Abkhazians in Turkey

Abkhazians in Turkey
Türkiye'deki Abhazlar
Ҭырқәтәыла иҟоу аԥсуаа
Total population
30,000–500,000[1][2][3][4]
Regions with significant populations
Eskişehir, İzmir, Sakarya, Düzce, Sinop, Samsun
Languages
Abkhaz, Turkish
Religion
Sunni Islam, Shia Islam
Related ethnic groups
Circassians in Turkey

The Abkhazians in Turkey refers to citizens of Turkey who are ethnic Abkhazians originating from Abkhazia. There are 39,000 Abkhaz speakers in Turkey according to the 2001 estimates and around 30,000—500,000 people of Abkhaz descent.[2][4]

Numbers

Abkhaz-speaking population in Turkey[5]
Year As first language As second language Total Turkey's population % of total speakers
1935 10,099 2,108 12,207 16,157,450 0.08
1945 8,602 1,265 9,867 18,790,174 0.05
1950 17,200 - 17,200 20,947,188 0.08
1955 13,655 1,489 15,144 24,064,763 0.06
1960 4,689 8,018 12,707 27,754,820 0.05
1965 4,563 7,836 12,399 31,391,421 0.04

Notable Abkhaz Turks

Statesmans

  • Rauf Orbay (Abkhaz surname Ashkharua) - naval officer, statesman and diplomat.

Culture

  • Mihri Müşfik Hanım (abkhaz surname Achba) – one of the first and most renowned Turkish female painters. She was recognized especially for her portraits, including popular figures Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Pope Benedict XV.
  • Leyla Achba - Abkhazian princess. She is known for writing memoirs, which give details of the sultan's court life and was the first Ottoman court lady to write memoirs.
  • İbrahim Süreyya Yiğit – thinker, politician and antisemitic writer, who was directly involved in ratifying the Varlık Vergisi law.
  • Keriman Halis Ece – beauty pageant titleholder, pianist, and fashion model who won the Miss Turkey 1932 title. She was also crowned Miss Universe 1932 in Spa, Belgium and thus became Turkey's first Miss Universe.

Sports people

  • Adil Atan (abkhaz surname Twanba) – Olympic bronze medalist in Freestyle wrestling in 1952.
  • Haydar Zafer – World champion in Freestyle wrestling in 1951.
  • Gündüz Kılıç – football player and coach. Champion of Turkey with Galatasaray SK like a football player in 1938–1939, and manager in 1954-1955 and 1955–1956.
  • Altay Bayındır (abkhaz surname Agrba) – professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper im Fenerbahçe S.K.
  • Tayfur Havutçu (abkhaz surname Marshan) – international football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of Süper Lig club Kasımpaşa.
  • Orkan Çınar - footballer who plays as a winger for MKE Ankaragücü.
  • Süleyman Seba (abkhaz surname Tsiba) - the longest presiding Chairman of the Istanbul-based multisports club Beşiktaş J.K.

Other

See also

References

  1. ↑ Paul M., Lewis (2009). "Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition". ethnologue.com. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version. Archived from the original on 2011-04-11. Retrieved 2025-06-27. Ethnic population: 39,000 in Turkey (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. 1 2 Wessenlink, Egbert (1 May 1996). "The North Caucasian Diaspora In Turkey". Refworld. Retrieved 2025-06-27. Estimates of the number of Abkhaz in Turkey range from 30,000 up to 300,000.[15]
  3. ↑ "Abkhazia Seeking Turkish Recognition of Independence". Asbarez. Ankara. 9 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2025-06-27. Around 500,000 Turkish citizens consider themselves to be of Abkhazian origin.
  4. 1 2 Aleksandre Kvakhadze (2019). "INTERETHNIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CAUCASIAN DIASPORAS IN SAKARYA AND KOCAELI PROVINCES OF TURKEY" (PDF). GFSIS. Ankara. Retrieved 2025-06-27. There is no consensus regarding the number of Abkhazians in Turkey. According to the 1965 census, the total number of Abkhazian language speakers was 12,119.6 The Abkhazians themselves believe that more than one million Abkhazians are living in Turkey. However, according to the data gathered by Abkhazian scholar, Viacheslav Chirikba, 228 Abkhaz villages exist in Turkey. He believes that the Abkhazian population in Turkey varies between 200 and 500 thousand.7
  5. ↑ Fuat Dündar, Türkiye Nüfus Sayımlarında Azınlıklar, 2000


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