Iraqi Turkmens
Irak Türkmenleri | |
|---|---|
Ethnic flag of the Iraqi Turkmen | |
| Total population | |
| 3 million (2013 Iraqi Ministry of Planning estimate) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Northern Iraq, mainly governorates of Kirkuk, Nineveh, as well as presence in Erbil, Saladin and Diyala | |
| Languages | |
| Turkmen dialect
Additional: Mesopotamian Arabic, Kurdish, Standard Turkish | |
| Religion | |
| 99% Islam (60–70% Sunni, 30–40% Shia, small Alevi minority) 1% Christianity (Catholic) |
The Iraqi Turkmens (Turkish: Irak Türkmenleri, عراق تورکمنلری; Arabic: تركمان العراق), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, (Turkish: Irak Türkleri, عراق توركلری; Arabic: أتراك العراق) are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq. Their traditional homeland is in northern Iraq, mainly Kirkuk and Nineveh provinces, with Kirkuk considered by them as their capital. They have close cultural ties with Turkey, and are closely related to Syrian Turkmen. Iraqi Turkmens in Iraq do not identify with the traditionally-nomadic Turkmens of Central Asia.