlands opened its first ISIS trials with Êzîdî participation in 2024

16.5 Main Organisations

  • Free Yezidi Foundation: freeyezidi.org (Pari Ibrahim)
  • Stichting Ezidi Nederland

17. Norway 🇳🇴

17.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~2,000
  • Trust: 4

17.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Oslo, Sandefjord

17.3 Migration Waves

  • 2014+ Sinjar wave dominant; Norway specifically took in women survivors

18. Denmark 🇩🇰

18.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~500-1,000
  • Trust: 4

18.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Copenhagen, Aarhus

19. Switzerland 🇨🇭

19.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~3,000 (estimated, no official data, Switzerland does not record ethnic/religious identity in its census)
  • Trust: 3-4

19.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Zurich, Aargau, Bern, Basel: smaller clusters
  • Freedom of religion guaranteed
  • A 2024 demand for genocide recognition from the Swiss government is underway

19.4 Main Organisations

  • Êzîdî Cultural Association of Switzerland (small associations per canton)

20. Austria 🇦🇹

20.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~5,000
  • Trust: 4

20.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Vienna, Linz, Graz

20.3 Main Organisations

  • Êzîdî Cultural Association of Austria (Vienna)
  • Êzîdî Academy Vienna (University of Vienna, Institute for Iranian Studies, Celîlê Celîl published here)

21. United Kingdom 🇬🇧

21.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~500-2,000
  • Trust: 4

21.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • London, Manchester, Birmingham

21.3 Important Academics / Persons

  • Khanna Omarkhali (SOAS, London), leading scholar of Êzîdîsm
  • Christine Allison (Exeter), research on Êzîdî identity
  • Philip Kreyenbroek (formerly Cambridge/Göttingen), pioneer of Êzîdî studies

22. Italy 🇮🇹

22.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~200-500
  • Trust: 3

23. Spain 🇪🇸

23.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~500
  • Trust: 3

24. Greece 🇬🇷

24.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~1,000-3,000 (the main transit country for Sinjar refugees 2015-2017; many ended up in camps such as Moria, then travelled on to Germany)
  • Trust: 4

25. USA 🇺🇸

25.1 Current Estimate

  • 2017 Wikipedia EN: 10,000
  • Yazda 2024: 12,000-15,000
  • Lincoln, Nebraska alone: ~3,000 (the largest Êzîdî community in North America)
  • Trust: 6

25.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Lincoln, Nebraska: ~3,000 (the largest!)
  • Omaha, Nebraska: additional
  • Houston, TX: smaller group
  • Phoenix, AZ: very small
  • Buffalo, NY: small
  • Sacramento, CA: small

25.3 Migration Waves (3 waves to Lincoln)

  1. Mid-1990s (First Gulf War): A few hundred Êzîdîs who had supported the US military as interpreters/helpers.
  2. 2007-2014 (Second Gulf War / Qahtaniyah bombings 2007): UN refugee programme. Lincoln was the main destination because of the existing community.
  3. 2014+ (Sinjar genocide): Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) + regular UNHCR resettlement. Lincoln grew to 3,000.

25.4 Why Lincoln, Nebraska?

  • The UN refugee programme from 1992 onwards chose medium-sized US cities with low living costs + religious sponsoring organisations.
  • Catholic Social Services + Lutheran Family Services in Lincoln were the main sponsors.
  • Community effect: Êzîdîs drew in more Êzîdîs (kinship-based resettlement).
  • The Lincoln Refugee Resettlement Office thereby became the “capital” of American Êzîdîs.
  • Full freedom of religion (1st Amendment)
  • The US House of Representatives recognised the ISIS crimes against Êzîdîs as genocide in 2016
  • Yazidi Survivors Bill 2019

25.6 Main Organisations

  • Yazda, Yazidi Cultural Center Lincoln: 300 N. 27th Street, Lincoln, NE → yazda.org
  • Yezidis International: yezidisinternational.org (Houston-based)
  • Sinjar Academy

25.7 Temples/Sanctuaries

  • Yazidi Cultural Center Lincoln serves as a community/religious centre (not a classic Lalîş-style temple)
  • Yazidi Cemetery Lincoln Wyuka: opened 2014+

26. Canada 🇨🇦

26.1 Current Estimate

  • 2018: ~1,200 (officially, under the Trudeau resettlement)
  • 2024: 3,000-5,000 (with family reunification + privately sponsored)
  • Trust: 7

26.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Toronto, ON
  • Winnipeg, MB: first wave 2017
  • London, ON: pre-2014 community cluster
  • Calgary, AB

26.3 Migration Waves

  • Pre-2014: Small community in Winnipeg + London
  • 2017: Trudeau government programme “Survivors of Daesh”, 1,215 GAR refugees, of whom 81% were Êzîdîs
  • 2018-2024: Family reunification
  • The House of Commons recognised the ISIS crimes against Êzîdîs as genocide in 2016
  • Family reunification eased since 2020

26.5 Main Organisations

  • Yazidi Association of Manitoba (YAOM) Winnipeg
  • Yazidi Community Centre Toronto
  • JIAS, Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (Toronto, helped resettle Yazidis) → jiastoronto.org
  • MANSO Manitoba

27. Australia 🇦🇺

27.1 Current Estimate

  • Census 2021: 4,123 stating Yazidi as their religion (official)
  • NSW Humanitarian Visa 2014-2024: 3,121 Êzîdîs immigrated
  • 2024: ~5,000-6,000
  • Trust: 8 (official census + NSW data)

27.2 Main Settlement Cities

  • Armidale, NSW: a surprising main settlement location (a regional town, ~1,500 Êzîdîs)
  • Sydney, NSW: smaller
  • Wagga Wagga, Toowoomba: secondary cities
  • Coffs Harbour: smaller

27.3 Migration Waves

  • 2014+: Special Humanitarian Programme (SHP) post-Sinjar genocide
  • Armidale Settlement Program: since 2017, targeted resettlement to a regional town for better integration
  • Australia recognised the ISIS crimes against Êzîdîs as genocide in 2024
  • Freedom of religion guaranteed

27.5 Main Organisations

  • Yazidi Australian Association Sydney
  • Yazda Australia (part of Yazda International)

27.6 Sources

  • ABS Census 2021 [Trust 10]
  • NSW Government Yazidi Community Mental Health Profile [Trust 9]
  • SBS News “How a regional Australian city became an unlikely home for hundreds of Yazidi refugees” [Trust 7]

28. Latin America 🇧🇷 🇲🇽 🇦🇷

28.1 Current Estimates

  • Brazil: ~50 (very small, individual refugees)
  • Mexico: ~80
  • Argentina: ~30
  • Trust: 2 (very fragmentary)

28.2 Notes

  • Latin America takes in hardly any Êzîdîs
  • Isolated asylum applications, often as a stepping stone to the USA/Canada

29. Israel 🇮🇱

29.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~10-50 (very small)
  • Trust: 3

29.2 Notes

  • Some Êzîdîs sought asylum in Israel post-2014; the Israeli government discussed a special visa, but it was scarcely implemented
  • Symbolically important: Jewish diaspora organisations support Êzîdîs

30. Japan 🇯🇵

30.1 Current Estimate

  • 2024: ~5-20 (research diaspora; individual Êzîdî academics in Tokyo/Kyoto)
  • Trust: 2

31. Global Overview Table

Rank Country Êzîdîs 2024-2026 Trust Main location
1 🇮🇶 Iraq 400,000-500,000 8 Sinjar, Sheikhan, Lalîş
2 🇩🇪 Germany 200,000-250,000 8 Hannover, Celle
3 🇷🇺 Russia 26,257 (2021 census; 2010: 40,586) or 80,000-200,000 (NGO) 6 Krasnodar
4 🇦🇲 Armenia 31,079 (census 2022) 9 Aparan, Aknalich
5 🇸🇾 Syria 10,000-15,000 6 Afrin (remainder), Qamişlî
6 🇬🇪 Georgia 12,174 (census 2014) 8 Tbilisi
7 🇺🇸 USA 10,000-15,000 6 Lincoln NE
8 🇫🇷 France 10,000 6 Paris
9 🇸🇪 Sweden 8,000-12,000 6 Gothenburg
10 🇦🇹 Austria ~5,000 4 Vienna
11 🇨🇦 Canada 3,000-5,000 7 Toronto, Winnipeg
12 🇦🇺 Australia 5,000-6,000 8 Armidale NSW
13 🇮🇷 Iran <5,000 4 Urmia
14 🇧🇪 Belgium 5,000-15,000 (large spread) 4 Brussels
15 🇳🇱 Netherlands 3,000-5,000 5 Amsterdam
16 🇨🇭 Switzerland ~3,000 4 Zurich
17 🇳🇴 Norway ~2,000 4 Oslo
18 🇬🇷 Greece 1,000-3,000 4 Athens
19 🇹🇷 Turkey <500 (orig.) + 2,000 (refugees) 7 Mardin
20 🇩🇰 Denmark 500-1,000 4 Copenhagen
21 🇬🇧 UK 500-2,000 4 London
22 🇪🇸 Spain ~500 3 Madrid
23 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 500-1,000 3 Almaty
24 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan ~500 4 Baku
25 🇺🇦 Ukraine <2,000 (post-2022) 3 Kharkiv
26 🇮🇹 Italy 200-500 3 Rome, Milan
27 🇲🇽 Mexico ~80 2 Mexico City
28 🇧🇷 Brazil ~50 2 São Paulo
29 🇦🇷 Argentina ~30 2 Buenos Aires
30 🇮🇱 Israel 10-50 3 Tel Aviv
31 🇯🇵 Japan 5-20 2 Tokyo
GLOBAL , ~1,000,000 7 ,

32. Sanctuaries Overview

Sanctuary Country City Status Significance
Lalîş (Şêx Adî) Iraq Lalîş valley active The holiest sanctuary worldwide, pilgrimage destination for all Êzîdîs
Quba Mêrê Dîwanê Armenia Aknalich active, opened Sept. 2019 The largest Êzîdî temple in the world, 25 m, 7 domes
Ziarat Armenia Aknalich active, opened 2012 The first post-Soviet Êzîdî temple
Sultan Ezid Temple Georgia Tbilisi active, opened 2015 The first temple of the Êzîdî diaspora in the post-Soviet Transcaucasus
Mausoleum of Melek Miran Iraq Ba’şiqa restored post-2017 An important pilgrimage site
22 mausoleums of Ba’şiqa/Behzanî Iraq Ba’şiqa, Behzanî partly destroyed (2014 ISIS) Historically important
Mam Reşan sanctuary Iraq Sinjar (mountain) damaged Patron saint of Sinjar
Şarfedîn sanctuary Iraq Sinjar damaged An important pilgrimage site
Şêx Adî in Qastel Cindo Syria Afrin damaged (2018) The main sanctuary of Afrin
Berberî sanctuary Syria Afrin unclear (post-2018) ,
Êzîdî cemetery Hannover-Lahe Germany Hannover active The largest Êzîdî cemetery section in Europe, ~200 graves
Yazidi Cultural Center Lincoln USA Lincoln NE active Religious + cultural centre of the USA

33. Source Index

Primary sources (Trust 9-10)

  • IOM Iraq DTM → iraqdtm.iom.int
  • UNHCR Refugee Data Finder → unhcr.org/refugee-statistics
  • UN-OCHA Iraq → reliefweb.int
  • Armstat Census 2022 → armstat.am
  • Geostat Georgia Census 2014 → geostat.ge
  • Rosstat Census 2010 + 2021 → rosstat.gov.ru
  • ABS Australia Census 2021 → abs.gov.au
  • EUAA Country Guidance Iraq 2024 + Syria 2023
  • Bundestag resolution 19 January 2023 (genocide recognition, Germany)
  • German Federal Constitutional Court, case no. 2 BvR 1968/91 (30 June 1992)

Academic sources (Trust 8-9)

  • Allison, Christine (2011): “Construction of Kurdish and Yezidi Identities…” Exeter
  • Açıkyıldız, Birgül (2010): “The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion.” I.B. Tauris
  • Kreyenbroek, Philip (1995): “Yezidism: Its Background, Observances and Textual Tradition.” Mellen
  • Kızılhan, Jan İlhan (2018): “Transgenerationale Folgen des Genozids an den Jesiden.” Springer
  • Omarkhali, Khanna (2017): “The Yezidi Religious Textual Tradition.” Harrassowitz
  • Spät, Eszter (2018): “Yezidi Identity Politics and Political Ambitions”
  • Schmidinger, Thomas (2019): “Beyond ISIS: History and Future of Religious Minorities in Iraq”
  • Kreyenbroek + Kartal (2009): “Yezidism in Europe: Different Generations Speak about their Religion”
  • Encyclopaedia Iranica “YAZIDIS i. GENERAL” → iranicaonline.org

NGO/community sources (Trust 6-7)

  • Yezidis International → yezidisinternational.org
  • Yazda → yazda.org
  • Free Yezidi Foundation → freeyezidi.org
  • Nadia’s Initiative → nadiasinitiative.org
  • Yezidi Legal Network → yazidilegalnetwork.org
  • Central Council of Êzîdîs in Germany → zentralrat-eziden.com
  • Yezidi Studies Center Hannover → yezidistudiescenter.org
  • ProAsyl (2024) “The Yazidis, There Is No Going Back…”
  • Association des Yezidis de France (AYF)
  • Yezidi National Union Armenia (Aziz Tamoyan)
  • Eziin → eziin.org

Media sources (Trust 5-7)

  • Atlantic Council (Aug 2025) “An open wound, a fading light”
  • Al Jazeera “Inside the world’s biggest Yazidi temple”
  • PBS Frontline “Yazidis a decade after ISIS”
  • InfoMigrants “Who are the Yazidis?”
  • Nebraska Public Media Lincoln coverage
  • Kurdistan24, Rudaw
  • SBS News Australia

Wikipedia (cross-check, Trust 5-7)

  • Yazidis, Yazidi genocide, Persecution of Yazidis
  • Yazidis in: Armenia, Iraq, Germany, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Syria
  • List of Yazidi organizations
  • Quba Mêrê Dîwanê
  • Lalîş

See also: [Migrationsrouten] (historical migration waves and routes).

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