The Turkish language has been officially recognized in the city of Kirkuk, Iraq, alongside Arabic, Kurdish, and Syriac languages. This addition was met with approval, especially from the Turkmen community, as they form a significant portion of Kirkuk’s population.
Road signs will now also be displayed in Turkish, following a decision made in 2008 that is now being implemented. Governor Rakan Al-Jubouri signed the directive, mandating the use of Turkish on all relevant signs, including road signs, signals, and markings.
This change, effective since September 18, 2023, allows Turkish to be used in official correspondence throughout Kirkuk, making it one of the province’s official languages alongside Arabic, Kurdish, and Syriac.
The Turkmen community is prominent in northern and central Iraq, particularly in governorates like Nineveh, Erbil, Kirkuk, Diyala, Salah al-Din, and certain neighborhoods in Baghdad. They constitute the third largest ethnic group in Iraq, following the Arabs and Kurds, with an estimated population of two to 2.5 million people.
Source: Iraq Localize
