Turks

Turks
Group	Turks
Native name	Türkler
Population	c. 80–83 million
Region1	Turkey
Pop1	60,000,000–65,000,000
Region2	Germany
Pop2	3,000,000–7,000,000
Region3	Bulgaria
Pop3	588,318–800,000
Region4	France
Pop4	1,000,000
Region5	United Kingdom
Pop5	500,000
Languages	Turkish
Religions	Predominantly Islam (Sunni, Alevi)
Related groups	Turkic peoples

Turks. They are a nation and ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and speaking Turkish. Their history is deeply intertwined with the Ottoman Empire, which rose from a beylik in Anatolia to a vast multi-ethnic empire. Modern Turkish identity was fundamentally shaped by the Turkish War of Independence and the subsequent founding of the Republic of Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Etymology and terminology

The ethnonym is historically linked to the Old Turkic word *Türük*, found in the Orkhon inscriptions of the Göktürks. The term was used by medieval writers like Mahmud al-Kashgari in his Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk. In Western usage, it became synonymous with the Ottoman state and its Muslim subjects. The modern national identity was crystallized during the Turkish National Movement and is legally defined by the Constitution of Turkey.

History

Early Turkic groups like the Seljuks began migrating into Anatolia after their victory at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. The beylik period followed the decline of the Sultanate of Rum, with the Ottoman beylik emerging in Bithynia. The Ottoman Empire expanded dramatically, conquering Constantinople in 1453 and reaching its zenith under Suleiman the Magnificent. Following a long decline, the empire collapsed after World War I, leading to the Turkish War of Independence against the Allies and the Treaty of Sèvres. The victory led to the abolition of the Sultanate and the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, with sweeping reforms by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk known as Kemalism.

Demographics and distribution

The vast majority reside in Turkey, concentrated in major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir. Significant diaspora communities exist in Western Europe, particularly in Germany due to the Gastarbeiter program, as well as in the Netherlands, France, and Austria. Other large populations are found in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and North Macedonia, often remnants of Ottoman rule. Communities also exist in North America, Australia, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Culture and society

Cultural heritage is a synthesis of Anatolian, Ottoman, Islamic, and modern Western influences. Traditional arts include rug weaving, ceramics, and miniature painting. Turkish cuisine is renowned for dishes like kebab, baklava, and Turkish coffee. Major religious festivals include Ramadan and Kurban Bayramı, while Republic Day is a key secular celebration. Society has been significantly transformed by the secularist reforms of the early republic, though debates continue around issues of religion and national identity.

Language

The primary language is Turkish, a member of the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages. It was historically written in the Perso-Arabic script but underwent a monumental reform with the adoption of the Latin alphabet in 1928, championed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The language was further purified and standardized by the Turkish Language Association. Dialects vary, with major groups including Istanbul Turkish, and the Rumelian and Cypriot Turkish dialects.

Genetics

Genetic studies indicate a complex admixture reflecting Anatolia's history as a bridge between continents. Analyses of Y-DNA show high frequencies of haplogroups like J2 and R1b, linking them to earlier Neolithic Anatolian and Caucasian populations. There are also significant Central Asian contributions associated with Turkic migrations, visible in markers like haplogroup C. This genetic profile distinguishes them from other Turkic peoples like those in Central Asia, showing greater affinity with neighboring populations in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Middle East.

Category:Ethnic groups in Turkey Category:Turkic peoples