Ossetians in Turkey

Ossetians and other Caucasian diaspora members protesting against Georgian assault on South Ossetia (August 13, 2008, Istanbul)

Ossetians in Turkey are a national minority. They emigrated from North Ossetia since the second half of the 19th century, end of Caucasian War. Today, the majority of them live in Ankara and Istanbul. There are 24 Ossetian villages in central and eastern Anatolia. The Ossetians in Turkey are divided into three major groups, depending on their history of immigration and ensuing events:

• those living in Kars (Sarıkamış) and Erzurum;
• those living in Sivas, Tokat and Yozgat;
• and those living in Muş and Bitlis.^[1]

Population

It is estimated that the Ossetian population in Turkey is 20,000^[2][3]—100,000 people.^[4]

Religion

Though the vast majority of Ossetians living in North Ossetia-Alania (Russia) and South Ossetia are mostly Christians, Turkish Ossetians are predominantly Muslims (they are Muhajirs).

Turkish Ossetians

• Bekir Sami Kunduh — the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.

See also

• Minorities in Turkey
• Ossetians
• Peoples of the Caucasus in Turkey

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Lib.ru/Современная литература: Емельянова Надежда Михайловна. Мусульмане Осетии: На перекрестке цивилизаций. Часть 2. Ислам в Осетии. Историческая ретроспектива
3. ^ Официальный сайт Постоянного представительства Республики Северная Осетия-Алания при Президенте РФ. Осетины в Москве
4. ^ (est) UNHCR, WriteNet reports, The North Caucasian Diaspora In Turkey