Turks in Lebanon
| Total population | |
|---|---|
|
Turkish minority: 50,000-80,000 1%-1.7% of Lebanese populationIn addition, Syrian Turkmen refugees: 120,000-150,000 Total: 170,000 - 230,000 (including Turkish minority & recent refugees) 3%-4% of Lebanon's total population |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam |
Turkish minority: 50,000-80,000
Turks in Lebanon, also known as Lebanese Turks (Turkish: Lübnan Türkleri), are people of Turkish ancestry that are living in Lebanon. Turks living in Lebanon have enjoyed a thriving presence in Lebanon since the Ottoman period.
Lebanon became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1516, and Turks were brought into the region along with Sultan Selim I’s army during his campaign to Egypt and were settled in the conquered lands. Turkish colonists were encouraged to stay in Lebanon by being rewarded with land and money. This has seen a remaining legacy, as large amounts of ethnic Lebanese, mainly within the Sunni community, have a recent Turkish ancestor.
The history of the Cretan Turks in Lebanon began when the Ottoman Empire lost its dominion over the island of Crete. After 1897, when the Ottoman Empire lost control of the island, they sent ships to protect the island’s Cretan Turks. Most of these Turks were settled in Izmir and Mersin, but some of them were also sent to Tripoli and Damascus. After World War I, the Ottoman Empire lost Lebanon, however, some of the Cretan Turks remained in Tripoli where their relatives lived. Today, there are about 10,000 Cretan Turks remaining in Tripoli.
...
Wikipedia