Turks in Saudi Arabia also referred to as Turkish Arabians, Turkish Saudi Arabians, Saudi Arabian Turks, Arabian Turks or Saudi Turks ( tr, Suudi Arabistan Türkleri, ar, الأتراك في السعودية) refers to ethnic

Turkish people The Turkish people, or simply the Turks ( tr, Türkler), are the world's largest Turkic ethnic group; they speak various dialects of the Turkish language and form a majority in Turkey and Northern Cyprus. In addition, centuries-old ethnic ...

living in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...

. The majority of Arabian Turks descend from Ottoman settlers who arrived in the region during the Ottoman rule of Arabia. Most Ottoman Turkish descendants in Saudi Arabia trace their roots to

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

; however, some ethnic Turks also came from the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

, the

Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is ...

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

and other regions which had significant Turkish communities. In addition to Ottoman settlement policies, Turkish pilgrims to

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow v ...

and

Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...

often settled down in the area permanently. There has also been modern migration to Saudi Arabia from the

Republic of Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

as well as other modern nation-states which were once part of the Ottoman Empire.

History

Ottoman Turkish migration

Turks have had a presence in the western Arabian peninsula for hundreds of years, culminating in the Ottoman conquest of the Hejaz in 1517. After the Great Arab Revolt and the decline of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

, a Turkish minority remained in the newly founded Saudi Kingdom.

Modern Turkish migration

Starting in the 1970s, economic relations between

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

and

grew. In 1977, there was 6,500 Turks in

, 5,000 of which were officially reported workers.

Business

There are some 2,100 Turkish-operated hairdresser shops, 3,200 restaurants, and 1,900 furniture stores in Saudi Arabia.

Politics

During the

2017 Turkish constitutional referendum A constitutional referendum was held in Turkey on 16 April 2017 on whether to approve 18 proposed amendments to the Turkish constitution that were brought forward by the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movemen ...

, more than 8 thousand Turkish expats from Saudi Arabia cast votes whether Turkey should abolish it's

parliamentary system A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of th ...

and become a

presidential republic A presidential system, or single executive system, is a form of government in which a head of government, typically with the title of president, leads an executive branch that is separate from the legislative branch in systems that use separation ...

. 58.34% of the Turkish expatriates in Saudi Arabia opted for "No", while 41.66% voted for "Yes". The yes vote was concentrated in Jeddah and the Western Region, while in Riyadh no was the dominant choice. The no vote was significantly higher compared to votes of several European Turkish expat communities.

Religion

Turkish people living in Saudi Arabia are

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a dis ...

Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

. Turkish laborers returning from

Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the ...

seem to be less likely to espouse

Shariah Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the ...

(Islamic law) than those living in European countries.Gerald Robbins
Fostering an Islamic Reformation
''American Outlook'', Spring 2002 issue.

Notable people

Kamal Adham Kamal Adham ( ar, كمال ابراهيم ادهم; 1929 – 29 October 1999) was a Saudi businessman and the director general of Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah from 1965 to 1979. He served as a royal counsellor to both King Faisal and King Khalid ...

, businessman (Turkish mother) *

Iffat Al-Thunayan Iffat bint Mohammad Al Thunayan ( ar, عفت بنت محمد الثنيان ''ʿIffat bint Moḥammad Āl Ṯunayān'', tr, İffet bint Muhammed es Saniyan; 1916 – 17 February 2000) was a Turkish-born education activist and Saudi princess wh ...

, princess and the most prominent wife of King Faisal **children: **

Princess Sara , also spelled as ''Princess Sarah'', is a Japanese anime series produced by Nippon Animation, based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1905 novel, ''A Little Princess''. Spanning 46 episodes, it originally premiered in 1985 across Japan on Fuji ...

, activist for women and children welfare **

Prince Mohammed George Nooks, Prince Mohamed, Prince Mohammed, or George Knooks (born c. 1958 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae singer who initially found fame as a deejay. Biography Nooks started his musical career in the youth choir at his church, and move ...

, businessman **Princess Latifa **

Prince Saud A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

, served as Saudi Arabia's foreign minister from 1975 to 2015 ** Prince Abdul Rahman, businessman **Prince Bandar ** Prince Turki, chairman of King Faisal Foundation's Center for Research and Islamic Studies ** Princess Lolowah, prominent activist for women's education ** Princess Haifa ***grandchildren: *** Amr bin Mohammed Al Faisal Al Saud, businessman ***

Reem Al Faisal Reem bint Mohammed Al Saud, also known as Reem Al Faisal, is a Saudi Arabian photographer and gallery owner, who lives in Jeddah and Paris. Biography Reem is the daughter of Mohammed bin Faisal and granddaughter of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. ...

, photographer *** Faisal bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud *** Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, racing driver and businessman ***

Reema bint Bandar Al Saud Reema bint Bandar Al Saud ( ar, ريما بنت بندر بن سلطان بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود; born 15 February 1975) is a member of House of Saud and the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States. She took office as ambass ...

, Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States ***

Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud ( ar, خالد بن بندر بن سلطان بن عبد ٱلعزيز آل سعود, translit=Ḫālid bin Bandar bin Sulṭān bin ʿAbdu l ʿAzīz ʾĀl Suʿūd; born 1977) is the Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdo ...

, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United Kingdom ***

Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud is a Saudi royal and the president of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS) and the Arab eSports Federation since 2017. He is also vice president of the Global Esports Federation. ...

, president of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS) and the Arab eSports Federation * Omar Basaad, music producer * Muhammad Khashoggi, medical doctor **children: **

Adnan Khashoggi Adnan Khashoggi ( ar, عدنان خاشقجي, ‘Adnān Khāshuqjī; 25 July 1935 – 6 June 2017) was a Saudi businessman and arms dealer known for his lavish business deals and lifestyle. He was estimated to have had a peak net worth of ...

, businessman **

Samira Khashoggi Samira (also spelled Samirah, Sameera, and Sameerah /sæˈmiːrə/, ar, سميرة is an Arabic female given name. It is derived from the root s-m-r ('to spend the night in talking'), ultimately meaning ''night-companion'', ''entertaining compani ...

, author and the owner and editor-in chief of Alsharkiah magazine **

Soheir Khashoggi Soheir Khashoggi ( ar, سهير خاشقجي, born 1947) is an Egyptian-born Saudi Arabian novelist. Life Khashoggi was born in Alexandria in 1947. Her father, Muhammad Khashoggi, was of Turkish origin, and the Saudi Royal physician for King Ab ...

, novelist ***grandchildren ***

Dodi Fayed Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Mena'em Fayed (; arz, عماد الدين محمد عبد المنعم الفايد, ʿImād ed-Dīn Muḥammad ʿAbd el-Munʿim el-Fāyid , 17 April 1955 – 31 August 1997), better known as Dodi Fayed ( ar, دودى ...

, film producer ***

Emad Khashoggi Emad Khashoggi ( ar, عماد خاشقجي, born 25 March 1968) is a French-Saudi businessman and the head of COGEMAD. He initiated the Château Louis XIV development project in Louveciennes, France. Biography Emad Khashoggi was born in Leba ...

, businessman and the head of COGEMAD ***

Jamal Khashoggi Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi (; ar, جمال أحمد خاشقجي, Jamāl ʾAḥmad Ḵāšuqjī, ; 13 October 1958 – 2 October 2018) was a Saudi journalist, dissident, author, columnist for ''Middle East Eye'' and ''The Washington Post'', and a ge ...

, general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel ***

Nabila Khashoggi Nabila Khashoggi ( ar, نبيلة خاشقجي, born 19 February 1962) is an American businesswoman, actress, and philanthropist. Early life Nabila Khashoggi was born in Beirut, Lebanon, the eldest child of the late Saudi Arabian arms dealer Adn ...

, businesswoman, actress, and philanthropist

References

Bibliography

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. * {{Turkish diaspora

Ethnic groups in Saudi Arabia