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Turks in the Balkans

{{short description|Turkish ethnic minorities living in the Balkans}}

The Balkan Turks or Rumelian Turks ({{langx|tr|{{italics correction|Balkan Türkleri}}}}) are the Turkish people who have been living in the Balkans since Ottoman rule, as well as their descendants who still live in the region today. The Turks are officially recognized as a minority in Bosnia and Herzegovina,{{cite web|author=OSCE|title=National Minorities in BiH|url=http://www.oscebih.org/default.aspx?id=53&lang=EN|access-date=2013-12-29}} Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Romania; in Greece the Turkish minority is recognized as "Greek Muslims". Furthermore, the Turkish language has minority language status in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Romania. The Ottoman Empire conquered parts of the Balkans between the 14th and the 16th centuries.

class="wikitable sortable"
colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Turkish communities in the Balkans
State or regionCommunityCurrent status
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnian TurksThe 1991 Bosnian census found that there was a minority of 267 Turks,{{cite web|author=Federal Office of Statistics|title=Population grouped according to ethnicity, by censuses 1961–1991|url=http://www.fzs.ba/Dem/Popis/NacPopE.htm|access-date=16 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926213349/http://www.fzs.ba/Dem/Popis/NacPopE.htm|archive-date=26 September 2011}} while the census of 2013 gave a number of 1,108."[http://www.popis.gov.ba/popis2013/knjige.php?id=2 1. Stanovništvo prema etničkoj/nacionalnoj pripadnosti - detaljna klasifikacija]". Popis.gov.ba. Other estimates suggests that there are 50,000
BulgariaBulgarian TurksIn the 2011 Bulgarian census, which did not receive a response regarding ethnicity from the total population, 588,318 people, or 8.8% of the self-appointed responders, determined their ethnicity as Turkish;{{cite web |author=National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria|year=2011|title=2011 Census (Final data)|url=http://censusresults.nsi.bg/Census/Reports/2/2/R7.aspx|publisher=National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria|page=4}} while the latest census which provided answers from the entire population, the 2001 census, recorded 746,664 Turks, or 9.4% of the population.{{cite web |author=National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria|year=2001|title=2001 Census|url=http://www.nsi.bg/Census/Ethnos.htm|publisher=National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria}} Other estimates suggests that there are 750,000.{{Harvnb|Sosyal|2011|loc=369}}{{cite web |author=Novinite|title=Scientists Raise Alarm over Apocalyptic Scenario for Bulgarian Ethnicity|url=http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=122441|access-date=21 July 2011}}
AlbaniaAlbanian TurksIn the 2011 census in Albania, more than 800 people registered Turkish as their first language.{{cite web |url=http://www.instat.gov.al/media/177354/main_results__population_and_housing_census_2011.pdf |title=Population and Housing Census 2011 |access-date=2013-11-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224003551/https://www.instat.gov.al/media/177354/main_results__population_and_housing_census_2011.pdf |archive-date=2012-12-24 }}
CroatiaCroatian TurksAccording to the 2001 Croatian census the Turkish minority numbered 300.{{cite web |author=Croatian Bureau of Statistics|title=POPULATION BY ETHNICITY, BY TOWNS/MUNICIPALITIES, CENSUS 2001|url=http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/censuses/Census2001/Popis/E01_02_02/E01_02_02.html|publisher=Croatian Bureau of Statistics}} More recent estimates have suggested that there are 2,000 Turks in Croatia.{{cite web |author=Zaman|title=Altepe'den Hırvat Müslümanlara moral|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=1165160&title=altepeden-hirvat-muslumanlara-moral|access-date=9 September 2011}}
Rhodes (in Greece)
Kos (in Greece)		Dodecanese TurksSome 5,000 Turks live in the Dodecanese islands of Rhodes and Kos.{{Harvnb|Clogg|2002|loc=84}}.
KosovoKosovan Turks{{Harvnb|Elsie|2010|loc=276}}.There are approximately 30,000 Kosovar Turks living in Kosovo, mostly in Mamusha, Prizren, and Pristina.
North MacedoniaMacedonian Turks{{Harvnb|Evans|2010|loc=11}}.The 2002 Macedonian census stated that there were 77,959 Macedonian Turks, forming about 4% of the total population and constituting a majority in Centar Župa and Plasnica.{{Harvnb|Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office|2005|loc=34}}. However, academic estimates suggest that they actually number between 170,000 and 200,000.{{Harvnb|Abrahams|1996|loc=53}}. Furthermore, about 200,000 Macedonian Turks migrated to Turkey during World War I and World War II due to persecutions and discrimination.{{Harvnb|Evans|2010|loc=228}}.
SerbiaSerbian TurksThere were 647 Serbian Turks living in the country according to the 2011 census.[http://webrzs.stat.gov.rs/WebSite/userFiles/file/Aktuelnosti/Etnicke_zajednice_sa_manje_od_2000_pripadnika_i_dvojako_izjasnjeni.pdf Попис становништва, домаћинстава и станова 2011. у Републици Србији: Становништво према националној припадности - „Остали“ етничке заједнице са мање од 2000 припадника и двојако изјашњени]
MontenegroMontenegrin TurksThere were 104 Montenegrin Turks according to the 2011 census.{{cite web |author=Statistical Office of Montenegro|title=Population of Montenegro by sex, type of settlement, etnicity, religion and mother tongue, per municipalities|url=http://www.monstat.org/userfiles/file/popis2011/saopstenje/saopstenje(1).pdf|page=7|access-date=21 September 2011}} The majority left their homes and migrated to Turkey in the 1900s.{{cite web|website=Today's Zaman|title=Turks in Montenegrin town not afraid to show identity anymore|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-257530-turks-in-montenegrin-town-not-afraid-to-show-identity-anymore.html|access-date=21 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922145648/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-257530-turks-in-montenegrin-town-not-afraid-to-show-identity-anymore.html|archive-date=22 September 2011}}
Northern Dobruja (in Romania)Romanian Turks{{Harvnb|Brozba|2010|loc=48}}.There were 28,226 Romanian Turks living in the country according to the 2011 Romanian census.{{Harvnb|National Institute of Statistics|2011|loc=10}} However, academic estimates suggest that the community numbers between 55,000{{Harvnb|Sosyal|2011|loc=368}}{{Harvnb|Phinnemore|2006|loc=157}}. and 80,000.{{Harvnb|Constantin|Goschin|Dragusin|2008|loc=59}}
Western Thrace (in Greece)Western Thrace TurksThe Greek government refers to the community as "Greek Muslims" or "Hellenic Muslims" and does not specifically mention the ethnicity of the Muslims (including Turks) in Western Thrace.{{Harvnb|Whitman|1990|loc=i}}. Traditionally, academics have suggested that the Western Thrace Turks number about 120,000–130,000, although more recent estimates suggest that the community numbers 150,000.{{sfn|Ergener|2002|loc=106}} Between 300,000 and 400,000 immigrated to Turkey since 1923.{{Harvnb|Whitman|1990|loc=2}}.
Eastern

Thrace

|East Thrace Turks

|The only remaining part of the Balkans which is part of Turkey, significant portion of the population is made up of Muhacirs like Bosniaks, Albanians or Pomaks.{{Cite journal |last=Tosun |first=İlker |date=2024-08-29 |title=DOĞU TRAKYA AĞIZLARININ GELECEĞİ |url=https://turkishstudies.net/language?mod=makale_tr_ozet&makale_id=23006 |journal=Turkish Studies - Language and Literature |language=tr |issue=3 |volume=14 |pages=1561–1572 |doi=10.29228/TurkishStudies.23006}}

Historically, from the Ottoman conquest until the 19th century, ethnically non-Turkish, especially South Slavic Muslims of the Balkans were referred to in the local languages as Turks (term for Muslims). This usage is common in literature,such as in the works of Ivan Mažuranić and Petar II Petrović-Njegoš. Today, the largest mainly Muslim Slavic ethnic group is known as the Bosniaks followed by Pomaks.

See also

{{Portal|Turkey}}

References

{{Reflist|2}}

Bibliography

{{Refbegin|30em}}

  • {{cite book |last=Abrahams |first=Fred |date=1996 |title=A Threat to "Stability": Human Rights Violations in Macedonia |publisher=Human Rights Watch |isbn=1-56432-170-3}}
  • {{cite book |last=Brozba |first=Gabriela |year=2010 |title=Between Reality and Myth: A Corpus-based Analysis of the Stereotypic Image of Some Romanian Ethnic Minorities |publisher=GRIN Verlag |isbn=978-3-640-70386-9}}
  • {{cite book |last=Clogg |first=Richard |date=2002 |title=Minorities in Greece |publisher=Hurst & Co. |isbn=1-85065-706-8}}
  • {{cite journal |last1=Constantin |first1=Daniela L. |last2=Goschin |first2=Zizi |last3=Dragusin |first3=Mariana |date=2008 |title=Ethnic entrepreneurship as an integration factor in civil society and a gate to religious tolerance. A spotlight on Turkish entrepreneurs in Romania |journal=Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies |volume=7 |number=20 |pages=28–41}}
  • {{cite book |last=Elsie |first=Robert |year=2010 |title=Historical Dictionary of Kosovo |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-7231-8}}
  • {{cite book |last=Ergener |first=Reşit |date=2002 |title=About Turkey: Geography, Economy, Politics, Religion, and Culture |publisher=Pilgrims Process |isbn=0-9710609-6-7}}
  • {{cite book |last=Evans |first=Thammy |date=2010 |title=Macedonia |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=1-84162-297-4}}
  • {{cite book |last=Phinnemore |first=David |date=2006 |title=The EU and Romania: Accession and Beyond |publisher=The Federal Trust for Education & Research |isbn=1-903403-78-2}}
  • {{cite report |author=Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office |date=2005 |url=http://www.stat.gov.mk/pdf/kniga_13.pdf |title=Republic of Macedonia – State Statistical Office |publisher=Republic of Macedonia – State Statistical Office}}
  • {{cite report |author=National Institute of Statistics |year=2011 |url=http://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Comunicat_DATE_PROVIZORII_RPL_2011.pdf |title=Comunicat de presă privind rezultatele provizorii ale Recensământului Populaţiei şi Locuinţelor – 2011 |publisher=Romania-National Institute of Statistics |access-date=2012-02-02 |archive-date=2019-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802060014/http://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Comunicat_DATE_PROVIZORII_RPL_2011.pdf |url-status=dead}}
  • {{cite encyclopedia |last=Sosyal |first=Levent |date=2011 |title=Turks |editor-link=Jeffrey Cole |editor-last=Cole |editor-first=Jeffrey |encyclopedia=Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=1598843028}}
  • {{cite book |last=Whitman |first=Lois |date=1990 |title=Destroying ethnic identity: the Turks of Greece |publisher=Human Rights Watch |isbn=0-929692-70-5}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Turks in the Balkans}}

{{Turkish people by country}}

Category:Ethnic groups in the Balkans

Category:Turkish diaspora in Europe