Abkhazians in Turkey

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Abkhazians in Turkey
Türkiye'deki Abhazlar
Total population
600,000 (2014)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Eskişehir, Izmir, Sakarya Anatolia
Languages
Abkhaz, Turkish
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Circassians in Turkey

The Abkhazians in Turkey refers to citizens of Turkey who are ethnic Abkhazians originating from Abkhazia. In 2014, it was estimated that around 600,000 Abkhazians lived in Turkey of which 48,000 spoke Abkhaz.[1]

Numbers

Abkhaz-speaking population in Turkey[2]
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. ^ a b "Turkey - languages". Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  2. ^ Fuat Dündar, Türkiye Nüfus Sayımlarında Azınlıklar, 2000