Zakho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zakho زاخۆ Zaxo
City
The Little Khabur flowing through Zakho
Zakho Location in Iraq
Country	Iraq
Region	Kurdistan Region
Governorate	Dohuk Governorate
District	Zakho District
Elevation	440 m (1,440 ft)
Population  (2010)
• Total	500,000
Time zone	UTC+3
• Summer (DST)	not observed

Zakho, also called Zaxo, is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is located in the Dohuk Governorate, very close to the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing with Turkey. Zakho is famous for its celebrations of Newroz, a spring festival.

The city's population grew a lot from 1950 to 1992. Many Kurds moved there from other parts of Iraq.

Zakho might have started on a small island in the Little Khabur river. This river flows west through the city and forms part of the border between Iraq and Turkey. It then flows into the Tigris river. Other important rivers nearby are the Zeriza and the Seerkotik.

History of Zakho

Zakho has a long and interesting history. Gertrude Bell, a famous British explorer and writer, believed that Zakho was the same as an ancient town called Hasaniyeh. She also wrote that a Christian missionary, Poldo Soldini, was buried there in 1779. People still visited his grave in the 1950s.

The city is home to the remains of Zakho Castle, where only a tower stands today. There is also Qubad Pasha Castle, a unique six-sided building in the Zakho cemetery.

Some stories say that Zakho was founded in 1568 by the Slivani tribesmen. The family of Shamdin Agha became very important in Zakho. From the late 1800s, this family led all the people of Zakho, including Muslims, Jews, and Christians.

Ancient Greeks knew about Zakho. In 1844, a traveler named William Francis Ainsworth said that Zakho looked much like it was described in the time of Xenophon, an ancient Greek writer.

Zakho has always been a big marketplace. Goods from Zakho are traded across the Kurdish-controlled areas and much of northern and central Iraq. In 1818, it was described as a major trading center. It was known for its gallnuts, rice, oil, and many fruits.

Modern Times

Joint forces headquarters in Zakho, 1993

Because of its important location and many job opportunities, Zakho has attracted people from all over Iraq, and even from Syria and Turkey. Today, trade with Turkey is a very important part of the city's economy. Oil drilling also started in Zakho in 2005.

Historical Events

In Islamic history, Zakho is remembered for the Battle of the Zab. This was a big battle between two powerful groups, the Umayyads and the Abbasids.

The Little Zab river forms a border for the Kurdistan Regional Government area of Iraq today. The Dukan Dam was built on the Little Zab between 1954 and 1959. It helps control water and provides electricity.

In 1991, Zakho became a safe place during Operation Provide Comfort. This operation was set up by British and American forces. Its goal was to protect the Iraqi Kurds from harm. Many people had left the city and fled to the mountains. When the American forces arrived, they found Zakho almost empty.

In 1995, an event caused many people to lose their lives. Later, in 1996, when the U.S. Army left its base in Zakho, they helped thousands of Kurds move to the USA. These Kurds had worked with the base and were worried about their safety. This meant that Zakho lost many of its educated citizens.

In 2008, it was reported that the Turkish Army had four bases in the Zakho District. These bases were there because of an agreement with the Iraqi Government from the 1990s.

In 2011, some businesses owned by Assyrians were targeted in events that started in the town.

Christian and Jewish Communities

St. George Chaldean Cathedral in Zakho.

Zakho was once a very important center for the Chaldean Catholic Church. The city had a large Chaldean Catholic area until the mid-1800s. After the Armenian genocide, Armenians also formed a community in Zakho. Their first church was built in 1923.

Zakho was also known for its many synagogues and a large, old Jewish community. In the mid-1800s, Zakho became a main spiritual center for the Jews of Kurdistan. Many people called it 'the Jerusalem of Kurdistan'.

The Jews of Zakho spoke a special language called Jewish Neo-Aramaic dialect of Zakho. They also spoke Kurmanji, which is the language of non-Jewish Kurds.

The Jewish people in Zakho were part of the tribal society. They carried weapons just like Kurdish Muslims. In 1891, one of the synagogues was burned down. Problems became worse in 1892.

Most of the Jewish people moved to Israel in the 1950s. Even though they were not the most educated among Jewish communities around the world, they had a very special oral tradition. This included many legends, stories, and songs. Their heroes came from both Jewish and Muslim traditions.

Climate

Zakho has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has very hot and dry summers. Its winters are cool and wet.

Famous Places

Delal Bridge

One of Zakho's most famous places is the Delal Bridge. It is a beautiful old bridge made of stone.

Zakho Castle is in the center of the city, next to the Khabur river. It used to be the home of the governor during the time of the Badinan Emirate. Today, only the castle's tower is left.

Sharansh waterfall

The Qubad Pasha Castle is in Zakho's cemetery. It has a unique six-sided shape with six windows and an entrance.

Sports in Zakho

Zakho Football Club (Zakho FC) started in 1987. This football team plays in the Iraqi Premier League, which is where the top 16 football clubs in Iraq compete. Zakho FC has its own stadium that can hold 20,000 people.

Football Stadium of Zakho

Zakho Basketball Club (Zakho SC) also won the Kurdistan Basketball Super Cup. They beat Duhok SC in a game played in Erbil.

Notable People

• Yona Sabar (born 1938), a Jewish scholar
• Yitzhak Mordechai (born 1944), a former Israeli general and politician
• Louis Raphaël I Sako (born 1948), a leader in the Chaldean Catholic Church
• Erdewan Zaxoyî (1957–1986), a Kurdish singer
• Eyaz Zaxoyî (1960–1986), a Kurdish singer

Images for kids

• 

  The Delal Bridge, a famous landmark in Zakho.

See also

In Spanish: Zakho para niños