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The Tatars of Romania, Tatars of Dobruja or Dobrujan Tatars are a Turkic ethnic group that have been present in
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
since the 13th century. According to the 2011 census, 20,282 people declared themselves as Tatar, most of them being
Crimean Tatars Crimean Tatars (), or simply Crimeans (), are an Eastern European Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group and nation indigenous to Crimea. Their ethnogenesis lasted thousands of years in Crimea and the northern regions along the coast of the Blac ...
UyÄŸur, Sinan (2011)
Dobruca Tatar Türklerinde abece ve yazım sorunu
''Karadeniz Araştırmaları'', Yaz 2011, Sayı 30, sayfa: 71-92
and living in
Constanța County Constanța () is a Counties of Romania, county (județ) of Romania on the Bulgaria–Romania border, border with Bulgaria, in the Dobruja region. Its capital city is also named Constanța. Demographics In 2021, it had a population of 655,997 ...
. But according to the Democratic Union of Tatar Turkic Muslims of Romania there are 50,000
Tatars Tatars ( )Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary
are a group of Turkic peoples across Eas ...
in
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. They are one of the main components of the Muslim community in Romania.


History


Middle Ages

The roots of the Crimean Tatar community in Romania began with the
Cuman The Cumans or Kumans were a Turkic nomadic people from Central Asia comprising the western branch of the Cuman–Kipchak confederation who spoke the Cuman language. They are referred to as Polovtsians (''Polovtsy'') in Rus' chronicles, as " ...
migration in the 10th century. Even before the Cumans arrived, other Turkic peoples like the
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
and the
Bulgars The Bulgars (also Bulghars, Bulgari, Bolgars, Bolghars, Bolgari, Proto-Bulgarians) were Turkic peoples, Turkic Nomad, semi-nomadic warrior tribes that flourished in the Pontic–Caspian steppe and the Volga region between the 5th and 7th centu ...
settled in this region. The Tatars first reached the
Danube Delta The Danube Delta (, ; , ) is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. Occurring where the Danube, Danube River empties into the Black Sea, most of the Danube Delta lies in Romania ...
in the mid-13th century during the power peak of the
Golden Horde The Golden Horde, self-designated as ''Ulug Ulus'' ( in Turkic) was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the division of ...
. In 1241, under the leadership of Kadan, the Tatars crossed the Danube, conquering and devastating the region. The region was probably not under the direct rule of the Horde, but rather, a vassal of the
Bakhchisaray Bakhchysarai is a city in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Bakhchysarai Raion (district), as well as the former capital of the Crimean Khanate. Its main landmark is Hansaray, the only extant p ...
Khan.Stănciugel et al., p.44-46 It is known from Arab sources that at the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century, descendants of the
Nogai Horde The Nogai Horde was a confederation founded by the Nogais that occupied the Pontic–Caspian steppe from about 1500 until they were pushed west by the Kalmyks and south by the Russians in the 17th century. The Mongol tribe called the Manghuds con ...
settled in
Isaccea Isaccea () is a small town in Tulcea County, in Northern Dobruja, Romania, on the right bank of the Danube, 35 km north-west of Tulcea. According to the 2021 census, it has a population of 4,408. The town has been inhabited for thousands o ...
. Another Arab scholar,
Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (; 24 February 13041368/1369), was a Maghrebi traveller, explorer and scholar. Over a period of 30 years from 1325 to 1354, he visited much of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his life, Ibn ...
, who passed through the region in 1330 and 1331, talks about ''Baba Saltuk'' (
Babadag Babadag (; ,  "Father Mountain"), formerly known as Babatag, is a town in Tulcea County, Romania, located on a small lake formed by the river TaiÈ›a, in the densely wooded highlands of Northern Dobruja. One of the several tombs of Sari Sa ...
) as the southernmost town of the Tatars. The Golden Horde began to lose its influence after the wars of 1352–1359 and, at the time, a Tatar warlord
Demetrius Demetrius is the Latinization of names, Latinized form of the Ancient Greek male name, male Greek given names, given name ''Dēmḗtrios'' (), meaning "devoted to goddess Demeter". Alternate forms include Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dimitris, Dmytro, ...
is noted defending the cities of the Danube Delta. In the 14th and 15th centuries the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
colonized
Dobruja Dobruja or Dobrudja (; or ''Dobrudža''; , or ; ; Dobrujan Tatar: ''Tomrîğa''; Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and ) is a Geography, geographical and historical region in Southeastern Europe that has been divided since the 19th century betw ...
with
Nogais The Nogais ( ) are a Kipchaks, Kipchak people who speak a Turkic languages, Turkic language and live in Southeastern Europe, North Caucasus, Volga region, Central Asia and Turkey. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well ...
from Bucak. Between 1593 and 1595 Tatars from Nogai and Bucak were also settled to Dobruja. (Frederick de Jong)


Early modern period

Toward the end of the 16th century, about 30,000 Nogai Tatars from the
Budjak Budjak, also known as Budzhak, is a historical region that was part of Bessarabia from 1812 to 1940. Situated along the Black Sea, between the Danube and Dniester rivers, this #Ethnic groups and demographics, multi-ethnic region covers an area ...
were brought to
Dobruja Dobruja or Dobrudja (; or ''Dobrudža''; , or ; ; Dobrujan Tatar: ''Tomrîğa''; Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and ) is a Geography, geographical and historical region in Southeastern Europe that has been divided since the 19th century betw ...
.Stănciugel et al., p.147 After the Russian annexation of Crimea in 1783
Crimean Tatars Crimean Tatars (), or simply Crimeans (), are an Eastern European Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group and nation indigenous to Crimea. Their ethnogenesis lasted thousands of years in Crimea and the northern regions along the coast of the Blac ...
began emigrating to the Ottoman coastal provinces of
Dobruja Dobruja or Dobrudja (; or ''Dobrudža''; , or ; ; Dobrujan Tatar: ''Tomrîğa''; Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and ) is a Geography, geographical and historical region in Southeastern Europe that has been divided since the 19th century betw ...
(today divided between
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
and
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
). Once in Dobruja most settled in the areas surrounding Mecidiye,
Babadag Babadag (; ,  "Father Mountain"), formerly known as Babatag, is a town in Tulcea County, Romania, located on a small lake formed by the river TaiÈ›a, in the densely wooded highlands of Northern Dobruja. One of the several tombs of Sari Sa ...
, Köstence, Tulça, Silistre, Beştepe, or
Varna Varna may refer to: Places Europe *Varna, Bulgaria, a city ** Varna Province ** Varna Municipality ** Gulf of Varna ** Lake Varna **Varna Necropolis * Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy * Varna (Å abac), a village in Serbia Asia * Var ...
and went on to create villages named in honor of their abandoned homeland such as Åžirin, Yayla, Akmecit, Yalta, Kefe or Beybucak.


Late modern period

From 1783 to 1853 tens of thousands of Crimean Tatars and
Nogais The Nogais ( ) are a Kipchaks, Kipchak people who speak a Turkic languages, Turkic language and live in Southeastern Europe, North Caucasus, Volga region, Central Asia and Turkey. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well ...
emigrated to the
Rusçuk Ruse (also transliterated as Rousse, Russe; ) is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, approximately south of Bucharest, Ro ...
region which subsequently became known as "Little Tartary". Following the Russian conquest of 1812, Nogais from Bucak also immigrated to Dobruja. Tatars who settled in Dobruja before the great exodus of 1860 were known as ''Kabail''. They formed the Kabail Tatar squadron in the '' Nizam-ı Cedid'' (New Order) army of sultan
Selim III Selim III (; ; was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1789 to 1807. Regarded as an enlightened ruler, he was eventually deposed and imprisoned by the Janissaries, who placed his cousin Mustafa on the throne as Mustafa IV (). A group of a ...
. They played a key role in
Mahmud II Mahmud II (, ; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. Often described as the "Peter the Great of Turkey", Mahmud instituted extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms ...
's struggle with Mehmet Ali Pasha of Egypt, suppressed rebellions in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
,
Kurdistan Kurdistan (, ; ), or Greater Kurdistan, is a roughly defined geo- cultural region in West Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages, and national identity have historically been based. G ...
, and the Arab provinces and served with the Ottomans during the
Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
. Tatars together with Albanians served as
gendarmes A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to "men-at-arms" (). In France and som ...
, who were held in high esteem by the Ottomans and received special tax privileges. The Ottoman's additionally accorded a certain degree of autonomy for the Tatars who were allowed governance by their own
kaymakam Kaymakam, also known by #Names, many other romanizations, was a title used by various officials of the Ottoman Empire, including acting grand viziers, governors of provincial sanjaks, and administrators of district kazas. The title has been reta ...
, Khan Mirza. The
Giray dynasty The House of Giray (, ; ), also the Girays, were the Genghisid/ Turkic dynasty that reigned in the Khanate of Crimea from its formation in 1431 until its downfall in 1783. The dynasty also supplied several khans of Kazan and Astrakhan between 1 ...
(1427 - 1878) multiplied in Dobruja and maintained their respected position. A Dobrujan Tatar, Kara Hussein, was responsible for the destruction of the
Janissary A janissary (, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops. They were the first modern standing army, and perhaps the first infantry force in the world to be equipped with firearms, adopted dur ...
corps on orders from Sultan Mahmut II. From 1877-1878 it is estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 Crimean Tatars emigrated from Dobruja to
Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
, which continued in smaller numbers until World War I. The reasons for the emigration were several: In 1883 the Romanian government enacted laws requiring compulsory military service for all Romanian subjects including Tatars who were concerned that serving a Christian army was not in accord with their Muslim identity. Other reasons included the 1899 famine in Dobruja, a series of laws from 1880 to 1885 regarding confiscation of Tatar and Turkish land, and the
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
(1916–18) which devastated the region.


Early 20th century to WWII

A unique Crimean Tatar national identity in Dobruja began to emerge in the last quarter of the 19th century. When Ismail Gasprinski, considered by many to be the father of Crimean Tatar nationalism, visited Köstence ( Constanţa) in 1895 he discovered his newspaper ''Tercüman'' was already in wide circulation. However, it was the poet
Mehmet Niyazi Mehmet Niyazi Cemali (Dobrujan Tatar: ''Memet Niyaziy Ğemaliy''; ; January or February 1878 – November 20, 1931) was an Ottoman-born Romanian and Crimean Tatar poet, journalist, schoolteacher, academic, and activist for ethnic Tatar causes ...
who is most credited with spreading nationalist ideas among the Tatars of Dobruja. In the wake of the fall of the Crimean Tatar government, Dobruja became the foremost place of refuge for Tatars from Crimea. Many of these refugees were inspired to join the Prometheus movement in Europe which aimed for the independence of Soviet nationalities. During this period Mustecip Hacı Fazıl (later took the surname Ulkusal) was the leader of community in Dobruja. In 1918, when he was 19 he went to Crimea to teach in Tatar schools and published the first Tatar journal in Dobruja, ''Emel'' from 1930 to 1940. He and other nationalists protested Tatar emigration from Dobruja to Turkey, believing resettlement in
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
was preferable. In the 1920s Dobruja persisted as the primary destination for refugees escaping the Soviets. The Tatars were relatively free to organize politically and publish journals founded on nationalist ideas. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
many Tatars escaped from
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
and took refugee with Crimean Tatar families in Dobruja who were subsequently punished harshly by
Communist Romania The Socialist Republic of Romania (, RSR) was a Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist One-party state, one-party socialist state that existed officially in Romania from 1947 to 1989 (see Revolutions of 1989). From 1947 to 1965, the state was ...
. The refugees who attempted escape by sea were attacked by Red Army aircraft, while those who followed land routes through
Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...
managed to reach Dobruja before the Red Army captured and deported most of them to Siberia on May 18, 1944. Necip Hacı Fazıl, the leader of the smuggling committee was executed and his brother Müstecip Hacı Fazıl fled to Turkey.


Developments Post-WWII

In 1940
Southern Dobruja Southern Dobruja or South Dobruja ( or simply , ; or , ), also the Quadrilateral (), is an area of north-eastern Bulgaria comprising Dobrich and Silistra provinces, part of the historical region of Dobruja. It has an area of 7,412 square km an ...
was given to Bulgaria, and by 1977 an estimated number of 23,000 Tatars were living in Romania. According to Nermin Eren, that number increased to around 40,000 by the 1990s. In 2005 the
Democratic Union of Turkish-Muslim Tatars of Romania The Democratic Union of Turkic-Muslim Tatars of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Tatar community. History The party was formed on 29 December 1989 as the Turkish Muslim Democratic Union of Romania (''Uni ...
claimed that there were 50,000 Tatars in Romania, believing the census estimate was artificially low because most Tatars identified themselves as Turks. Nermin Eren also estimated the number of Tatars in Bulgaria to be around 20,000 in the 1990s. The Bulgarian sources estimate it to be around 6,000, though they are aware that most Tatars intermarry Turks or identify themselves as Turks. Between 1947 and 1957, Tatar schools began operating in Romania, and in 1955 a special alphabet was created for the Tatar community. In 1990 the Democratic Union of Muslim Tatar-Turks was established. Currently Romania respects the minority rights of Tatars and does not follow any policy of
Romanianization Romanianization is the series of policies aimed toward ethnic assimilation implemented by the Romanian authorities during the 20th and 21st century. The most noteworthy policies were those aimed at the Hungarian minority in Romania, Jews and as ...
.


Notable people

*
Kázím Abdulakim Kázím Abdulakim (also transliterated in Romanian as: ''Kiazim Abdulachim'', ''Kiazim Abdulakim'' or ''Chiazim Abdulachim'') was a Crimean Tatar hero of the Romanian Army who lost his life in the summer of 1917 during the Battle of Mărășeșt ...
*
Denis Alibec Denis Alibec (Dobrujan Tatar: ''Deñíz Alibek''; born 5 January 1991) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga I club FCSB and the Romania national team. Alibec began his senior career at Farul Constanța, and at ...
, footballer *
Melek Amet Melek Amet (4 October 1960 – 22 May 2008) was a Romanian model. As the first Crimean Tatar fashion model in Romania, she broke down barriers and became the symbol of a cultural shift. Biography Melek, which in Crimean Tatar language mea ...
, fashion model *
Nejla Ateş Nejla Ateş (March 7, 1932 - died in Istanbul on September 19, 1995) was a Turkish belly dancer and actress, born in Constanța, Romania. Born as Naciye Batır, she achieved fame under the stage name Nejla Ateş in Turkey and as Nejla Ates in th ...
* Emin Bektóre *
Şahip Bolat Abdurrahim Şahip Bolat Abdurrahim (known in Romanian as Şaip Bolat Abduraim) (1893-1978) was a Crimean Tatar spiritual leader, Mufti of the Muslim community of Constanța County. Biography Şahip was born on 29 November 1893 in Azaplar, situated in th ...
*
Dimitrie Cantemir Dimitrie or Demetrius; Cantemir (; ; 26 October 1673 – 21 August 1723), also known by other spellings, was a Moldavian prince, statesman, and man of letters. He twice served as voivode of Moldavia (March–April 1693 and 1710–1711). Durin ...
* , politician *
Deniz Giafer Deniz Giafer (Dobrujan Tatar: ''Deñíz Ğafer''; born 11 May 2001) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Liga II club 1599 Șelimbăr, on loan from Bihor Oradea. Club career Dinamo București While a junior at ...
, footballer * Edris Fetisleam, tennis player * Tahsin Gemil * Yusuf Isa Halim, linguist *
Sîdîyîk Ibrahim H. Mîrzî Sîdîyîk Ibrahim H. Mîrzî (known in Romanian as Sadîc Ibraim) (1909 – 1959) was a Crimean Tatar spiritual leader, imam, Mufti of the Muslim community of Romania, and activist for ethnic Tatar causes. Biography Sîdîyîk was born in 19 ...
* Murat Iusuf, cleric *
Refiyîk Kadír Refiyîk Kadír was a Dobrujan-born Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatar officer regarded as a hero of the Romanian Army. He was the uncle of Ahmet Nurmambet who was the father of the well-known traditional folk singer Kadriye Nurmambet. Biography Re ...
*
Kemal Karpat Kemal Karpat (15 February 1924, Babadag Tulcea, Romania – 20 February 2019, Manchester, New Hampshire, United States) was a Romanian- Turkish naturalised American historian and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Early life ...
*
Mehmet Niyazi Mehmet Niyazi Cemali (Dobrujan Tatar: ''Memet Niyaziy Ğemaliy''; ; January or February 1878 – November 20, 1931) was an Ottoman-born Romanian and Crimean Tatar poet, journalist, schoolteacher, academic, and activist for ethnic Tatar causes ...
, writer * Ahmet Nurmambet * Kadriye Nurmambet, musical artist * Aihan Omer, handball player and coach *
Negiat Sali Negiat Sali (Dobrujan Tatar: ''NeÄŸat Saliy''; born September 4, 1953) is a Romanian economist and politician of Tatar origin, a member of the Democratic Union of Turco-Islamic Tatars of Romania (UDTTMR) and former member of the Chamber of Deputies ...
, politician *
Atila Septar Atila Septar (born 2 June 1996) is a French-Romanian rugby union football player. He plays as a centre or wing for Provence Rugby. Club career Atila Septar played for CA Brive for two seasons then two more for Clermont then three years for Pa ...
, rugby player * Erdinci Septar, rugby player *
Sevil Shhaideh Sevil Shhaideh (; Dobrujan Tatar: ''Sevil Şayideh'', née Geambec (Dobrujan Tatar: ''Ğambek'', ); born 4 December 1964) is a Romanian economist, civil servant and politician. On 21 December 2016, she was proposed by the Social Democrats to be P ...
, politician *
Septar Mehmet Yakub Septar Mehmet Yakub (known in Romanian as Septar Mehmet Iacub) (1904–1991) was a Crimean Tatar lawyer, thinker, spiritual leader of Tatars and Turks in Dobruja, Mufti of the Muslim community in Romania. He was a promoter of harmony and peace. ...
*
Taner Murat Taner Murat (born 8 May 1959) is a Romanian Tatar writer, poet and translator. Biography Taner Murat was born on 8 May 1959 in Constanța, Romania. Until 1985 he studied technics in Sibiu.https://web.archive.org/web/20161116135947/https://si ...
* Ismail H. A. Ziyaeddin


Language

Dobrujan Tatar or Romanian Tatar is the Tatar language of
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. It includes Crimean Tatar and Nogai dialects, but today there are no longer sharp distinctions between these dialects and it's mostly seen as one language. This language belongs to Kipchak Turkic languages, specifically to Kipchak-Nogai and is influenced by
Turkish Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...
and
Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
.


Subgroups


Crimean Tatars

Crimean Tatars were brought to Dobruja by the Ottomans following the increasing power of the Russians in the region and its annexation of Crimea in 1783. However, after the independence of Romania in 1877-1878, between 80,000 and 100,000 Crimean Tatars moved to
Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
, a migration which continued afterwards. As such, the number of Tatars in
Northern Dobruja Northern Dobruja ( or simply ; , ''Severna Dobrudzha'') is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. It lies between the lower Danube, Danube River and the Black Sea, bordered in the south by Southern Dobruja, which is a part of Bulgaria. ...
decreased from 21% in 1880 to 5.6% in 1912. In 2002, they formed 2.4% of the population.


Nogais

The Nogai component of the Tatar population are not separately enumerated in Romanian censuses. Most have emigrated to
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
but it is estimated that a few thousand Nogais still live in Dobruja, notably in the town of
Mihail Kogălniceanu Mihail Kogălniceanu (; also known as Mihail Cogâlniceanu, Michel de Kogalnitchan; September 6, 1817 – July 1, 1891) was a Romanian Liberalism, liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania on Octo ...
(Karamurat) and villages of
Lumina Lumina may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Lumina'', a literary journal published by Sarah Lawrence College * ''World of Lumina'' or ''Lumina'', a graphic novel by Emanuele Tenderini and Linda Cavallini * "Lumina", a song by Joan Os ...
(Kocali), Valea Dacilor (Hendekkarakuyusu) and Cobadin (Kubadin).


Localities with the highest Tatar population percentage

*Constanța County ** Ciocârlia — 11.18% **
Valu lui Traian Valu lui Traian (historical name: ''Hasancea'', ) is a commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The commune was established in 1897, under the name ''Hasancea''. In 1925 it was renamed ''Valu lui Traian'' (Trajan's Wall), after t ...
— 9.81% ** Techirghiol — 9.22% ** Independența — 8.68% ** Comana — 8.37% **
Medgidia Medgidia ( or ; historical Turkish names: ''Karasu'' or ''Carasu'', ''Mecidiye'' or ''Megidie'') is a city in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, south-eastern Romania. History Archaeological findings show that Dobruja was inhabited since the ...
— 8.07% ** 23 August — 7.89% ** Mereni — 7.85% **
Topraisar Topraisar is a commune in the Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The commune includes four villages: *Topraisar (historical name: ) *Biruința (historical name: , probably rounded out phonetically from ''Murat Han'') *Movilița (histor ...
— 6.48% **
Agigea Agigea (; , ) is a commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The commune includes four settlements: , Lazu (Turkish: ''Laz-Mahale''), Sanatoriul Agigea and Stațiunea Zoologică Marină Agigea, the last two being special settlemen ...
— 6.39% **
Murfatlar Murfatlar () is a town in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. It officially became a town in 1989, as a result of the Romanian rural systematization program. Etymology The name of the town originates from the Turkish word of Arabic or ...
— 5.5% ** Cobadin — 4.86% ** Amzacea — 4.71% ** Grădina — 4.47% **
Tuzla Tuzla (, , ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, third-largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative center of Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 110,979 inha ...
— 4.38% ** Eforie — 3.55% **
Castelu Castelu is a commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The commune includes two villages: * Castelu (historical name: ''Chiostel'', ) * Nisipari (historical name: ''Caratai'', , ) Castelu is located in the central part of the cou ...
— 3.37% **
Mangalia Mangalia (, ), ancient Callatis (; other historical names: Pangalia, Panglicara, Tomisovara), is a city and a port on the coast of the Black Sea in the south-east of Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The municipality of Mangalia als ...
— 3.25% **
Mihail Kogălniceanu Mihail Kogălniceanu (; also known as Mihail Cogâlniceanu, Michel de Kogalnitchan; September 6, 1817 – July 1, 1891) was a Romanian Liberalism, liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania on Octo ...
— 3.23% **
Ovidiu Ovidiu (, historical name: ''Canara'', ) is a town situated a few kilometres north of Constanța in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. Ovidiu is quite small, with a population of 13,968 as of 2021, and many wealthy inhabitants of Consta ...
— 3.01% **
Lumina Lumina may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Lumina'', a literary journal published by Sarah Lawrence College * ''World of Lumina'' or ''Lumina'', a graphic novel by Emanuele Tenderini and Linda Cavallini * "Lumina", a song by Joan Os ...
— 2.98% **
Limanu Limanu is a commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. Demographics At the 2011 census, Limanu had 5,337 Romanians (85.1%), 8 Hungarians (0.1%), 84 Roma (1.3%), 3 Germans (0.05%), 6 Turks (0.10%), 179 Tatars (2.9%), 178 Lipovans ( ...
— 2.85% ** Siliștea — 2.69% **
Constanța Constanța (, , ) is a city in the Dobruja Historical regions of Romania, historical region of Romania. A port city, it is the capital of Constanța County and the country's Cities in Romania, fourth largest city and principal port on the Black ...
— 2.59% ** Albești — 2.39% **
Bărăganu Bărăganu () is a commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The commune includes two villages: * Bărăganu (historical name: ''Osmanfacâ'', ) - named after the Bărăgan Plain * Lanurile (historical name: ''Ebechioi'', ) Demogra ...
— 1.7% **
Cumpăna Cumpăna is a Commune in Romania, commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. Administration The commune includes the village with the same name, Cumpăna (historical name: Hașiduluc, ). The village was mentioned under the name ''Ha ...
— 1.41% **
Pecineaga Pecineaga is a commune in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. To the southeast of the commune lies the city of Mangalia. Administration The commune includes two villages: *Pecineaga (, old names: ''Gherengic'' until 1923, ; ''I.G. Du ...
— 1.41%


See also

*
Democratic Union of Turkish-Muslim Tatars of Romania The Democratic Union of Turkic-Muslim Tatars of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Tatar community. History The party was formed on 29 December 1989 as the Turkish Muslim Democratic Union of Romania (''Uni ...
, a political party representing Tatars in Romania *
Islam in Romania Islam in Romania is followed by only 0.4 percent of the population, but has 700 years of tradition in Northern Dobruja, a region on the Black Sea coast which was part of the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries (ca. 1420-1878). In present-da ...
*
Dobrujan Tatar Dobrujan Tatar is the Tatar language of Romania. It includes Kipchak dialects, but today there is no longer a sharp distinction between the dialects and it is mostly seen as one language. This language belongs to the Kipchak Turkic languages, ...
*
Dobrujan Arabs Dobrujan Arabs () are Arab people who assimilated into the Tatar-Turkish population in Dobruja. They were brought from Syria to Dobruja in the 19th century. History There were Arabs brought from Syria to Dobruja by the Ottoman Empire, Ottoma ...


Notes


References


Further reading

*Robert Stănciugel and Liliana Monica Bălaşa, ''Dobrogea în Secolele VII-XIX. Evoluţie istorică'', Bucharest, 2005


External links


Website of The Democratic Union of Turkish-Muslim Tatars of RomaniaWebsite of The Cultural Union of Tatars from RomaniaWebsite of The Democratic Tatar UnionWebsite of The Miras Virtual MuseumAs an Extra Small Language Romanian Tatar Turkish

Romanian Tatar language communication in the multicultural space

The Turkish Language Spoken by the Turk-Tatar Community living in Romania

Implementation of the Tatar Language in the Schools of Romania

Tatar language Day in Romania


{{Turkic peoples Ethnic groups in Romania Muslim communities in Europe
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
Turkic peoples Ethnic groups in Bulgaria Ethnic groups in Moldova