Duhok, capital of the Duhok Governorate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, at the crossroads of three countries: Iraq, Turkey and Syria, making it a strategic gateway which connects Kurdistan to the outside world. 

Due to its location and development, the city is of great economic and commercial value to the entire region of Iraqi Kurdistan. The population of the Duhok Province is approximately 1.5 million and consists mostly of Kurds, with an array of minority groups such as Assyrians, Chaldeans, Arabs and Armenians mixed in. Compared to other regions of Iraqi Kurdistan, Duhok is quite diverse– both religiously and ethnically. While most residents are Muslim, Christianity and Ezidism are also widely practiced. Churches can be found throughout the city, and holy Yazidi shrines are located in various parts the Duhok Governorate. Recently, a large number of Syrian refugees and displaced people from Mosul and Shingal have also found their second homes in Duhok, adding to the city’s melting pot. Duhoki natives speak the Bahdini dialect of Kurdish, which is part of the Indo-European language family and is also commonly spoken in Turkish and Syrian Kurdistan. Arabic and Aramaic are popular second languages due to the city’s diverse minority groups. Additionally, recent migration patterns have increased the demand to learn English, as people yearn for a lingua franca to use in communicating amongst each other.