Yazidis in Armenia

Yazidis in Armenia
	Map of Yazidis in Armenia by province
Total population
	31,079 (2022, census)
Regions with significant populations
	Armavir, Aragatsotn, Ararat, Kotayk provinces and Yerevan
Languages
	Kurmanji, Armenian
Religion
	Yazidism

Yazidis form the largest ethnic minority in Armenia. Yazidis settled in the territory of modern-day Armenia mainly in the 19th and early 20th centuries, fleeing religious persecution by the Ottoman Empire. While Yazidis were counted as Kurds in censuses for much of the Soviet period, they are currently recognized as a separate ethnic group in Armenia (for more on the relationship between Yazidis and Kurdish identity, see Yazidis).^[4] According to the 2022 census, around 31,079 Yazidis live in Armenia.^[1]

The Election Code of Armenia guarantees one seat in the National Assembly for a representative of the Yazidi community. Several religious Yazidi temples exist in Armenia, including the world's largest Yazidi temple Quba Mere Diwane in Aknalich, which was opened in 2020. In 2021, a Yazidi national theater was opened in Vagharshapat.^[5]

^ ^a ^b "The Main Results of RA Census 2022, trilingual / Armenian Statistical Service of Republic of Armenia". www.armstat.am. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
^ Cite error: The named reference Independent was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Asatrian, Garnik S.; Arakelova, Victoria (2014-09-03). The Religion of the Peacock Angel: The Yezidis and Their Spirit World. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-54429-6.
^ "The Ethnic Minorities of Armenia" (PDF). Yerevan. 2002.
^ "Armenia's First Ever Yazidi Theater Opens Today: Play Deals with Recent Artsakh War". Hetq.am. 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2022-05-24.

[2022Census-1] "The Main Results of RA Census 2022, trilingual / Armenian Statistical Service of Republic of Armenia". www.armstat.am. Retrieved 2024-12-19.

[Independent-2] Cite error: The named reference Independent was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[3] Asatrian, Garnik S.; Arakelova, Victoria (2014-09-03). The Religion of the Peacock Angel: The Yezidis and Their Spirit World. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-54429-6.

[4] "The Ethnic Minorities of Armenia" (PDF). Yerevan. 2002.

[5] "Armenia's First Ever Yazidi Theater Opens Today: Play Deals with Recent Artsakh War". Hetq.am. 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2022-05-24.

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Total population
Map of Yazidis in Armenia by province
31,079^[1] (2022, census)
Regions with significant populations
Armavir, Aragatsotn, Ararat, Kotayk provinces and Yerevan
Languages
Kurmanji,^[2] Armenian
Religion
Yazidism^[3]