Turkey is a very popular tourist destination, and many may not be too familiar with Turkey’s culture. As such, if you’re one such person and wish to learn more, we’ll talk about a very fundamental aspect of Turkey – its religion. What does the majority of Turks believe in? How religiously diverse is Turkey?
What is the dominant religion in Turkey?
The largest religion in Turkey is Islam, with people declaring themselves Muslims making up between 98% and 99% of the population (depending on the source). About one per cent of Turks call themselves atheists, and a handful follow other religions, including Christianity among others.
In order to answer the question of exactly what faith is in Turkey, however, it is necessary to delve a little deeper into the subject. As we have established, the dominant religion in Turkey is Islam, but this faith, like Christianity for example, is divided into several denominations.
Which branch of Islam is prevalent in Turkey?
There are currently at least several prevalent branches of Islam in Turkey, of which the three main orthodox one are the most common:
- Sunni Islam
- Alevism
- Shia Islam
Though this is a bit misleading because, in reality, Sunni makes up over 80% of the population. Alevism is also practiced, but by around 4-10% of the population. Shia already drops to less than a million practitioners. Other branches of Islam are of lesser importance in Turkey.
Many people may wonder whether there is religious persecution in Turkey. The country was ranked 41st in the 2023 World Watch List, a listing rating persecution of Christians. If you’re planning to visit the touristy part of Turkey, rest assured – such incidents don’t really happen.
This has been the most basic overview, but we hope it has given you the necessary answer.
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