Kurdistan is one of the Middle East's great recent success stories. The area occupies much of what is now northern and north-eastern Iraq. The Kurds have a distinguished and eventful history; their capital, Erbil, claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city. Occupying strategically important lands and formidable mineral reserves, the region has from ancient times been a magnet for invaders.

Using new and archive photographs and detailed maps, this book vibrantly presents Kurdistan's story for a modern readership.