Turkish Cypriots

Turkish Cypriots
Kıbrıslı Türkler
Total population
Total unknown
(see also Turkish Cypriot diaspora)
Regions with significant populations
 Northern Cyprusest. 150,000[1]
 Turkey300,000 to over 650,000
(Higher estimate includes descendants of the early twentieth century muhacirs)[2][3][4][5][6][7]
 United Kingdom130,000 (TRNC nationals only – excludes British born and dual heritage children)[8][9][10]
300,000 to 400,000 (including descendants)[11][12][13][14][15][16]
 Australia30,000 (Turkish Cypriot immigrants in 1993[2])
est.40,000 to 120,000[6][7][15][17][18]
 Canada6,000 (Turkish Cypriot immigrants in 1993[2])
 United States6,000 (Turkish Cypriot immigrants in 1993[2])
 Cyprus (south)1,128 (2011 Cyprus census[19])
est.2,000[20]
Other countries5,000 (2001 TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimate),[6] particularly in Western Europe, New Zealand, South Africa
Languages
Turkish language
(Cypriot Turkish · Istanbul Turkish)
Religion
Sunni Islam
a This figure does not include Turkish settlers from Turkey.

Turkish Cypriots or Cypriot Turks (Turkish: Kıbrıs Türkleri or Kıbrıslı Türkler; Greek: Τουρκοκύπριοι, romanized: Tourkokýprioi) are ethnic Turks originating from Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots are mainly Sunni Muslims. Following the Ottoman conquest of the island in 1571, about 30,000 Turkish settlers were given land once they arrived in Cyprus.[21][22] Additionally, many of the island's local Christians converted to Islam during the early years of Ottoman rule.[23] Nonetheless, the influx of mainly Muslim settlers to Cyprus continued intermittently until the end of the Ottoman period.[24] Today, while Northern Cyprus is home to a significant part of the Turkish Cypriot population, the majority of Turkish Cypriots live abroad, forming the Turkish Cypriot diaspora. This diaspora came into existence after the Ottoman Empire transferred the control of the island to the British Empire, as many Turkish Cypriots emigrated primarily to Turkey and the United Kingdom for political and economic reasons.

Standard Turkish is the official language of Northern Cyprus. The vernacular spoken by Turkish Cypriots is Cypriot Turkish, which has been influenced by Cypriot Greek, as well as English.

  1. ^ Hatay, Mete (2017). "Population and Politics in north Cyprus: An overview of the ethno-demography of north Cyprus in the light of the 2011 census". PRIO Cyprus Centre. p. 48. Retrieved 20 April 2018. Taking the estimate of a current 'TRNC' citizen population at around 215,000, then, and subtracting the approximately 6,000 persons born in third countries whose heritage is not known, we may assume that there are around 150,000 persons of native Cypriot heritage, including 12,000–15,000 of mixed parentage (one Cypriot parent).
  2. ^ a b c d European Population Conference: Proceedings, Geneva, vol. 2, Council of Europe, 1993, ISBN 9789287125514, The number of Turkish Cypriots now living in Turkey is about 300 000 while the number of those who have settled in England is 100 000. There are also approximately 30 000 Turkish Cypriots living in Australia and about 6 000 in Canada and the U.S.A.
  3. ^ Kanlı, Yusuf (2017). "Migration is a killer of Turkish Cyprus". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved 8 April 2018. ...Turkish Cypriot backgrounds living in Turkey. There are many figures. Some say it is around 300,000, some claim it is well over 650,000.
  4. ^ Kanlı, Yusuf (2018). "Bridging the population gap in Cyprus". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved 8 April 2018. It is often said that if the descendants of those who migrated from Cyprus to Turkey back in 1931 are included, the number of Turkish Cypriots living in the "motherland" might exceed 600,000.
  5. ^ Country Report: Cyprus, Malta, Economist Intelligence Unit, 1997, ...the original called for Turkey to grant dual citizenship to Turkish Cypriots – some 500,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Turkey would be considered citizens of the TRNC, and the approximately 200,000 persons living in the TRNC would be given Turkish citizenship
  6. ^ a b c "Briefing Notes on the Cyprus Issue". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. May 2001. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010. there are currently about 500,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Turkey; 200,000 in Great Britain; 40,000 in Australia and some 10,000 in North America and 5,000 in other countries.
  7. ^ a b Star Kıbrıs (2012). "Sözünüzü Tutun". Retrieved 10 September 2012. Tarihsel süreç içerisinde yaşanan bazı olaylar nedeniyle Kıbrıs'tan göç etmek zorunda kalan Türklerin, bugün dünyanın farklı bölgelerinde yaşam sürdüklerine dikkat çeken Kasapoğlu, "Kıbrıslı Türklerin 300 bin kadarı İngiltere'de, 500 bini Türkiye'de, 120 bini Avustralya'da, 5 bini ABD'de, bin 800'ü Kanada'da, çok az bir popülasyon Güney Afrika Cumhuriyeti'nde, bin 600'ü Yeni Zellanda'da, 2 bin kadarının da Almanya'da olduğu tahmin ediliyor" ifadelerini kullandı.
  8. ^ Edwards, Viv. "Turkish today". Your Voice. BBC. Retrieved 7 December 2008. 130,000 nationals of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus currently live in the UK. These figures, however, do not include the much larger numbers of Turkish speakers who have been born or have obtained British nationality.
  9. ^ "Turkish community in the UK". Consulate General for the Republic of Turkey in London. Archived from the original on 4 March 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2010. Please note that approximately 130,000 nationals of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, whose mother tongue is Turkish, are living in the UK as well.
  10. ^ "The Turkish and Turkish Cypriot Muslim Community in England" (PDF). Department for Communities and Local Government. Retrieved 26 March 2018. In addition, there are estimated to be 130,000 Turkish Cypriots in the UK. It is unlikely that any of the official figures available provide a true indication of the size of the Turkish speaking population in the country as much of the official data is only available by country of birth and excludes British born and dual heritage children
  11. ^ "Implications for the Justice and Home Affairs area of the accession of Turkey to the European Union" (PDF). The Stationery Office. 2011. p. Ev 34. There are approximately 150,000 Turkish nationals in the UK at present, of a total of about 500,000 people of Turkish origin in the UK, including Cypriot Turks (about 300,000) and Turks with Bulgarian or Romanian citizenship
  12. ^ "Network Radio BBC Week 39: Wednesday 28 September 2011: Turkish Delight?". BBC. Retrieved 14 September 2011. Turkish influence on the UK began with the arrival of coffee houses in the 17th century. There are now estimated to be 150,000 immigrants from mainland Turkey as well as 300,000 Turkish Cypriots, many leaving Cyprus during the Fifties and Sixties during the internal war.
  13. ^ Implications for the Justice and Home Affairs area of the accession of Turkey to the European Union, The Conversation, 2016, retrieved 8 April 2016, Today, the 300,000 Turkish Cypriots make up the largest part of Britain's Turkish-speaking community.
  14. ^ Turkish people and British politics: Where are the other 499,997?, Operation Black Vote, 2012, retrieved 8 April 2016, At present, there are an estimated 300,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the UK which is even more compared to Turkish Cypriots in North Cyprus as estimates shows that there are between 150,000 – 200,000.
  15. ^ a b Akben, Gözde (11 February 2010). "OLMALI MI, OLMAMALI MI?". Star Kibris. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  16. ^ Cemal, Akay (2 June 2011). "Dıştaki gençlerin askerlik sorunu çözülmedikçe…". Kıbrıs Gazetesi. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  17. ^ Kibris Gazetesi. "Avustralya'daki Kıbrıslı Türkler ve Temsilcilik..." Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  18. ^ BRT. "AVUSTURALYA'DA KIBRS TÜRKÜNÜN SESİ". Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  19. ^ "Population – Country of Birth, Citizenship Category, Country of Citizenship, Language, Religion, Ethnic/Religious Group, 2011". Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  20. ^ Hatay 2007, 40.
  21. ^ Welin & Ekelund 2004, 2.
  22. ^ Hüssein 2007, 14.
  23. ^ Jennings 1993, 137-38.
  24. ^ Çevikel 2000, 178.