History of the Turkish People

The Turkish people also known as Turks (Turkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a first language. In the Republic of Turkey an early history text provided the definition of being a Turk as any individual within the Republic of Turkey, whatever his faith, who speaks Turkish, grows up with Turkish culture and adopts the Turkish ideal is a Turk. Today the word is primarily used for the inhabitants of Turkey, but may also refer to the members of sizeable Turkish-speaking populations of the former lands of the Ottoman Empire and large Turkish communities which been established in Europe (particularly in Germany, France, and the Netherlands) as well as North America, and Australia.