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. Ossetians are an Iranian people. 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, Ossetians who live in Turkey are Muslims (they are Muhajirs).

See also

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

References