Romani people in Turkey
Romanlar | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 500,000–2,000,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Istanbul, East Thrace, Marmara Region, Aegean Region, İzmir Province | |
| Languages | |
| Turkish as first language, in lesser case Rumelian Turkish, nearly extinct Sepečides Romani and Rumelian Romani | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam, Sufism of Qadiriyya - Tariqa | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Lom people, Dom people, Abdal of Turkey |
The Romani people in Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye'deki Romanlar) are a Romani subgroup in the Republic of Türkiye. They are Sunni Muslims mostly of Sufi orientation. The majority speak Turkish as their first language and have adopted Turkish culture. Many have denied their Romani background over the centuries in order to become more accepted by the host population. They are primarily concentrated in western Turkey, particularly in East Thrace.
Their official name in Turkey has been Romanlar since 1996. They are also called Şopar ("Gypsy kid") in Rumelian Romani dialect, and Manuş ("Human") or Çingene ("Gypsy") in Turkish, while once in Ottoman Turkish they were named Cingân ("Gypsy"), Kıptî ("Copts") and Mısırlı ("Egyptians"). As Gastarbeiter some Turkish Roma came to Germany and Austria and other European countries and fully assimilated in Turkish European communities.
There are an estimated 500,000–2,000,000 Romani people in Turkey.