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Turkey: Religions & Peoples
INTRODUCTION
1. Political situation
2. Economy
3. Health & Education
4. Religions & Peoples
5. History
| RELIGIONS *) |
Islam
|
55,000,000 |
75% |
|
Sunni
|
55,000,000 |
75% |
Alevism
|
18,000,000 |
24.5% |
Christianity
|
130,000 |
0.2% |
|
Armenian Orthodox
|
80,000 |
0.1% |
|
Armenian Catholics
|
25,000 |
<0.1% |
|
Roman Catholics
|
15,000 |
<0.1% |
|
Chaldean Catholics
|
5,000 |
<0.1% |
|
Syrian Orthodox
|
5,000 |
<0.1% |
Yazidism
|
50,000 |
|
Ahl-e Haqq
|
50,000 |
|
Judaism
|
25,000 |
<0.1% |
Baha'i
|
20,000 |
<0.1% |
| ETHNIC GROUPS *) |
Turks
|
55,000,000 |
76% |
Kurds
|
13,000,000 |
17% |
Georgians
|
1,500,000 |
2% |
Circassians
|
1,000,000 |
1.5% |
Zaza
|
1,000,000 |
1.5% |
Azeri
|
800,000 |
1.1% |
Laz
|
500,000 |
0.7% |
Tahtaci
|
120,000 |
0.2% |
Armenians
|
100,000 |
0.2% |
*) All figures above are estimates, due to the lack of independent data. Real figures may differ substantially.
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Turkey is predominantly Muslim, with only a small minority of Christians. 75% of the Muslims are Sunni, while Alevi represent the remaining 25%. Alevi Muslims are closely linked to Shi'i Islam.
The Turkish state of today does not declare itself as Muslim. The few Christians are mainly Armenians who still living in Turkey even after the intensive massacres conducted by the young Turks between 1915 and 1923, where some 1 million Armenians were killed. There are some Shi'is living in the southeastern parts of Turkey, making up some per cent of the population.
The Turks are a mixture of the indigenous population belonging to the region since millennias, the Turk-Tatarians immigrating from 11th century and the two following centuries. In the centuries following this immigration, people came from all over the Mediterranean world, as well as from Caucasia.
The Kurds make up approximately 15% of the population of Turkey, but represent the majority in many regions of the country. Today Kurds live over all Turkey, but the heart areas of the Kurds are in the west, in the mountainous areas close to Iran, Iraq, Syria and even Azerbaijan. Different from the Turks, who look at themselves as descendants of immigrants coming from Central Asia, the Kurds are the indigenous people of the region they inhabit. The Kurds are Sunni Muslims.
Turkey has also got groups of other peoples, like Greeks, Arabs, Armenians and Jews. Which percentage they make up of the Turkish is highly uncertain, as many out of these have taken a Turkish identity. Greeks and Armenians could together make up as much as 2-3% of the population.
© Copyright 1996-2008 LookLex Ltd. All rights reserved
By: Tore
Kjeilen
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