According to the
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Kur had a population of approximately 325 inhabitants in mid-year 2006 and 292 by 2017.[1][3] 7.9% of the population of Kur were refugees in 1997.[4]
Healthcare
The healthcare facilities for Kur are based in
Kafr 'Abbush, where the facilities are designated as MOH level 2.[5]
History
Ceramics from the
Byzantine era have been found here.[6]
Ottoman era
Kur was incorporated into the
Ottoman Empire in 1517 with all of Palestine, and in 1596 it appeared in the
tax registers as being in the Nahiya of Bani Sa'b of the Liwa of
Nablus. It had a population of 32 households and 6 bachelors, all
Muslim. The villagers paid a fixed tax-rate of 33,3% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, olive trees, occasional revenues, goats and/or beehives, a press for olive oil or grape syrup, and a customary tax on subjects in Nablus region; a total of 13,166
akçe.[7]
In 1838,
Robinson noted Kur as a village in the Beni Sa'ab district, west of Nablus.[8]
In 1870/1871 (1288
AH), an Ottoman census listed the village in the nahiya (sub-district) of Bani Sa'b.[9]
In 1882, the
PEF's Survey of Western Palestine described it as: "A stone village in a strong position on a ridge, with a steep slope to the east. It is of moderate size, well-built of stone, and supplied by
cisterns. Traces of an ancient road exist near it. It is the Kursi, or seat of a famous native family (Beit Jiyusi). It is, perhaps, worthy of notice that the name resembles the Corea of
Josephus, near which was a fortress called Alexandrium. About a mile north of Kur is Khurbet Iskander (Ruin of Alexander); the position, however, does not seem to agree with the account of Josephus."[10] They further noted: "A ruined watchtower, like the one described at
'Azzun, exists north-east of this place."[11]
In the
1945 statistics Kur had a population of 280 Muslims[14] and a land area of 8,514
dunams, according to an official land and population survey.[15] Of this, 253 dunams were plantations and irrigable land, 1,677 used for cereals,[16] while 17 dunams were built-up (urban) land.[17]