Cham Albanians
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 170,000–440,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Albania
|
120,000–250,000 |
 Greece
|
44–40,000 |
 Turkey
|
80,000–100,000 |
 United States
|
50,000–70,000 |
| Languages | |
|
Albanian also Greek, Turkish and English, depending on residing state |
|
| Religion | |
| Islam, Orthodox Christianity | |
Cham Albanians, or Chams (Albanian: Çamë, Greek: Τσάμηδες Tsámidhes), are a sub-group of Albanians who originally resided in the western part of the region of Epirus in northwestern Greece, an area known among Albanians as Chameria. The Chams have their own peculiar cultural identity, which is a mixture of Albanian and Greek influences as well as many specifically Cham elements. The Chams were at the forefront of helping establish an Albanian national identity and played an important role in starting the renaissance of the Albanian culture in the 19th century. The Chams speak their own dialect of the Albanian language, which is a southern, Tosk Albanian dialect, considered one of the two most conservative dialects, the other being Arvanitika.
Following the Italian occupation of Albania in 1939, the Chams became a prominent propaganda tool for the Italians and irredentist elements among them became more vocal. As a result, on the eve of the Greco-Italian War, Greek authorities deported the adult male Cham population to internment camps. After the occupation of Greece, large parts of the Muslim Cham population collaborated with Italian and German forces. This fueled resentment among the local Greek population and in the aftermath of World War II the entire Muslim Cham population had to flee to Albania. Most Chams settled in Albania, while others formed émigré communities in Turkey and the United States, and today their descendants continue to live in these countries. Since the fall of Communism in Albania, Chams have campaigned for right of return to Greece and restoration of confiscated properties.
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Wikipedia