Bosniaks

Bosniaks (in Bosnian: Bo?njaci) are a Southeast European ethnic group, descended from South Slavic converts to Islam and non-Slavic Islamic peoples in the Ottoman province of Bosnia. Although it is a point of contention as to their original religion - Bogomilism (Bosnian Church) or Catholicism - the term is currently used for all descendants of Islamic converts. They are named after Bosnia, the largest and most significant historical region of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Religiously speaking, the majority of Bosniaks are Sunni Muslims.

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The Bosniaks today live primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although there is a considerable population in the adjacent Sand?ak region of Serbia and Montenegro. Smaller populations are also present in Kosovo and Republic of Macedonia, as well as the other former Yugoslav republics.

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Historically, Bosniaks are chiefly associated with the regions of Bosanska Krajina, Bosnia proper, Herzegovina, Podrinje, and Sand?ak. However, during the Yugoslav wars, Bosniaks were almost completely ethnically cleansed from Podrinje and much of Bosanska Krajina. Today, most Bosniaks live in the Bosna river valley and Cazinska Krajina, the most western part of Bosanska Krajina.

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In the West, Bosniaks are commonly, but incorrectly, referred to as "Bosnian Muslims". Today the term is considered antiquated and, in certain situations, even mildly offensive. This is because not all Bosniaks are Muslims (although most are) and because of their historical struggle for national recognition. It is important to note that not all of the Muslim peoples of the Balkans are Bosniaks; there are other groups of South Slavic Muslims (such as the Pomaks) as well as non-Slavic Muslim Albanians, Turks, and Roma people.

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Bosnian: Bosnian can refer to:...

Ethnic group: An ethnic group is a culture or subculture whose members are readily distinguishable by outsiders based on traits originating from a common racial, national, linguistic, or religious source. Members of an ethnic group are often presumed to be culturally or biologically similar, although this is not ...

South Slavic: South Slavic can refer to:...