Turks

Turks are an ethnic group primarily associated with the Republic of Turkey. The term also applies to Turkic-speaking peoples across Eurasia and to citizens of Turkey who identify with Turkish heritage. In Turkey, ethnic Turks constitute the largest ethnic group in a multiethnic society.

Turkish, a member of the Oghuz branch of the Turkic language family, is the predominant language. It uses a Latin-based alphabet since 1928; standard Turkish has been shaped by language reforms. Numerous minority languages exist in Turkey, including Kurdish, Armenian, Greek, and Arabic.

Historically, the term Turk referred to various Central Asian and Turkic-speaking groups. Turkic peoples formed polities in Central Asia; the Seljuk and Ottoman empires expanded into Anatolia, where Turkish-speaking communities formed. The modern Republic of Turkey, founded in 1923, pursued secular reforms and modernization under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Today, most ethnic Turks live in Turkey; sizable communities exist in Cyprus (Turkish Cypriots) and in diaspora across Europe and North America, particularly Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Austria, as a result of migration and subsequent settlement.

Turkish culture includes literature, music, cinema, cuisine, and crafts. Islam is a major religious influence for many Turks, but Turkey is a secular republic with freedom of religion, and believers of various faiths coexist in a diverse society.