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.

People

Bosniaks today

Today, a national consciousness is found in the vast majority of Bosniaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the country, Bosniaks make up a large majority in the Bosna river valley and western Bosnian Krajina, with significant populations found in Herzegovina. Currently, they are estimated to make up between 48 and 51% of the total population. With no official census however, its impossible to know for sure.

Related Topics:
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Herzegovina

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National consciousness has also spread to most Bosniaks in the neighboring countries. The largest number of Bosniaks outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina are found in Serbia and Montenegro (specifically in the Sand?ak region). The city of Novi Pazar is home to the largest Bosniak population outside of the motherland.

Related Topics:
Serbia and Montenegro - Sand?ak - Novi Pazar

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Another 40,000 Bosniaks are found in Croatia and 38,000 in Slovenia. However, some of them still identify themselves as "Muslims" or "Bosnians", according to latest estimates. In Macedonia there are estimated to be about 17,000 Bosniaks.

Related Topics:
Croatia - Slovenia - Macedonia

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Due to warfare and ethnic cleansing during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a large part of the world's 2.5 million (est.) Bosniaks are found in countries outside of the Balkans. The highest Bosniak populations outside of the ex-Yugoslavian states are found in the United States, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, and Turkey. Prior generations of Bosniak immigrants to some of these countries have by now been mostly integrated.

Related Topics:
Balkans - United States - Sweden - Austria - Germany - Switzerland - Australia - Canada - Turkey

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Regarding the Western countries most of the Bosniaks are war refugees that only arrived in these countries during the past 15 years or so. They still speak Bosnian, and maintain a cultural and religious community and visit their mother country regularly.

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The United States is home to about 130,000 (est.) Bosniaks, the cities with the highest Bosniak populations are St. Louis and Chicago. The following American cities have notable Bosniak communities, ordered randomly Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Portland, San Jose, and New York City.

Related Topics:
St. Louis - Chicago - Atlanta - Charlotte - Houston - Jacksonville - Phoenix - Portland - San Jose - New York City

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In the United States there are also significant Bosniak communities in the following places, ordered randomly Utica, Hamtramck, Bowling Green, Erie, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Louisville, Lynnwood, and Northbrook.

Related Topics:
Utica - Hamtramck - Bowling Green - Erie - Grand Rapids - Hartford - Louisville - Lynnwood - Northbrook

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These places do not have as many Bosniaks as those mentioned before but the Bosniaks in these cities make up a considerably larger percentage of the total population.

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In Canada, the Bosniak communities of Toronto, Vancouver and Hamilton are notable.

Related Topics:
Toronto - Vancouver - Hamilton

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The highest number of Bosniak immigrants and people descending of Bosniaks are found in Turkey. Today, it is generally accepted that approximately 350,000 Turks descend directly from Bosniaks who immigranted to Turkey mostly in the late 19. and early 20 century.

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However, a recent study claims a much higher number of Turks descending from Bosniaks claiming an estimate of 2.5 million people. Newly found documents by some Turkish historians has resulting in the claim of a number as high as 2.5 million Turks having direct and indirect Bosniak ancestry.

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These historians say that because of the Turkish laws in the late 19. and early 20. century saying that all immigrants arriving to Turkey must become completely Turks resulted in the fact that Bosniak ancestory was lost. For example the immigrants were forced to change their names to Turkish sounding names or entirely Turkish names. As a consequence of this, today some Turks do have Bosniak sounding surnames but also entirely Bosniak surnames the most common one probably being Kiliç spelled in Turkish and in Bosnian spelled Kili?.

Related Topics:
Turkish - Bosnian

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