Turkic Languages*, Table

▪ Table

Table 38: Turkic Languages*

  approximate

number of speakers

Southwestern (Oghuz) branch

  West Oghuz 

    Turkish (Turkey 55,000,000; Germany 2,000,000; Bulgaria 800,000)¹    60,000,000

    Gagauz (Moldova 153,000; Ukraine 44,000)        200,000

    Azerbaijani (Azerbaijanian; Iran 15,000,000; Azerbaijan 6,600,000)²    21,600,000

  East Oghuz

    Turkmen (Turkmenistan 2,700,000; Iran 500,000)³      4,000,000

    Khorasan Turkic (Iran)     2,000,000

  South Oghuz

    Afshar, Qashqai, and various dialects (Iran, Afghanistan)      500,000

Northwestern (Kipchak) branch

  South Kipchak

    Kazak (Kazakstan 7,900,000; China 1,200,000; Uzbekistan 900,000)⁴    10,500,000

    Karakalpak (Uzbekistan)        400,000

    Nogay (Nogai; Russia)          67,000

    Kyrgyz (Kyrgyzstan 2,300,000; Uzbekistan 170,000; China 150,000)     2,620,000

  North Kipchak

    Tatar (Russia 4,700,000; Uzbekistan 420,000; Kazakstan 230,000)⁵ 

    5,500,000

    Bashkir (Russia)

    1,000,000

    West Siberian dialects (Russia)

               n/a

  West Kipchak

    Kumyk (Russia)

        275,000

    Karachay (Russia)

        150,000

    Balkar (Russia)

          80,000

    Crimean Tatar (Uzbekistan)⁶ 

        270,000

    Karaim (Lithuania, Ukraine)⁷ 

               100

Southeastern (Uighur-Chagatai) branch

  Western group

    Uzbek (Uzbekistan 16,500,000; Afghanistan 1,600,000)⁸ 

  20,600,000

  Eastern group

    Uighur (China 7,500,000)

    7,730,000

    Yellow Uighur (Sarig; China)

             4,100⁷

    Salar (China)

           87,000⁷

Northeastern (Siberian) branch

  North Siberian 

    Yakut (Russia)

       365,000

    Dolgan (Russia)

           5,700

  South Siberian 

    Tuvan (Russia 205,000; Mongolia 25,000)

       230,000

    Tofa (Karagas; Russia)

              300

    Altay and various dialects (Russia)

         60,000

    Khakas (Khakass; Russia)

         62,000

    Shor and various dialects (Russia)

         10,000

Chuvash (Volga-Bolgar) (Russia) 

    1,400,000

Khalaj (Arghu) (Iran) 

         28,000

Total Turkic language speakers**

140,000,000

See as table:

*Alternate names or spellings and/or geographic location of the main language areas are given in parentheses. Figures should be considered estimates only. Figures for certain numbers of speakers are not available (n/a).     ¹Considerable portions of the population speak Kurdish and other languages, sometimes with limited knowledge of Turkish.     ²Speakers of Turkish also inhabit many countries of western Europe and other countries in substantial number.     ³Significant numbers of Azerbaijani (Azerbaijanian) speakers also are found in Iraq, Russia, and Armenia.     ⁴Also in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan.     ⁵Also in Russia, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan.     ⁶Also in Romania.     ⁷Also in Romania and Bulgaria.     ⁸Ethnic group is larger.     ⁹Also substantial numbers in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakstan, Russia.     ¹⁰Also in Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.     **Figures do not add up because of rounding.

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